Just a short car ride away in rural Easton, Connecticut, lies the historic and scenic Silverman’s Farm. This picturesque spot is far more than a day of simply apple picking. Silverman’s Farm is like a fall festival of sorts, complete with more than 30 acres of apple orchards; a sizable pumpkin patch; scenic hayrides; an animal farm where guests are encouraged to feed the animals; and a charming farmers market, decorated festively and filled with seasonal fruits, vegetables and freshly made baked goods. They even have the occasional food truck or live music on Sundays.
What makes this spot even more special is its cheery owner, Mr. Irv Silverman himself, who can be found overseeing the farm’s operations on a daily basis. Irv’s father, Benjamin Silverman, started Silverman’s Farm in the 1920s.
“At the time, most people raised their own gardens, because there were no box stores,” Irv says. “The farm in those days raised everything. Anything you can think of. And people would come and buy everything by the bushel.”
Where Silverman's Farm Started: The 1930s and Prohibition
In the 1930s, Benjamin Silverman even built a cider mill, where he made sweet cider. Fun fact: During Prohibition, many speakeasies would purchase the cider from the farm in 50-gallon drums and turn it into coveted hard cider.
How did the farm become the ultimate destination that it is today? Irv says there was never a real “blueprint.”
“After I got out of college, I was helping my dad and starting to take over. I wasn’t crazy about just doing vegetables, so I went more into fruit,” he says. “In the '80s more and more people were moving to the suburbs and cities. There weren’t as many backyards with cows and chickens. People began to come to the farm with kids for fun—we call this Agritourism. That’s what makes the business fun; it’s very people-oriented. Families have a ball here.”
Silverman’s Farm is a great place to teach kids where their food comes from.
“A lot of little kids think apples grow at the grocery store. Coming here and picking an apple off of a tree helps them make that connection,” Irv says.
Fall Offerings at Silverman's Farm: Pumpkins, Animals and Tractor Rides
Irv thinks autumn is the most fun time of year at the farm.
“We offer so many different things in the fall,” he says. “The animal farm is a great attraction for kids, the ‘pick-your-own,’ tractor rides, the market with fresh baked pies, jams and jellies—there’s a lot of different things you can do in one day. Another thing we’ve been doing for 30 to 40 years is that if you guess the weight of the pumpkin you pick within 2 ounces, it’s free!"
For almost 100 years, Silverman’s Farm has brought people together whether it be at the dinner table with fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm or in the orchards picking together and making memories.