Locally Grown Hero

Established in 1947 in Mexico town, New York, Behling Orchards has grown through five generations from six to 160 acres of apples with nearly 70 varieties, including their own signature apple, Jenna Blush. Today, three generations of Behlings work side-by-side to make their operation successful and sustainable.

Each autumn, when the apples arrive full of flavours, sweetness and juice, Eric and his family turn their farm into a festival,opening their fields to visitors looking to take their pick of fresh fruit straight from the orchards. By serving up delicious seasonal treats, including candy apples and apple bakes, they’re encouraging children and adults alike to eat sustainably with locally-grown, seasonal food with lower food miles and a smaller carbon footprint.

UPL representative, Bob Sergeant has been a trusted partner to Behling Orchards for almost 15 years, addressing their specific needs while improving their farm’s sustainability. “We began using Cuprofix, Assail, Penncozeb, Topsin, and Microthiol to improve the health and quality of our crops. These products are still very important to us, but with Bob’s guidance and field experience, we understand that the NPP portfolio will be thefuture of crop protection,” says Eric. “The two newest products we’ve applied on the farm to control the fireblight bacteria, are Kasumin and Vacciplant. We have had very good success in 2022 and see these, and other biocontrols, being a major part of our farm sustainability.”

In 2019, the Behling family also launched the 6 Acres Farm Brewery and are currently building a separate brewery site for tasting and events. The brewery draws from local sources, utilizing fruit from the farm and hops from another nearby farm. They also use the old-fashioned rack and cloth technique, ensuring their artfully blended cider is crafted sustainably from bud to bottle.We look forward to continuing our relationship with Behling Orchards, supporting the further growth of this dynamic farm.