“Be a Tourist in Your Own Town” and #ExploreMoreMontgomery #Strongertogether

By Morgan McClary

Communication Specialist to Matt Ossenfort, Montgomery County Executive

Since March, many have resorted to long-overdue home projects, 1,000 piece puzzles that are inevitably missing pieces or binge watched the ninth season of that campy Netflix series they needed to catch up on.

There’s other options. You don’t need to travel far to get out of the house and enjoy an exciting daytrip. Montgomery County has 10 towns, 10 villages and a city filled with history, recreational opportunities and delicious restaurants waiting to be visited.

Why not “Be a Tourist in Your Own Town” and #ExploreMoreMontgomery ?

First Stop: Sand Flats Orchard 371 Martin Road Fonda, NY 12068. Sand Flats Orchard in Fonda is owned and operated by the Hoffman family. The agri-tourism destination has activities May through November. Hours are season dependent.

September was a great time to visit. The smell of hot cider donuts hits you as you walk into the building. Here, you can grab a basket and make your way out to the orchard to pick-your-own apples! Breakfast Take-Out or eat outside is available weekends in September and October. You can easily grab a bite before heading out to the orchard. Pick your own early apples such as McIntosh and Autumn Crisp are available.

When we headed out, the view of the fields was gorgeous and the little ones enjoyed being able to easily reach the apples of their choice.

Another great option—for those unable to pick their own—is that Sandflat’s has a country store with fresh apples, fudge and other goodies available for purchase. We were sure to bring home pumpkin butter and kettle corn to share with our families. There’s no guarantee it lasted through the car ride home.

After picking apples, we made our way to the pumpkin patch and corn maze. The pumpkins were beautiful and would make a great addition to any front porch. You can also take a hay ride for a chance to see amazing views of the Mohawk Valley. Sand Flats has mums and a variety of u-pick flowers. The u-pick flowers are still available, but winding down. We will have to come back in the summer months to pick flowers, blueberries and strawberries when they are in season! The farm has two greenhouses and a variety of vegetables. New this summer was Sunset in the Sunflowers, an opportunity to take photos in the sunflower patch after hours. Photographers could schedule photo sessions or participate in the Summer Photo Contest.

The Hoffman family was extremely inviting and eager to show us all of the fun activities the farm has to offer. They are in the works of expanding their amenities with a cider press and it seems like each year they think of new creative ways for the public to enjoy their orchard. No matter which season you decide to take your trip to Sand Flats, you are guaranteed to have fun with your family!

Consider being a Tourist in Your Own Town this weekend!

You can stay updated on what’s going on at Sand Flats by visiting them on Facebook @SandflatsOrchardandGreenhouse or on Instagram @sandflatsorchard

#ExploreMoreMontgomery #Strongertogether

Sand Flats Orchards Welcomes You!