Fishkill Farms and Treasury Cider

Fishkill Farms is an apple orchard in Hopewell Junction, New York, that has been in the family of orchardist Josh Morgenthau for almost 100 years. His grandfather Henry Morgenthau Jr. started the farm before going on to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Roosevelt. Though Josh studied art in college, he moved back to the farm to pursue his second passion: agriculture. Josh explains, “the farm was on the brink of no longer being viable. I saw an amazing opportunity to help preserve the land by continuing to farm it in a progressive way.”

Josh is dedicated to achieving sustainability and carbon neutrality on the farm. “The future depends on us fixing our food system,” he says. Working with other young farmers who share this vision, he has diversified the operation to include organically grown vegetables, summer fruit, chickens and sheep. Recently, Josh has been experimenting with grazing livestock under the apple trees for the purpose of disease control and fertility.

Fishkill Farms is part of Red Tomato’s pioneering EcoCertified program, developed in collaboration with a network of orchards, scientists, and other advisers. EcoCertified verification represents one of the highest standards of ecological orchard management, using advanced Integrated Pest Management practices that rely on careful monitoring and minimal risk. Red Tomato is a food hub and nonprofit rooted in the principles of fair trade, sustainability and equity.  One of its central tenets is to elevate the way in which we think about sustainable food growing practices, thus embracing a whole-systems approach that works for the benefit of all parts and people in the food system

Josh appreciates the Eco Certification because “it helps promote and fairly compensate farmers with good growing practices.” This is especially helpful in marketing the fruit directly, as Fishkill Farms does: through an on-farm market and u-pick operation, local farmers markets, and a new CSA group. “Having the Eco Certification helps us communicate our growing philosophy to our customers,” Josh says. “It’s a good conversation opener!” Learn more about Red Tomato and its dedication to eco-friendly farming.

Fishkill Farms is proud to produce a tree-to-bottle brand of hard cider, Treasury Cider. A mix of Fishkill Farms’s heirloom, bittersweet and dessert apples are cultivated, pressed and fermented with care to produce each batch. Every ingredient is grown or wild foraged on the farm, which allows the ciderhouse to create refined, high-quality cider akin to dry or sparkling white wine.