79 Farmstead Lane Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
(845) 831-1617
Every Saturday and Sunday from February through November (excluding some holidays), Stony Kill Farm opens its barn doors from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and allows visitors to meet the livestock up close and chat with volunteer barn guides. It's a free program, and no reservations are necessary. This 1,000-acre farm, the former homesite of the Verplanck Family, is owned by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and is operated by the Stony Kill Foundation. In 1942, James DeLancey Verplanck and his half-brother, John Bayard Verplanck, gave 754 acres of land to the New York State Department of Education to be used as a teaching farm by SUNY Farmingdale. In 1973, the farm and land were transferred to NYS DEC. The Stony Kill Foundation, Inc., chartered in 1977, is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Today, the historic grounds continue as a working farm and are home to livestock such as cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys and pigs, as well as Heritage breed livestock, which are rare breeds of animals once commonly found on farms but are now in danger of extinction. The property is open to the public daily, however the barn is open only during Open Barn hours. The farm was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1980. For outdoors enthusiasts, there are half a dozen hiking trails at this 1,000-acre farm, including an ADA-accessible trail.
This is one of the participating locations on the Dutchess Tourism Zen Finder Outdoor Experience Trail, a free digital passport featuring some of the best hidden-gem trails, fresh-air activities and captivating views in a curated itinerary of outdoor highlights. Sign up now!
