NY’s oldest business is so old, it existed before the Declaration of Independence

New York’s oldest family business is so ancient that it was established before George Washington was born, before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, before the Underground Railroad helped enslaved people to freedom, and even before the first U.S. dollar bill was printed.

Hudson Valley’s Saunderskill Farms, the state’s oldest business, has been continuously farmed since 1680. Its roots extend through 12 generations of the Schoonmaker family.

Located in Accord, about 10 miles away from popular Mohonk Mountain House and the Minnewaska Preserve, this 400-plus acre farmstead is one of the few farms in the nation to have received the rare “Tricentennial Award” from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Saunderskill Farms in Accord, NY is the oldest business in the state, started in 1680. @upstatecurious on Instagram| Provided photo@upstatecurious on Instagram| Provided photo

Open seasonally from April through early December, Saunderskill Farms grows flowers, fruits, and vegetables each year. It’s a favorite destination for families looking to pick their own strawberries, blueberries, apples as the Upstate New York seasons change.

Families flock to the farm in fall to take part in horse drawn hay-rides, a free corn maze and go pumpkin picking in the region’s largest pumpkin patch.

The onsite market also includes a bakery and cafe where you can find autumnal food staple, the apple cider doughnut, as well as fresh baked pies, breakfast, soups, and sandwiches.

Plant fanatics will be able to peruse 15 greenhouses filled to the brim with an assortment of annuals, perennials and vegetable plants. Their website notes that they have a selection of 4,000 mums each year, grown right at their greenhouses.

To see the oldest business in states across the country, visit the National Conference of State Legislatures.