Fall Harvest Wine, Cheese & Apple Picking Weekends

Saturdays:  October 4, 11, 18, 2008
Sundays:   October 5, 12, 19, 2008

Get whisked away for a day-long celebration of the fall harvest of wine, local cheese, and apples when you step on the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle at Poughkeepsie Station. 

At your first stop, explore the charming Village of Millbrook.  Known for its rolling hills and horse farms, Millbrook is also home to many eateries, gift shops and antique stores.  On Saturdays, you’ll also be able to meander the Millbrook Farmer’s Market’s twenty vendors featuring their delicious, locally-grown produce and fine food specialities.  Take advantage of one the many cafes to buy a picnic lunch that you can enjoy while at Millbrook Winery or in the Millbrook Tribute Garden park.

Next, it’s wine tasting and scenic views at one of the Hudson Valley’s premiere wineries, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery.  Located in a renovated Dutch-hip dairy barn with views of its 130-acre estate, Millbrook produces high-caliber wines using classical French and Italian wine-making techniques.  Take a guided tour and enjoy a tasting at this award-winning winery.  (Tasting fee is $6 per person and is in addition to the package price.) 
 
Then, it’s on to Terhune Orchards, a 70 year old family-owned and operated farm, in Salt Point.  Here you can enjoy the market, take a hayride, pick your own apples, and marvel at incredible open-space vistas.  Wander the 70 acres of fruit trees and vegetables. The market features preserves, butters, spreads, pies, donuts, breads, and much more.

Your last stop is Sprout Creek Farm, a model of sustainable agriculture, also known for its artisanal cheeses lovingly produced by a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America.  Sample the creamery’s mouth-watering creations and local seasonal fare from the farm market.  Try the creamery’s mouth-watering creations made from the rich and creamy milk of the herd of grass-fed Jersey, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn and Brown Swiss cows .  Sprout Creek’s cheeses are all about soil, seasons, grasses, and happy cows!

The Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle will stay with you all day, transporting you to the various locations and bringing you back to Poughkeepsie Station for the return trip home.  Reservations for the Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link shuttle are required in advance by calling 800-445-3131 and selecting "0" for an operator.  Reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.  Once you've made your reservation, purchase your rail and shuttle ticket any Metro-North station with a ticket office (except Poughkeepsie Station, at all full-service ticket machines (except Poughkeepsie Station), or online through WebTicket at www.mta.info .

Some activities, including lunch, may require an additional fee.  For more information about these itinerary stops and other agricultural and culinary destinations throughout Dutchess County, please visit http://farmfresh.dutchesstourism.com .

*Dutchess County Tourism has the right to substitute a farm or related itinerary stop to ensure the quality of the overall program and the individual getaway experience. 

PRICE:

From Grand Central Terminal or Harlem-125th Street:
adults, $26.75
seniors, $19.50
children 5-11, $3.50
children under 5, free

Save an additional 5% on railfare when you purchase this package through WebTicket .

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Discount round-trip rail fare and shuttle transportation to/from Poughkeepsie Station and all venues included in the package.

TRAVEL INFORMATION:

Be sure to get a customer letter prior to your trip.   Take the Hudson Line to Poughkeepsie Station.  The bus will meet the train departing Grand Central Terminal at 7:50 a.m., arriving at the Poughkeepsie Station at 9:39 a.m.  When you get to Poughkeepsie Station, follow the signs to the bus area and look for the  bus stop.  Your bus will be the one with a sign that reads“Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link.”
  
www.millbrookfarmersmarket.com
www.millbrookwine.com
www.sproutcreekfarm.org
www.mta.info
WebTicket