Bing Bong Goes the Crop Clock: Come Pick Your Own Apples, Peaches, Pears, Asian Pears, Veggies, Flowers, Herbs & More; Farm Stand Well Stocked; Open Labor Day Monday Too.

– FRESH CROP ALERT –

U-Picking

Peaches • Asian pears • Bartlett Pears • Elstar apples • Jefferies apples • St. Edmund’s Russet Apples • Tomatoes • Peppers • Flowers • Herbs

Shopping

Beefsteak tomato peck sale ($16) • Peach peck sale ($26) • Fresh cider • Apples • Peaches • Asian Pears • Tomatoes • Peppers • Flowers • Garlic • Slushies • Coffee • Mugs • Honey • Lotion • Beeswax • Syrup • Pottery • Potted fruit trees • Fresh donuts Thursday-Sunday (and Labor Day Monday) 11 AM to 5 PM

Business

See current hours on home page
See map & tips & safety in 2022 Farm Guide
Drive extra carefully on highway & farm
Thank you for being kind & nice

– FULL STORY –

DEAR FARMKETEERS: You’ve often heard us say, “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” But how about a clock that tocks 11 different times at once? That’s the ‘Creek Clock. The Crop Clock. The Clockety Clock. Yes, our jankety old farm chronometer is bonging out 11 readings: Peach O’Clock! Tomato Time! Apple Hour! Pear P.M.! And a lot more besides. All at this very minute!

U-PICK PEACHES: Round peaches (classic style) are in, flat peaches (donut style) are out. Overall it is a smaller crop this year, but this is a good week for peach picking. Please ask at the stand and we’ll direct you to the beautiful bountiful booty. You can also get a peck of peaches at the farmstand for only $26 while supplies last! That can actually equal or beat the u-pick price per pound.

U-PICK ASIAN PEARS! Surely you’ve tasted these before, right? They are more of an apple-shaped pear than a pear-flavored apple, but they’re not a cross of European fruits – they’ve been grown in China and Japan for over 3,000 years. They are wildly popular and the harvest flies by. This is your chance. The orchard is behind the playground, but ask at the stand so we can point you to the stuff that’s ready.

U-PICK APPLES: Now picking are the first of the “fall” harvest apples, Elstar (shown), Jefferies, and St. Edmunds Russet. Technically it is still summer but please come pick these autumn beauties in the back-to-school spirit, just after you read our Farm School tutorial, How to Pick An Apple. The apple lineup will change each week as our 75+ varieties ripen in waves. This week is your warmup.

U-PICK BARTLETT PEARS: On your hike up to the Asian pears, start with Bartletts on the old trees by the main road. Ask at the stand for a map. These are delicious classics. Remember that pears ripen from the inside out, so you can’t really tell by squeezing them – and don’t do that! They might feel firm, but trust us, they are ready to pick. You just give them a day in a paper bag on the kitchen counter to reach perfect sweetness. Try them poached with a balsamic drizzle?

U-PICK TOMATOES! Now is the true tomato harvest, with nice loads of beefsteak, cherry, heirloom, roma, San Marzanos, and more. What you find each day will vary with as the crowds that came before you. Load up and put up! They are so easy to chop and cook down and put into freezer bags for the off-season. You can also get a peck of beefsteaks at the farmstand for only $16 while supplies last! These are “field run” tomatoes meaning there will be some blemishes, perfect for your DIY culinary productions.

U-PICK PEPPERS. Come browse the pepper patch. Sweets and hots, many varieties, a veritable capsicum smorgasbord.

U-PICK FLOWERS. The u-pick field is right next to the farm stand and parking lot! Use scissors instead of ripping and tearing at flowers with your bare hands. Thank you!

FRESH CIDER! At the farmstand you can get jugs of “Orchard Ambrosia” – that’s 100% unsweetened, unpasteurized juice of apples and sometimes a few pears. Nothing added. It’s like the old days. Earn your locavore credentials by starting with a jug this week and following with jugs over the coming weeks of apple harvest – the flavor will evolve as the varieties change each week. Freezes great, just pour a little off the top before freezing to keep it from going kaboom.

FRESH DONUTS! Served Thursday through Sunday (and Labor Day Monday) 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Yes, with ever increasing verve and vigor as autumn approaches, the Mark 2 Donut Robot churns out fresh fried rings of fructotic splendor – sprinkled, if you like, with cinnamon sugar. “A SPRINKLE OF SIN, SUGAR,” is all you have to say. No donuts served on Monday (except Labor Day Monday), Tuesday, or Wednesday, when the Mark 2 Donut Robot observes its lavish Cyborg Sabbath. Amen and hallelujah.

U-PICK COFFEE! First time ever, you can get a cup at the farmstand. We are brewing hometown roaster, Ithaca Coffee Company, and you can serve yourself. No latte, no spice, no venti, no ice. Just a simple cup for your agritourism adventure. Self-serve kiosk next to the hole-in-the-wall donut shoppe. (New tumblers keep stuff hot or cold forever!)

HOW TO PICK AN APPLE. The main harvest is imminent. Time to read our Farm School tutorial, How to Pick An Apple. And teach your youngsters!

BUS STOP = INDIAN CREEK! You can take your public transportation right to your u-pick destination. TCAT has moved the bus stop to directly in front of the farm, so anyone can take the #21 from town to our doorstep. You want to avoid using the #14, which ends at the hospital requiring a walk on the highway. Be safe!

ONCE IN A WHILE, A MAGNET FALLS OFF THE FRIDGE RIGHT INTO A BOWL OF PRODUCE. And it tells you how to be. Please drive slowly. We have witnessed several terrible, high-speed collisions on Route 96 by the farm in recent years. Approach the farm carefully, exit the farm carefully, and drive SLOWwwwwly when you are on the farm! Here is a free driver’s education reminder.

A Drivers Education
REMINDER

Entering from Ithaca

Indian Creek Farm is 1/2 mile north of the Cayuga Medical Center traffic light. We are on the left, just after the Dubois Road intersection, as you come over the rise. The farm entrance comes up quickly. There is no need to increase speed to 55 MPH. Stay slow to keep the cars behind you slow. Use your TURN SIGNAL well before the turn. We have watched people stop to turn into the farm without using their signal.

While on Farm

Please drive slowly. There is no hurry. You are on vacation while on the farm. There are kids and folks of all ages walking around the farm. Take it easy.

Exiting

Do not pull out if you can even see a car coming. Assume the car is speeding and that you will get hit.

Be patient, an opening will come.