Valentines' Day greetings and smiles, from the Golden Harvest Farms staff:Julie Puiatti, John Margan. and Kim Myers

In this issue: We noticed there was a lot of interest and positive feedback on our previous profile of John Henry, so we're continuing with 2 of our long-time staff members, Helen Crouse and Tina Coons. If you've been by the Roadstand on a weekday you've, no doubt, met at least one of them. How did they happen to come to Golden Harvest so long ago? (see below)

We're pleased to let you know that Lillyann Buccheri is the latest winner of our crazy 1 + 1 + 1 +1 prize (1 gallon of cider + 1 dozen apple cider donuts + 1 apple pie + 1 basket of apples). Congratulations!

Golden Harvest Farms

Newsletter
for February

2014

Helen Crouse and Tina Coons - the Golden Harvest Roadside Ladies

Helen and Tina waiting on customers. They also stay busy re-stocking shelves, hand sorting apple baskets, decorating the Roadstand, etc. etc.!

Helen Crouse and her husband, Don have been married 60 years, and live in Stockport. She was born and raised in West Taghkanic and is a graduate of Martin H. Glynn high school. For many years, she and Don had a heating oil business. They have 2 daughters, who currently live in our area: one is a teacher and the other an insurance agent. Helen loves to brag about them, and about her 3 grandsons, all of whom are college graduates.

Tina Coons was born and raised in the Niverville/Valatie area. Tina has been married to her husband, Jake for 68 years! The mother of 2 sons (John, who lives in Niverville and Joe, deceased) Tina has 4 grandchildren and 3 great grandsons.

Until she had children Tina worked in a law office. She did seasonal work picking apples in another orchard, Stahlmans', which is no longer in operation. She came to Golden Harvest planning to pick but found an opportunity in the Roadstand. She's not sure what year that was but she recalls that the youngest Grout son (now all grown and the father of 4!) was around 4 or 5 so it would have been around 1980.

A couple of years later, Tina found herself looking for someone to cover for her for a short time. Tina knew Helen and asked if she might be interested. It was summertime and the heating oil business was slow so Helen was glad to do it. At first they only worked weekends but eventually switched to weekdays.

And the rest, as they say, is history! Between the two of them, Helen and Tina have nurtured the Roadstand for about 60 years! Their knowledge and experience is quite comprehensive; if anyone has a question or wants to know what's going on at the Roadstand, feel free to ask Helen or Tina.

A lot of what they do is behind the scenes taking care of the details that no one notices until they aren't taken care of.

Either of them could have retired years ago but the Roadstand has become a second home. As Helen says "I would miss all the friendly customers - all day it's like friends stopping in."

And we would certainly miss you too! So here's a big Golden Harvest thank you to Tina and Helen for all you've given over the years, and continue to give, to all of us.

Orchard News

The apple trees benefit from heavy snow cover, like the one we have this winter. Snow melt will give them a good, nourishing drink in the spring.

Announcing the winner of our 1 + 1 + 1+1 drawing:

Lexi W. of Westchester County, visiting her Grandmother, drawing the winning email

Our winner, Lillyann Buccheri hasn't been by to claim her prize, yet,

but she e-mailed us: "I'm far, but still excited to win! I just love everything there :) "

News & Info from the Roadstand

As long as we're not having a blizzard, winter is still a great time to stop in to the Roadstand. Our wood-burning stove and our famous hot, mulled apple cider will help warm you up. Our apples are stored in precise conditions to ensure they are fresh, crisp and juicy throughout the winter. Cider is pressed and bottled regularly, all year long, so it is always fresh.

Besides apples and our own fresh cider we have our award winning cider donuts and bakery items -fruit pies, cookies, turnovers, muffins and cinnamon buns. We carry local honey, organic maple syrup and other maple products, free range eggs and locally made specialty products, jams, jellies and cheeses, organic nuts and gluten-free granola mixes.

We'd like to remind you that Harvest Spirits Distillery is open for tastings and sales on weekends and most holidays 12:00- 5:00

The Golden Harvest Roadstand is open year round. Our winter season hours are now in effect 9:00--5:00, 7 days a week

The Golden Harvest Farms newsletter goes out periodically with updates on the orchard and Roadstand happenings. If at any time you prefer to unsubscribe it will be an instant process (see link below.)

'Portrait of a Honey Crisp'

(by a granddaughter of a staff member)