Hurd Orchards

Susan Hurd Machamer, her daughter Amy Machamer, and Amy’s daughter Amelia Sidonio, are the 6th, 7th and 8th generations to operate this beautiful orchard, flower farm and canning business in the lake region of northwestern New York, tucked between the banks of the Erie Canal, which runs through the farm, and Lake Ontario. Their family began farming the lands there over 200 years ago. 

They grow an array of fruits, vegetables, flowers and boast over 70 varieties of apples.  Those include old-fashioned, heritage  and new experimental varieties bred for flavor, quality and natural disease resistance. The farm boasts orchards, fields, herb gardens, a 200-year-old barn and 150-year old herb cottage that are used for farm and private events. 

Our colleagues at Headwater Food Hub first introduced us to Amy and their experienced orchard manager, Bill Gerling. Headwater distributes produce from Hurd and other local orchards, and were excited about offering EcoCertified fruit to their customers. The Hurd family have a longstanding commitment to ecological growing practices and creating a place to experience the bounty of the region and appreciate farm life.  Their philosophy and practices are well-aligned with the Eco-program and their open collaborative approach with other farms fits well with the network of orchards the program has built across the region.  Amy says “we’ve been farming this way for a long time, and it is so great to get credit for what we do.” 

Like other orchards in the EcoCertified network, Hurd Orchards markets apples in a variety of ways. They offer Pick-Your-Own and a retail farm store that includes fresh fruit and foods derived from farm produce–all hand-made using traditional methods and often generations-old recipes. They also sell fruit wholesale to regional groceries and schools through distributors like Headwaters, and offer mail-order options. During the fresh produce season, there’s also a weekly or monthly Harvest Box subscription available.

One unique seasonal  experience Hurd Orchards offers are their weekly  Barn Lunches, featuring a fascinating series of topics paired with creative local menus. They strive to create events that celebrate the season and are “a joyful learning about foods, menus and … a heartfelt expression of the love we feel for our farm lives.”

This year’s calendar of events  includes Autumn Still Life, a Sampling Lunch featuring the farm’s jams and preserves, a Maple Leaf Luncheon, and a series that celebrates Heritage Apples grown on the farm.  Flower arranging and live music were features earlier in the season. 

According to The Hurd Orchard : “Our farm philosophy centers around our love of fruit growing, our endless appreciation for the earth’s gifts, of the heritage of our region, and for the beauty which surrounds us each season.  It is expressed through our products, and equally through our efforts to preserve and steward wisely our fertile acres—orchards, forests, fields and meadows—and to the sustainability of our rural region.  We believe in the world that Hurd Orchards represents, a world we work hard to preserve and invigorate.”