Lyman
Orchards
“Since 1741” isn’t so remarkable a claim in
New England. Except when it applies to an orchard. Even more
remarkable, Lyman Orchards has been under the stewardship of
the same family for over 250 years.
The original John Lyman started with 36 acres in the beautiful
Connecticut River valley near Middlefield, CT. Over the next
two centuries the family plied many industrious pursuits, including
manufacturing clothes wringers and gunsights, and raising livestock.
The farm is reputed to have been a stop on the “underground
railroad” sheltering runaway slaves on their way north.
By the early 1900s the farm had expanded to include 800 acres
of peaches, and thousands of lambs. Dairy cattle were added
later, and after a terrible freeze in 1917 destroyed most of
the peach trees, many were replaced with apple trees.
Today the orchard is again in the capable hands of a John Lyman.
John (the eighth generation) grew up on the farm, working in
the family produce and baked goods store. After college, he
worked on an apple farm in Holland, learning progressive growing
techniques that he brought back to Connecticut, increasing both
variety and productivity in the orchard.
Best of all for anyone lucky enough to live in the region, he
has developed a thriving crop of tree-ripened peaches, nurtured
in the unique micro-climate of the Connecticut River valley.
John’s knowledge and careful tending result in the kind
of juicy, flavorful peaches that were common to this area until
the early 1900s, but now are assumed to grow only in southern
climates. The five-week peach season is “short, but very
very sweet”---the peaches go from the farm to their retail
customers the same day they are picked.
John also lent his expertise to help develop the Red Tomato
Eco Apple program, based on advance principles of Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) and orchard stewardship. He helped to
create the Eco Apple certification standards and continues to
advise Red Tomato and others on IPM matters.
Lyman Orchards produces apples, peaches, pears, small fruits
and pumpkins. They supply Red Tomato with Eco-apples and those
oh-so-sweet New England peaches.
