Choose Your Adventure

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the influx of New York City residents to nearby rural areas provided a boost to Twin Star Orchards. This U-pick apple farm and producer of Brooklyn Cider House cider is located just outside the quaint village of New Paltz, New York, about 80 miles north of NYC and halfway to Albany.

Susan Yi, who started the business with her brother Peter, notes that an influx of newcomers purchasing homes in the Hudson Valley led to increased sales during the typically slow months of April and May. The rise of remote work has also spiked business on Fridays, prompting the farm to introduce live music—usually reserved for holidays—to attract visitors on Saturdays. They even hosted a socially distanced pig roast on their expansive outdoor pavilion for the Fourth of July.

However, as fall nears, Yi is concerned that the farm’s peak season could bring challenges along with the necessary revenue. 'Fall is always incredibly busy, especially from late September to early October when apple picking and leaf peeping draw many visitors,' she explains. 'We typically see huge crowds every weekend, so we’re worried about maintaining social distancing during that time.'

As spring transitioned to summer, the Northeast began to effectively manage the COVID-19 crisis. New York state turned its situation around from being a major hotspot to a model for pandemic control through strict lockdowns and extensive testing. This shift made places like New Paltz safer. However, the allure of fall activities might disrupt these positive trends by encouraging people to venture out just as experts anticipate a second wave of cases.

Given what we understand about COVID-19 transmission, outdoor activities like apple picking appear quite safe, making these fall outings particularly appealing for city dwellers and parents eager to entertain their children. The vibrant reds and oranges of autumn foliage can still be appreciated from the safety of a car. The aroma of “world-famous” apple pies will still fill the air in New England, and these treats can easily be enjoyed at outdoor tables set six feet apart. Country farms represent the ideal of quarantine cottagecore dreams, where animals provide therapeutic cuddles, and social distancing can be easily maintained without the need to step off the sidewalk.

However, despite the allure of this autumnal fantasy and its perceived safety, the expected influx of crowds to rural areas is causing mixed feelings among local business owners. After six months of financial struggles and a late start to summer tourism, some are optimistic that a fall surge will make up for lost income. Others are concerned that potential super-spreaders could lurk among the pie stalls and orchard rows, posing a risk of bringing a second wave of infections to their communities.

In May 2019, Greenleaf opened its doors in Milford, New Hampshire, a quaint town famous for its pumpkin festival and fall foliage. The restaurant was just a few months old when it participated in its first festival last October. “It was wonderful to see all the people from nearby towns and those traveling from afar enjoying the festival in our small community,” says chef-owner Chris Viaud. “We thought, ‘Next year, we’ll make a big impact. We’ll ensure we’re a vital part of the community and contribute more significantly.’” Now, the restaurant is in limbo as the town deliberates whether to cancel this year’s pumpkin festival.

Like many restaurants across the United States, Greenleaf is facing challenges due to decreased customer traffic amid COVID-19. Although it has received some government financial aid, chef-owner Viaud notes that this support has its limits, and he hopes for a boost in business this fall. Even if the pumpkin festival is canceled, he anticipates that people will still want to travel, placing him in a difficult situation. “It’s a challenging discussion. We need to prioritize our health and that of our staff, but we also have to consider the health of the business,” he explains.

Unexpectedly, fall has emerged as a pivotal season for tourism, even in Northeast areas typically known for summer and winter activities. For example, Stowe, Vermont, where summer hiking and winter skiing usually attract tourists, faced a downturn in summer visitors due to the first wave of the coronavirus, and its ski resorts may not open this winter. Local businesses are counting on customer visits in the coming months.

This situation could be complicated for Plate, a well-known restaurant on Main Street in Stowe, which is trying to balance its responsibility to locals with its reliance on tourists. “When we first opened for outdoor dining in May, we welcomed many locals eager to support us,” says chef-owner Aaron Martin. “But as travel increased, we noticed a shift, with tourists dominating the crowd while locals opted to stay away for safety.” Martin notes that locals are gradually returning, preferring the restaurant’s small 10-seat patio over the indoor dining room, even at reduced capacity for social distancing. Some customers outright refuse to dine indoors if outdoor seating isn’t available. This reluctance stems partly from the observation that many out-of-state visitors do not adhere to Vermont’s 14-day mandatory quarantine. As the weather cools, the restaurant will have to dismantle its outdoor seating, losing both the revenue and the atmosphere it provides.

Both Viaud and Martin express concern about the implications of a potential second wave for their planning in the coming months. “Everyone’s tuned into the news. In the fall, there’s worry about a resurgence. What could that mean for local businesses?” muses Viaud. Martin is confident about the potential outcomes in Vermont. “We have a fantastic governor who has handled the situation well. If a second wave hits, he’ll likely shut us all down again,” he asserts.

While some may be anxious about the upcoming fall season, apple trees and pumpkin vines are thriving as usual. “The farm doesn’t differentiate between a pandemic year and a regular one. The fruit will grow no matter what,” states Jay Mofenson, operations manager at Lookout Farm in South Natick, Massachusetts. “We have fixed costs related to equipment and labor that need to be met, regardless of the situation.”

Founded in 1651, Lookout is among the oldest continuously operating farms in the U.S. This 180-acre orchard boasts 55,000 trees and attracts about 50,000 enthusiastic amateur apple pickers each year. Although some apples are sold to wholesalers, Mofenson emphasizes that “Agritourism is our main focus.”

Fortunately for Lookout, the summer peach season is typically much quieter, bringing in only around 5,000 visitors in an average year. This means the farm experienced minimal losses in U-pick business during the initial pandemic wave, allowing Mofenson and his team to completely redesign operations in preparation for the expected fall influx. They revamped the customer experience from arrival to departure, eliminating the trains that usually transport guests to the orchards, creating a one-way path through the trees, and implementing a reservation system with limits on the number of pickers each hour.

In Camarillo, California, home of the Abundant Table, autumn foliage isn’t a major attraction, but the farm still provides a quintessential fall experience. Their offerings go beyond U-pick, featuring a produce shop, educational programs for both children and adults, community farming initiatives, and various BIPOC-focused nonprofit activities.

All of these initiatives were put on hold during the early days of the pandemic, but Linda Quiquivix, the manager of institutional sales partnerships and CSA, mentions that the team is preparing to resume them soon, with rigorous social-distancing protocols in place. “What’s really special about us is that we operate as a collective. It’s a democratic workplace,” she shares. “We determine our working conditions together. We stay informed about the [COVID-19] situation, so we can adapt our plans to the evolving circumstances.”

Quiquivix highlights that following the widely reported collapse of the food system early in the pandemic, community farming, U-pick, and the produce stand offer people a way to support local agriculture, which many customers are beginning to value more. The Abundant Table is also partnering with the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to organic farming, to create a U-pick, no-till pumpkin patch. As students transition to remote learning in the fall, Quiquivix hopes the school district will permit a sixth-grade class to assist in analyzing the pumpkin patch weekly, not only discussing soil carbon maintenance through no-till practices but also exploring the pre-colonial farming methods of the Chumash people who historically inhabited that land.

Further north, at R. Kelley Farms in Sacramento, owner Ron Kelley committed to his summer crops back in April, planting seeds while hopes were high that the pandemic would soon subside. U-pick usually represents 60 percent of business for the 28-year-old farm, and the summer peak season has been successful. Kelley has established social distancing measures and a reservation system, enabling him to welcome visitors from up to 100 miles away to pick crowder, purple hull, and black-eye beans.

However, everything shifts come fall, a season that doesn’t generate nearly as much business for him. The potential expenses outweigh any possible benefits of offering his typical winter greens for U-pick. “My business is the least of my worries. I’m concerned about my health,” he explains. “At 72 years old, I don’t want to risk getting sick from working outside in the fall and winter.”

While the majority of restaurants and farms are determined to do everything possible to stay afloat, Kelley is more candid about the possibility of shutting down. “At my age, this could be the final straw,” he remarks. “Once I wrap up this year, I’ll seriously evaluate my options and decide if I want to take another risk next year or what my next steps will be.”

“This year is going to be tough. I can’t predict where we’ll end up financially,” Mofenson states frankly. Yet, there’s always a silver lining to navigating through a crisis. “The farm holds a special place for us and many others. The positive feedback we receive from people, expressing gratitude for the chance to be outdoors and see their kids happy, has truly been a bright spot in this entire situation.” He concludes, “Here’s hoping for a better 2021 for everyone.”