An agriculture industry that once seemed doomed by supermarkets with the ability to undercut local farmers has rebounded into a stable and thriving business in Dutchess County. The turnabout happened when farmers began to realize the potential of retail sales and the tourism attraction their farms held for the urban and suburban crowd. In a hurried technological world, many people yearn for the natural rhythms of farm life and the chance to feel connected with the earth, animals and old-fashioned values.

With each passing year, more open-air farm markets are being launched in towns and villages. Also on the steady rise are farms offering pick-your-own fields and orchards as well as hayrides, tours and full-blown festivals. Of course, the county’s three award-winning wineries continue to host popular tastings and tours.

According to a 1997 USDA census, which is conducted every five years, the value of Dutchess County agricultural products sold was $34 million. Dutchess County ranks seventh in the United States in thoroughbred horse sales, and is in the top fifty counties in the U.S. for vegetable sales.

Agritourism has been increasing in popularity and contributes to the overall dollars spent by tourists. This includes pick-your-own berry and fruit farms, farmers’ markets, nurseries and greenhouses, horse farms and equestrian centers as well as traditional dairy, beef and vegetable farms.

A major force in the continued revitalization of Dutchess County’s agricultural community is Hudson Valley Harvest, a marketing campaign launched in 1996 to increase awareness and demand for Dutchess County-grown fruits, vegetables, specialty foods and wines. The program, spearheaded by Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation, establishes an identity for the area’s agricultural products and allows for brand positioning both nationally and internationally as high-quality consumer goods. A Hudson Valley Harvest seal in the form of a sticker can be seen on Dutchess County produce and wines throughout the region, at New York City’s Green Markets and at national food trade shows.

For those who enjoy harvesting their own fresh-from-the-farm produce, Barton Orchards (www.bartonorchards.com) in Poughquag has a variety of pick-your-own fruit and vegetables. In addition it offers hayrides, a petting zoo, a playground and tours. Other farms with harvest fair activities include Secor’s Farm (upick@warwick.net), Wappingers Falls, with a corn maze and hayrides; Piggott’s Farm Market, Poughkeepsie, staging an August Corn Festival; and Wigsten’s Farm, Pleasant Valley, a 4-acre corn maze (The Maize), environmental exhibits, crafts and music.

To complement its extensive farm market and fresh cider and draft cider operation, Breezy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill (www.hudsonvalleycider.com) in Clinton has an education center dedicated to fruit growing in the Hudson Valley.

Keepsake Farms (www.keepsakeorchards.com) in Fishkill is known for its pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples. Its farm market sells cider, fruit pies, donuts, jams, maple syrup, Indian corn and country food products. Look for entertainment, petting zoo, hayrides and barbecues on fall weekends. At The Greig Farm (www.greigfarm.com) in Red Hook, would-be farmhands can gather several varieties of berries as well as asparagus, pumpkins and flowers. Its on-premise nursery and garden shop are excellent, while an education program, a summer day camp and farm tours are available by appointment. McEnroe Organic Farm Market in Northeast has NOFA-New York certified organic produce as well as pick-your-own herbs and flowers for tasteful cooking and decorating.

Of the 30 farm markets and pick-your-own farms listed in the Dutchess County Travel Guide, Montgomery Place Orchards (mporch@epix.net) in Annandale-on-Hudson is a standout. The sprawling estate with its 23-room Federal style mansion cultivates more than 5,000 apple, pear, and peach trees. The orchard operation returns the estate to a working farm as it was in the Revolutionary War era. After the orchards and farm market, visitors can enjoy a nominally priced tour of the gracious home museum. Numerous festivals also are held throughout the year.

It surprises many people to learn that Dutchess County has been a supplier of cut flowers dating back to Victorian times, and was widely acknowledged as the “Violet Capital of the World.” Now it’s anemones, a boldly colored and showy flower with broad daisy-like petals and feather foliage, which are in demand. Those in the know make F.W. Battenfeld & Sons (www.anemones.com) in Red Hook a stop between September and May when their seven greenhouses are devoted to growing anemones. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, families come to cut their own or select a fresh cut evergreen tree.

When late November comes around, many visitors come to Dutchess County Christmas tree farms to choose among a varied selection of pines, firs and spruces. There are more than 20 cut-your-own Christmas tree farms located throughout the county and many additional spots to purchase freshly cut trees. Evergreen wreaths and garlands also are popular. Some larger sites offer authentic Hudson Valley craft items for holiday decorating and seasonal celebrations that feature old-fashioned hayrides, hot cider or cocoa and other family activities.

The fruit of the vine can be savored at Dutchess County’s three award-winning wineries, all of which provide tours and opportunities to chat with the vintners. Connoisseurs each fall follow the release of new wines with perennial interest as locally bottled vintages have steadily gained recognition. The wineries will give samplings of Dutchess County grown European varieties vinified as sparkling wines, dry to semi-dry table wines and late harvest dessert wines -- each capturing a bit of the snows of winter, showers of spring, sun of summer and the crisp air of autumn.

The Dutchess Wine Trail takes visitors to Cascade Mountain Winery and Restaurant (www.cascademt.com) in Amenia, Clinton Vineyards (www.clintonvineyards.com) in Clinton Corners and Millbrook Vineyards (www.millbrookwine.com) in Millbrook. A fourth, Alison Winery, opened its doors in 2000 at The Greig Farm in Red Hook. All are within a half-hour drive of each other on scenic roads that pass by thoroughbred horse farms, dairies, orchards, woodlands, lakes and trout streams.

Through summer and fall, Dutchess County celebrates its agricultural bounty with a variety of country festivals and fairs. The Dutchess County Fair (www.dutchessfair.com) is a great place to see farm animals, agricultural shows and exhibits. Held every August in Rhinebeck at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, the event is the second largest agricultural fair in New York State. Antique Machinery & Rural Life Days, a mid-May celebration at the fairgrounds, features exhibits and demonstrations of old-time farm tractors, a blacksmith shop, farm-related museum collections, tractor pulls as well as fiddle music and other entertainment.

“Scarborough Faire” is a celebration of herbs held each June at the historic Mills Mansion in Staatsburg. For anyone interested in herbs for cooking, medicine or other uses, the event provides workshops, lectures by noted experts and authors, culinary demonstrations and a giant marketplace of herbs and herb-related products. The “Harvests Around the World” festival is a September celebration held on the 756-acre grounds of the Stony Kill Environmental Education Center in Wappingers Falls. Explore our world’s diverse bounty and cultures through environmental exhibits and plays, live animals, barn tours, hayrides and family entertainment.

Visitors who are interested in farming displays and competitions, horse pulls and antique tractor pulls should make a point to attend the “Future Farmers of America Fall Festival” in Pine Plains. A vintage car show and parade round out the two-day event. In mid-October, the Webatuck Craft Village in Wingdale hosts a harvest festival with crafts, folk music, a farm market and numerous harvest-related activities and demonstrations. Autumn festivals are also held at Locust Grove, the Samuel Morse Historic Site (www.morsehistoricsite.org) in Poughkeepsie, and Montgomery Place (www.hudsonvalley.org) in Annandale-on-Hudson.