Wegmans Organic Farm

Last month, I had the opportunity to tour (and work on) the Wegmans Organic Farm in Canandaigua, NY. It was a beautiful hot (very hot) summer day. I was excited to learn about organic farming and put my hands to work! 

We started our day with a tour of the barn, where harvested produce is sorted and packaged. It's quite an impressive facility. There's even a yoga studio on the upper level. 

Our first task of the day was harvesting cherry tomatoes in the hoop houses. You can learn more about hoop houses and the tomato harvest here. The aroma of the tomato plants and their leaves is intoxicating. There's just something about picking tomatoes right off the vine and popping one into your mouth. So fresh! 

Our mode of transportation and our tour guide, Paige. We also weeded a hoop house, which was quite challenging. Because no pesticides or weed killers are used, weeds are that much more invasive and difficult to keep out. Later on, we helped clean out an entire field of Swiss chard. We definitely got the full farming experience!

Up the hill, is the chicken coop house. These lucky chickens (and rooster) live a happy life, complete with fans inside where they lay their organic eggs.

I got to see eggplants on the vine. I never knew exactly how they grew. Love that dark purple color! 

The sunflower patch grows beautiful flowers and keeps the bees happy so they can make organic honey. 

The farm overlooks beautiful Canandaigua Lake - what a view!

The "Kitchen Garden" was my favorite part. A picturesque garden with a beautiful gated entrance, trailing grape vines, herbs and flowers. I would love to have a place like this to sit and enjoy.

I had a lot of fun visiting and helping out. I definitely learned a lot while getting to experience organic farming. To learn more about the Wegmans Organic Farm, visit Wegmans.com or visit their blog.