Milk Pail Farm
Address:
Milk Pail Farm - 1346 Montauk Hwy, Water Mill, NY 11976
History:
The Halsey family first settled on the shores of Mecox Bay in the 1640s. John and Evelyn Halsey, the 11th generation of Halsey farmers, have carried on the Halsey farming tradition that began more than three centuries ago, accompanied by their two daughters, Amy and Jennifer. John Halsey grew up alongside his father’s Mecox potato farm where he learned the craft of farming while his wife Evelyn got her initial experience of apple growing on her parents’ apple orchard in Vermont. In 1969, John and Evelyn Halsey established their small-scale retail store, the Milk Pail, where their main product was milk by their cattle. They have enhanced their business by selling a variety of products, such as apples from their orchard, an assortment of other fruits and vegetables, flowers, and an array of baked goods.
The Team And Their Roles:
Amy: (selling at the store) “The Fashion Designer”
Amy is the “fashion designer” of The Milk Pail due to her creativity. While the customers shimmy through the isles as they browse with wide eyes, the fairy’s supersonic ears overhear the observations from customers; she utilizes their feedback to improve the selection at her store. Amy ornaments her store with proper color schemes depending on the season to aesthetically please each and every customer. She remains discerningly alert to the trends in Water Mill to charm her loyal customers of their desires.
Jennifer: (growing on the farm) “The Fairy”
Jennifer Halsey, “the Fairy,” possesses magical powers promoted by her enchanted wand and her pixie dust. A miniature ruby-red apple sits on her wand’s tip; when tapped just once with Amy’s fingerprint, the gates to her grassy kingdom extend as the aroma from her rich fruits and vegetables pervades her nostrils. Jennifer sprinkles her whimsical pixie dust in each pastry to enhance its sweetness, moist texture, and potent apple presence. She begins each merry morning by injecting her supernatural oil into each bouquet of flowers to enrich the vibrant hues and detain the decaying process; when misted upon the flowers, her emerald-green potion expedites the growing process of her various vegetables. After coating her precious pumpkin seeds in her orange powder, the pumpkins are able to achieve their largest size.
Adapting Through The Years:
In 1969, John and Evelyn Halsey transported the apples from Evelyn’s family apple orchard eight hours from Vermont to sell them at their small-scale farmstand along with the milk they had. John Halsey concluded his work with his dairy farm in 1972 because it was unprofitable. Since the apples proved prosperous, John and Evelyn decided to start planting apple trees. The Milk Pail is now managed by their two daughters, Amy and Jennifer. The Milk Pail emphasizes the importance of protecting the environment. They apply crop-protectant spray on their soil and water to preserve their health. Instead of using compost or manure as fertilizer, they use cover crops, such as natural grasses and mulch; the cover-crops improve soil-health while also providing fertilization.
The Milk Pail collaborates with Cornell University on research projects to stay updated with innovative technology and machinery. The Halsey family has incorporated the use of their weather station to track insects and fungi, which has greatly aided them to eliminate applications of crop-protectants that protect the food they eat.
The Milk Pail has five special varieties of apples that Cornell University has carefully formulated. Although supermarkets utilize vibrant hues and shininess to appeal to the customer’s eye, Amy and Jennifer underscore their apples’ taste; their high-quality apples achieve a crunchy and crisp texture paired with a juicy and sweet flavor. The Halsey family promptly identifies their customers’ needs; if a certain product does not sell well, they simply do not produce it again. The Milk Pail Fresh Market & U-Pick has minimized their sales of individual apples. Instead, they currently use their apples chiefly for baked goods such as pies, muffins, and apple cider donuts; prior to this shift, their customers were baking their own sweet treats with the Halsey apples.
Dylan’s Nutritious Twist On Farms Recipe:
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg white
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut yogurt
1 large apple, grated
1 teaspoon coconut sugar (optional)
Directions:
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce, and yogurt. Pour this into the dry mixture to achieve a creamy, thick batter.
Add in the grated apple and mix with a spatula.
Grease the muffin pan with butter or use parchment paper. Distribute the batter in the muffin pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Sprinkle the muffins with coconut sugar.
This guiltless treat can serve as a snack or even a dessert!
Nutrition Info:
Serving Size 1 Muffin (recipe makes 12 muffins)
101 calories
14 grams of carbohydrates
6 grams of sugar
4 grams of fat
2 grams of protein
1.5 grams of fiber
Health Benefits:
Apples are a great source of fiber; they may aid with digestion. They are known as a source of potassium and vitamin C.
Vegetable oil provides a large amount of energy when consumed. It also lowers bad cholesterol levels.
Whole wheat flour contains all parts of the wheat kernels, whereas white flour removes the most nutrient-rich part. It contains protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
