NEPM: Fern Valley Farms

This week on NEPM, CISA’s Communication Manager, Claire Morenon, launches her debut alongside Monte and Kaliis. This week, they spoke with Brooke Fernandes, of Fern Valley Farms.

Now in its seventh year of operations, Fern Valley Farms in Wilbraham is a celebration of local food in a picturesque looking out on the entire Connecticut River Valley. With help from Dad, Bill Fernandes, Dan and Brooke Fernandes continue the legacy of the Rice Family, who established the orchard in 1894 in Wilbraham, where it served as a source of wholesale apples for many local grocery stores.

In 2016, Dan Fernandes and his father, Bill, took an interest in the orchard while traveling through to access the Wilbraham Nature Preserve to cut and bale hay. Father and son, along with help from hard-working friends, worked to clean up the overgrown orchard. In 2017 Dan purchased the orchard and opened it to public for pick-you-own. In the years since, the Fernandes family has worked tirelessly to beautify the orchard and create a gathering place in Western Massachusetts.

Brooke says, “We want to celebrate where our food comes from by showing people how the apples grow. We’re educating people about varieties of apples, how the weather impacts crops, and even pruning.”  The orchard is open for pick-your-own apples for 2024. The farm has 15 varieties in total, stretching the season into October. This year’s apples are promising: big, beautiful fruit with all the juicy sweetness you’d expect from your favorite apple.

Events are how the farm welcomes community. They ran a summer concert series on weekends, and they have outdoor family movies, and more. The farm is available for

weddings and private parties.

Fern Valley Farms is open for apple picking on weekends 10-6:30pm starting Labor Day weekend through the second week of October. See their website or Facebook page for event information, including the Family Fall Festival on September 29 and the Pancake Breakfast on October 20, 2024.