Early Apple Growing

Northern Columbia County has a long tradition of growing apples, shipping them to markets in Albany, New York City, Boston and beyond. Our primary orchard was originally owned by the Van Buren family. In those times, Route 9 was shouldered by apple orchards and small, seasonal farm markets. Our orchard had only one barn at that time and a small crop of apples was loaded on to tractors directly on Route 9.

Dan and Madeline Zinke

In the late 1940s a young, ambitious couple, Dan and Madeline Zinke, moved from New York City to grow apples. After learning the apple trade, they purchased the 50-acre orchard and commenced construction on the primary retail store.



"The Road Stand" — as we affectionately refer to our retail farm market — started as a modest store and cold storage building. Dan and Madeline raised their two daughters on the farm and gained a reputation for great apples, fresh cider and a friendly atmosphere.

Next Generation

Jayne (the Zinke's second daughter) and her husband Alan Grout moved to the farm in 1974 to raise their 5 boys in a wholesome environment. The couple's industrious nature and ambition lead to a grand expansion of the farm in the late 70s and early 80s. The acerage at Golden Harvest doubled and new buildings were constructed to refrigerate, pack and store apples. Now Golden Harvest Farm has over 200 acres in production and boasts a modern packing line that exports our apples to as far away as Costa Rica and Panama.

Dedicated Employees

Throughout the years, Alan's charisma and strength allured some of the finest agriculture employees we could have hoped for. Johnny Kawalski, a tireless get-things-done kinda guy, provided a right hand man that could do just about any job on the farm. Bill Minshell worked on the farm for over 60 years, offering his brilliant insight and experience to growing the biggest and best apples in the Northeast. Tina Coons and Helen Crause, an energetic dual, have helped create a charming atmosphere in the road stand that keeps customers coming back all year long.

The Five Boys

Out of Alan and Jayne's five boys, three decided to work at the farm. Douglas Grout handles packing and shipping fruit to international markets. Darren and Derek work on constantly improving the retail operation, including pick-your-own. And Alan still dedicates the lion's share of his time to growing apples, a tradition that will continue at Golden Harvest Farms for a long, long time.