Nearly 350 years of farming, twelve generations of one family, and a remarkable piece of living Hudson Valley history.
Some places preserve history behind glass. Others keep it alive through everyday work.
At Saunderskill Farms in Accord, New York, history is planted in the fields, harvested with the seasons, and passed from one generation to the next. Since 1680, the Schoonmaker family has farmed this land in Ulster County without interruption, creating an extraordinary agricultural legacy spanning nearly three and a half centuries.
One of New York State’s oldest continuously operating family farms, Saunderskill is much more than a historic landmark. It remains a working farm, a beloved local market, and a gathering place where generations of Hudson Valley residents have come for fresh produce, homemade baked goods, and the simple pleasures of country life.
A Family Legacy Beginning in the 17th Century
The story of Saunderskill Farms begins in 1663, when Lieutenant Hendrick J. Schoonmaker received a land grant for his military service during the Dutch colonial period.
The original property encompassed about 300 acres of fertile bottomland along the Rondout Creek. By 1680, the Schoonmaker family had established a working farm, beginning a tradition that would endure through wars, economic upheavals, technological revolutions, and the Hudson Valley’s transformation.
The farm takes its name from the Saunderskill, a tributary of the Rondout Creek that flows through the property.
Over the centuries, generations of Schoonmakers have adapted their agricultural practices to changing times while staying connected to the land.
That remarkable continuity earned Saunderskill Farms the rare Tricentennial Award from the United States Department of Agriculture, recognizing its exceptional agricultural heritage.
Today, the family’s history spans twelve generations, with descendants continuing the work their ancestors began more than three centuries ago.
From Historic Farmland to a Popular Hudson Valley Market
Although its roots trace back to colonial New York, Saunderskill Farms is very much part of contemporary Hudson Valley life.
The farm market along Route 209 offers an inviting selection of fruits and vegetables, including crops grown on the family’s land and products from other regional growers.
Depending on the season, visitors will find sweet corn, tomatoes, asparagus, strawberries, apples, and other fresh produce.
The market also carries locally produced honey, maple syrup, groceries, and prepared foods. Coffee, breakfast selections, soups, sandwiches, and ready-made meals make it a welcoming stop for travelers and neighbors alike.
And then there is the bakery.
Known for its apple cider donuts, freshly baked pies, breads, cookies, and pastries, Saunderskill’s bakery has become a destination in its own right. Whether picking up a loaf of bread for dinner or enjoying a sweet treat with a cup of coffee, visitors experience the pleasures of a traditional farm market.
A Farm for Every Season
The changing seasons have always shaped life at Saunderskill, and today they offer visitors different reasons to return throughout the growing year.
Spring brings the greenhouse’s opening, with annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, and flowers ready for Hudson Valley gardens.
As summer arrives, the fields yield strawberries, blueberries, sweet corn, and other seasonal favorites. Pick-your-own opportunities invite visitors to experience the farm beyond the market.
Autumn is especially popular. Apple and pumpkin picking, colorful chrysanthemums, a corn maze, and seasonal hayrides draw families for traditional harvest activities.
These experiences connect today’s visitors with a landscape that has sustained generations of farmers.
Keeping the Family Tradition Alive
What makes Saunderskill Farms particularly remarkable is not merely its age but the continuity of the family that has cared for it.
Members of the Schoonmaker family remain involved in growing crops, harvesting produce, and operating the farm market. The next generation has stepped into leadership roles, helping ensure the farm continues to thrive while honoring its extraordinary past.
The farm’s story is one of perseverance, adaptation, and stewardship.
For more than three centuries, the Schoonmakers have witnessed enormous changes in the surrounding countryside. Yet the farm’s essential purpose remains the same: growing food, caring for the land, and serving the community.
In a region where historic buildings and landscapes offer reminders of centuries past, Saunderskill Farms is especially rare.
History that never stopped working.
And nearly 350 years after the first Schoonmakers began farming these fields, the harvest continues.
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