1 Tank Adventure: Stone Barns Center For Food And Agriculture

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Getting a table at the Blue Hill restaurant can be a challenge, but although reservations are also required for a visit to the Stone Barns campus, it is a much easier (and less expensive) booking.

There is so much more to the sprawling farmland and nature trails on the property than just the Hudson Valley's most sought after dining experience. In fact, it is perhaps the agricultural heritage at Stone Barns that makes the Blue Hill culinary reputation so highly regarded rather than the other way around.

Of course, visitors to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture have the option of enjoying the best of both worlds. Although the quick service dining option remains closed following the global pandemic, box picnic lunches prepared by the chef in residence are available for purchase in advance when booking tickets to take a self-guided tour of the grounds.

Did you know turkeys can fly? Turkeys can fly. (Jeff Edwards/Patch)

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture was originally conceived in the 1990s by the Rockefeller family, according to the foundation. Conservationists, organic farmers and chefs worked together to make a place where the majestic beauty and agricultural heritage of the property were accessible to the public.

Mom won't let visitors get too close to the piglets. (Jeff Edwards/Patch)

Pocantico Hills has a long history of agricultural stewardship by the Indigenous Wappinger and Lenape Native American communities. Later, Dutch colonists preceded the Rockefeller family’s arrival on the land.

The farm's famous stone barns were originally designed as a dairy, stables and farm complex in the 1930s.

In 2002, David Rockefeller donated the 80-acre property and began the restoration of the barns and landscape to form the nonprofit Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in partnership with his daughter Peggy Dulany, to honor the memory of his wife, Peggy Rockefeller who was a farmer and preservationist.

Even on a working farm, a hard-working dog needs a break every now and then. (Jeff Edwards/Patch)

IF YOU GO:

• Tickets are required for those aged 12 and older.
• Adult tickets are $25 dollars for non-members.
• The grounds are open during the summer Thursday - Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Dogs must be leashed at all times.

The Stone Barns Center advises visitors to wear clothing appropriate for a day out on the farm. Guests may encounter uneven terrain, farm equipment and unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells. The public is encouraged to explore but asked to respect the farmers’ work as well as the animals and crops by keeping a safe distance and staying on designated paths.

Visitors are also reminded that many fences on the property are electrified for the animals’ protection. Do not pet the animals. Children under 5, pregnant women, and those with heart disease or compromised immune systems should exercise caution while visiting any farm.