It all starts here in the quiet hills of Shushan, a tiny hamlet in Salem, NY on the Vermont border, about 60 miles northeast of Albany. On an old dairy farm that encompassed over 200 acres of pasture and woodland, there are four bays like this covering only a quarter of an acre, providing herbicide and insecticide free tomatoes on a year round basis. Another similarly sized bay provides herbs.

An excellent well, fed from the pristine hillside on the property, provides plenty of the purest water for the operation. Nutrients are mixed into this water to produce lush tomato plants for about ten months per year. The plants are an indeterminate variety, i.e. the vines continue to grow as long as the fruit is picked slightly before it ripens fully.

As the vines grow, they are swirled around the greenhouse, reaching almost 45 feet in length! Shushan Valley Hydro Farm grows both beefsteak and cluster varieties. On the near left you can see some nutrient piping and a beefsteak cluster. Far left is a perfect pyramid of vine ripened tomatoes.

On the left is Phyllis in the herb house. That is young basil in the foreground and more mature basil in the bench behind Phyllis. On the right is farm fresh basil, ready to be delivered to the market. Come find out what fresh food tastes like, even in the winter.

Here are the finished products: fresh, local, vine-ripened tomatoes and the best basil around. Look for it in almost all the Hannaford supermarkets in the Albany region and on Wednesday and Saturday in New York's Green Market. We were recently featured in a rather special issue of New York magazine, although we make no claims for our tomato's sexiness. But they can't hurt, so take home plenty. They're great plain or make a Caprese salad with our basil, some mozzarella, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Use these tasty tomatoes in salads, on pizza, or make a great gazpacho. Almost all the photos on this page will enlarge, if clicked. Use your back button to return to this page.

Some photos from the Greenmarket in NY!

On the left is an interview with a local news outlet. The center shows the small sign outside our stand. On the right we have singer Tony DeSare picking up some tomatoes. We have also been visted by the tastemonger who had some very nice things to say about our tomatoes. In the spring we harvest ramps (wild leeks) for the first taste of the new season.

Now raising beans and arugula!

Shushan Valley Hydro Farm
588 Juniper Swamp Road, Shushan, NY 12873
Email | phone 518 854 9564 | Salem info | Wash Co info