Fresh from the Catskills
Snow is falling, lights are twinkling and local shops are brimming with great holiday gifts for everyone on your list. Whether you are looking for a present for your favorite foodie or fresh greens to deck your halls, our year 'round farm and winter farmers' markets are filled with the tastes of the Catskills honey, maple products, cheeses, dried herbs, jams, jellies, and more. Looking for a unique gift for that person who has everything? Choose a hand-knitted present from homespun wool or perhaps a handmade dried herb wreath. Come explore our local holiday markets for all of your holiday gift giving. Check out our gift guide for more holiday shopping ideas. If you still haven't found the perfect tree or that beautiful wreath for your front door, take your family out for a tree-cutting excursion and enjoy the fresh winter air, along with a cup of hot cocoa and maybe even a warm cider donut. Head for our Catskills tree farms and make your holiday season bright. For a list of local tree farms, click here!
What's Fresh Now: December
Fresh Holiday Greens: The smell of fresh pine says "holiday time" better than any other aroma, except maybe fresh-baked cookies! Our local tree farms offer more than just cut-your-own tree experiences. You'll find balled fresh trees for planting later, handmade pine roping, beautiful wreaths, traditional kissing balls and more to decorate your home.
Apples: Baking apples will make anyone's mouth water for their sweet taste. The Catskills are the place to find fresh apples, apple butter, and apple baked goodies for your holiday table. If you like to cook for your family and guests, serve up a tray of Cheddar-Apple sandwiches for a hearty cold weather lunch or prepare a batch of pumpkin waffles with warm cinnamon apples for a holiday brunch. To find these and other great fruit recipes, click here.
Maple: The Catskills are plentiful with maple trees, which in turn means a good supply of local maple products. Don't just stop at maple syrup. Enjoy some maple butter on your toast or stuff your stockings with maple candies as a tasty treat. If you haven't cooked with maple, you're missing some wonderful flavor. Try a few of our maple recipes, like carrot cake with maple cream cheese frosting for dessert or spice up your holiday party with some homemade eggnog with fresh nutmeg and hint of maple.
Honey: Local honey is commonly known to benefit those with seasonal allergies. In addition, most people don't realize that honey is a natural cough suppressant for those winter colds. It makes a wonderful alternative to refined sugars for sweetening teas and baked goodies. You'll find a variety of local honey sources, often in a multiple of flavors, from lavender to buckwheat and more. Try one at our farm markets and farms throughout the Catskills.
Fresh From...
Pick a Catskills county below for a directory of farmers' markets, u-picks, farmstands, and harvest festivals featuring locally grown fruits, vegetables, maple and honey products, herbs, and more!
