MAY

Lilac Luncheon- Wednesday, May 13th,  12:30 p.m.
The lyric softness of spring. The magnificent fragrance of bloom time. Walking through our rows of lilacs planted for harvest, contagiously inspires one to gather, share and celebrate. With a backdrop of our historic barn, and vases tumbling with blooms our melodious luncheon will include our many May taste treats...
rhubarb and watercress, asparagus, and mint...

Spring Bouquet Luncheon - Thursday, May 14th,  12:30 p.m.
A walk along the garden path in May is a privilege and a treat for the spirit.
What a gift it is to live in such a divine environment! What a joy it is to gather the blooms of the garden and meadow! This luncheon's succulent handmade pastries and fresh spring salads taste all the finer while we lead you into the landscape with an insightful, sensitive and lively demonstration of spring bouquet floristry. With a bounty of blooms we will create picture perfect hand tied nosegays and table decorations. Come enjoy and learn!

Lovely Lemon Luncheon, with Grace Wong, harpist - Friday, May 15th, 12:30 p.m.
Once when I was a girl and living in Toronto, Canada, the Queen of England came to town. While she passed by in a stately parade an elegant elderly spectator was overheard to remark: ' Oh doesn't the Queen look Lovely in Lemon!'. Since that charming day 'lemon' has had a special place in our homes. Even more wonderful - lemon tastes fantastic with all of our fruits!
This May luncheon, served amid the appropriately soft and melodious strains of the harp, is a formal springtime repast with lemon embroidered both subtly and boldly
throughout the fresh garden tastes.

Maypole Luncheon - Wednesday, May 20th, 12:30 p.m.
May is lyric, soft and lovely. Apples are blooming. Lilacs are dancing in the sunlight. The Maypole ribbons flutter in the breeze and hope is all around. Enjoy this luncheon celebrating earth's awakening for the season. Tuck a flower in your May Basket, sip a sip of May nectar and know the gift of Spring.

Spring Wine Luncheon - Thursday, May 21st,  12:30 p.m.
Beneath the boughs of the cherry trees we will enjoy an early summer garden party. Our delightful menu, born from both garden and treasured recipe box, will be accompanied by fascinating wines from our own burgeoning Western New York wine industry. Wine expert Michael Warren Thomas of www.savorlife.com will lead us on our wine discovery - as flowers nod in the garden and a breeze ruffles the cherry leaves overhead.

A Luncheon in Cobblestone Country - Lunch and Tour - Friday, May 22nd,  12:30 p.m.
Our gorgeous stretch of Ridge Rd, pebbled and sandy and perfect for fruit trees, is home to the most impressive collection of Cobblestone homes. Their history is tilled from our soil and our heritage, and their presence fills our landscape with grace and grandeur.
This luncheon will feature delicious recipes from the cobblestone era. In addition it will be our privilege to enjoy a brief presentation on cobblestone architecture by Orleans County Historian and cobblestone expert Bill Lattin. At the close of the lunch, Mr. Lattin will lead a tour for those interested, of the Cobblestone Museum Complex in Childs, NY. A home will be open for viewing.
A donation of $5.00 per attendee will be donated by Hurd Orchards to the Cobblestone Museum in Childs New York.

Crepes Galore  - Thursday, May 28th, 12:30 p.m.
     A warm crepe with blackberry jam
     A crepe with cheese and chutney
     A crepe with sauce and herbs on top
     A crepe with cinnamon honey
     From appetizers to entrees to desserts, the versatile crepe absorbs and
         showcases the flavors of the season.
     Recipes will be included with this lovely luncheon.

JUNE

Poppies and Popovers - Wednesday, June 3rd, 12:30 p.m.
By early June the magic of poppies spreads across our flower fields. Suddenly bursting in shades of carmine and coral, crisp white and true orange, poppies of every variety sweep early summer with energy and radiance. This happy luncheon will also feature fresh-from-the-oven popovers served with warm preserves from the kettle.

Poems of the Countryside Luncheon - Thursday, June 4th, 12:30 p.m.
So many times a line of poetry will refer to a beautiful bucolic landscape, or a flower, or the sweetness of a fruit. These poems give us great pause. Often we not only understand the reference instinctively, but we know that we live in the very world described! In this luncheon poems will be at your table, woven into your menu and in the very air of the day!

Gourmet Spring Garden Luncheon, with Grace Wong, harpist - Friday, June 12th, 12:30 p.m.
**This luncheon is limited to 30 guests. Alternate rain venue provided**
On elegant tables set in and beside our beautiful herb gardens, we will serve our gourmet spring and summer menu. While the strains of music float along an early summer breeze and flowers nod along the lavender paths, our servers will greet you with garden recipes that we have been practicing and perfecting. Enjoy this special moment in time on our farm.

Strawberry Shortcake Luncheon - Thursday, June 18th, 12:30 p.m.
Big bowls of strawberries with whipped cream and hot, freshly made biscuits...pitchers of daisies on farm tables nestled between summer salads and fresh breads with herb butters and jams.

Chocolate Cherry Luncheon  - Tuesday, June 23rd, 12:30 p.m.
The first sweet cherry heralds, for us, the beginning of summer harvest on our farm... strawberries have only been a tease. Deep mahogany cherries hanging with undisputed elegance framed against the blue sky of summer rich with sun sweet juice. Dip a cherry in chocolate. Discover the forgotten flavor of Black Forest Cake. Enjoy the chocolate reflections and vibrant culinary knowledge of our special guest Michael Warren Thomas of www.savorlife.com.

Peonies and Punch - Wednesday, June 24th, 12:30 p.m.
Soft and the palest pink peonies have nodded in the June gardens of the country for centuries. A hallmark of early summer, the elegant peony gives us a sense of suspended time. Enjoy this luncheon, with wreath rings of blush and sherbet twined about the punch bowl, and a menu of equal delicacy. Drop back in time.

Lavender and Herbs Luncheon - Thursday, June 25th, 12:30 p.m.
Lavender is such a celebrated herb for soaps and perfumes, but have you ever tasted lavender shortbread, or lemon and lavender tea cake, or lavender chicken, or lavender jelly? Let us inspire and delight you with the many possibilities that lovely lavender affords us in both taste and treasure.


JULY

Cherries Jubilee Luncheon - Thursday, July 16th, 12:30 p.m. AND  - Friday, July 17th, 12:30 p.m.
Mid summer on a fruit farm really means to us farmers standing beneath a shady cherry tree looking up through the fat glossy green leaves and the ropes of succulent cherries to glimpse the clear blue sky. It helps if you've just picked baskets beyond baskets of cherries, the truck is loaded and has rumbled away and your hot and strain is refreshed by a handful of cherries divine. yes, this is cause for Jubilee! This is the summer of our experience and joy. Come for our cherry celebration!

Blueberries Up, Blueberries Down!... delicious blueberries all around!   - Thursday, July 23rd, 12:30 p.m.
   Blueberry soup or blueberry catsup,
   Blueberry muffins and blueberry pie,
   Blueberry bouquets and blueberry baskets,
   Blueberry jam under blueberry sky!

Brambleberry Luncheon
Endless rows of red, red raspberries, neatly trellised and trimmed...tarts plump with purple berries, pails brim full of inky black raspberries...and the wild brambles of the hedgerows. The history and presence of bramble culture are a part of baking and jammaking, a part of nutrition and a part of July on our farm.


AUGUST

Amazing Apricot Luncheon - Thursday, August 6th, 12:30 p.m.
"A" is for August and Apricots - big, fat, rosy cheeked apricots, smaller tasty yellow ones. A splash of color in jams or marmalades, a luscious surprise in salads and fruit bowls, apricot bread, apricot cake, marinated apricots with couscous, apricots cooked or apricots fresh. We'll taste them all and learn about their history and horticulture.

The Art of Garden Posies - Wednesday, August 12th, 12:30 p.m.
By late summer our flower fields are a bloom in ribbons of brilliant hue. Gardens overflow with herbs. Brown-eyed-susans nod in the meadow. Cottage bouquets, rich with the color and texture of the land, fill our market and grace our quaint tables. Come learn the secrets of an old fashioned summer garden bouquet while enjoying our tasty luncheon. Fun floral arranging demonstration included!

A Rainbow of Flowers and Fruits, a Luncheon in August - Friday, August 14th, 12:30 p.m.
Dancing in the summer sun the fruits of August shine with brilliant hues - orange apricots and golden peaches, inky blackberries and purple plums, bright blueberries, red raspberries and green summer apples! Couple this with rainbows of zinnias, stunning dahlias and sunflowers shining. This luncheon bursts with cheer. This is a celebration of the earth's glorious gifts.

Sunflower Luncheon - Wednesday, August 19th, 12:30 p.m.
Big splashes of yellows, oranges, golds and burnished chocolate make a striking backdrop for the delectable tastes of August. Our glowing harvests, from garden and orchard will make this luncheon a delight.

An Elegant Picnic in the Countryside - Thursday, August 20th, 12:30 p.m.
At it's height summer in the country is about stolen moments of quiet steeped in bounty and fresh breeze. In a setting beneath the trees, as the sounds of summer surround, our picnic will unfold. Gorgeous cloths - spread with treasures of earth and kitchen - will tempt you: to enjoy the magnificent rural repast we have prepared: perhaps to take a walk: and most certainly to breath anew.
*Alternate rain venue provided*

Butterfly Garden Luncheon - Wednesday, August 26th, 12:30 p.m.
Our exquisite zinnia garden, with dazzling splashes of brilliant color, hovers and shimmers all the late summer with visiting butterflies. It is magic. Our carefree luncheon will interpret this ethereal moment in color and taste...butterfly cookies included!

Classic Herb Luncheon - Thursday, August 27th, 12:30 p.m.
With the sounds of music floating over our beautiful formal herb gardens we'll indulge in a marvelous menu incorporating specific herb seasonings with each item. We have magnificent varieties to choose from - both annual and perennial. Herb bouquets will grace our tables, and herbs and edible flowers will garnish our plates.

End of Summer Luncheon - Friday, August 28th, 12:30 p.m.
One last bowl of summer berries. One last day of summer's enveloping warmth and ease. Gently fold yourself into the sunset of summer's luxuries - sunshine and peaches - tomatoes and basil - green leaves, blue sky and the garden's bounty.


SEPTEMBER

The Elegance of Preserving Luncheon - Wednesday, September 2nd, 12:30 p.m.
In September the canning kitchen hums with activity. Now is the time to capture the harvest. As the cool breeze tells us of the inevitable first frost we count the days and check the lists of all that needs to be gathered and saved. Amid this flurry the September Table is splendid. Jars of from-the-kettle blackberry preserve, seconded by a stunning peach apricot compote top desserts and appetizers. With the scent of old fashioned chili sauce and just-made pickles floating  on the wind, the main course takes on a new September twist. Chutneys, relishes, sauces - recalling for us at Hurd Orchards as much our delicious present as the elegant past! Come discover our secrets!

An Erie Canal Luncheon - Thursday, September 3rd, 12:30 p.m.
Long ago Kate Lavender lived on our farm. Once she had been a cook on the Erie Canal. We used to love to hear Nana tell us stories about Kate. A lazy bend in the Erie curves through the south end of our farm. It's quiet waters have brought our countryside people and commerce, have colored our landscape and now water our crops. Come enjoy this luncheon as we explore the many ways the Erie has shaped our lives and our tables.

The Lure of the Land Luncheon - Wednesday, September 9th, 12:30 p.m.
We came back to our farm to live and to stay. We love the open landscape, the fresh air,  the great and ceaseless potential of planting and growing - an orchard, a business, a life. We are aware that there is something magnificent and essential in the basic work of farming. This luncheon will share through taste and tale why it is that we farmers farm.

Peaches and Cream Luncheon - Thursday, September 10th, 12:30 p.m.
Bushels of amber and coral surround us in peach harvest. Warmth and bounty abound. The canning kitchen hums with activity and excitement as jar after jar of golden peaches is neatly packed, ready for winter enjoyment. The ice cream freezer turns slowly and rhythmically adding music to our anticipation of an afternoon picnic. There are fresh, ripe peaches to savor, juice running down our chins. Come join our celebration.

The Fruits of New York Luncheon - Wednesday, September 16th, 12:30 p.m.
We live in the land of bounty. Our gardens and orchards are lush and full with fruits - a storybook. At the turn of the twentieth century U.P. Hedrick made famous our New York abundance in his 'Fruits of New York' volumes, prized as much for their gorgeous hand tinted photographs as for their wealth of fruit history and information. This luncheon will highlight our New York orchard culture, and showcase with style the edible possibility of the land in which we live.

Autumn Orchard Concert, with Grace Wong, harpist - Thursday, September 17th, 12:30 p.m.
As apple harvest escalates to it's most glorious pitch we take this time amid the gathering to share our thankfulness for a wonderful season. With the strains of music drifting above the treetops we'll enjoy this most wonderful autumn repast resplendent with fall color and tastes.

Hydrangea Luncheon - Wednesday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m. AND  - Thursday, September 24th, 12:30 p.m.
There is something about hydrangeas that captures our imagination. Is it the soft and pillowy blossoms from the clearest blues and crisp whites in July or the subtly hued and sophisticated burnishing of autumn? The stateliness of the hydrangea fill our gardens and bouquets with charm from mid summer until frost. come see how our inspiration has crafted centerpieces from fall's hydrangea offerings. Enjoy a relaxing luncheon, informative talk and tour.

Heirloom Apples and Robert Frost - Friday, September 25th, 12:30 p.m.
One of our favorite poems of all times is Robert Frost's 'After Apple Picking'. So many of his words speak of our world, a country world of pruning and picking, orchard lanes and farming ways, yet a world more profound, more simple and more sophisticated than often meets the eye. Some of our ancient trees, with great and turned trunks and limbs, through our care still yield the fruits of long ago, fruits telling stories, and watching the same world, through the same lens as Mr. Frost's.

Foraging From the Farm Luncheon - Wednesday, September 30th, 12:30  p.m.
There is a lot to learn about foods from the pages of a pioneer notebook; eating with the earth is as ancient as the land. Yet both are as modern and as relevant as the most  delicious 21st century menus. From the tender shoots of spring greens to fiddlehead ferns, wild leeks, wild strawberries, wild lamb's quarters and September's amazing puffballs - each season surrenders it's treasured treats - some rare, some common - but all remarkably delicious. Relish this rare opportunity; this delightful menu and the light hearted but knowledgeable reflections of both our family and staff, and local food expert Michael Warren Thomas of SavorLife.com. Come learn about foraging - for health, for earth, and for pleasure.


OCTOBER

The Autumn Garden Luncheon  - Thursday, October 1st, 12:30 p.m.
The sky is different now. A sudden cool breeze has ushered in a new perspective.
Once we made a delicious herbal vinegar called 'The herbs of the first fallen snow'. In that year we had an early dusting of white, like powdered sugar overtop gardens and fields still lush and green. We were so surprised to find so many garden gifts that seemed to smile in the snow! We relish autumn, as we do each season in step. Discovering the hidden secrets of  autumn's offerings in Western New York reminds us that fall is as vivid for the pallet and the eye as are spring and summer. Come learn to look for the harvest gifts of the land. Fun recipes included!

Apple Butter and Apple Pie Luncheon - Thursday, October 8th, 12:30 p.m.
Enhancing our lunch du jour will be hot apple butter right out of the kettle ( come watch the process!) served on breads steaming from our bake ovens. And if you could choose any dessert in the world on October 8th it MUST be apple pie! Our featured recipes will compliment a delightful seasonal menu.
' An apple pie when it looks nice
Might make one long to have a slice
And if the taste should prove good too
A little slice would hardly do
So to prevent my asking twice
Please cut for me a great big slice!'
                                --Betty Hurd


Fall Foliage Luncheon - Wednesday, October 14th, 12:30 p.m.
The sun glinting between the barn boards highlights a glitter of golden and scarlet leaves dancing from the center bouquet in our barn. Aged wooden beams glow set against the treasured symbols of fall - warm maple - bronzed oak - persimmon bittersweet - apples in every shade of red -a garnet chrysanthemum - a pumpkin. All about us settles autumn in glorious shades and before us a magnificent meal, filled with an appreciation for the land.

The Apple Connoisseur's Palette - Thursday, October 15th, 12:30 p.m.
The aroma of apples permeates every corner of our apple barn in October. For those of us who appreciate the exceptional and sophisticated apple world, this is an exclusive opportunity to explore a range of apples with insights from a grower's and apple breeder's perspective.  We'll treat you to tastings of unusual, experimental, heirloom and contemporary apples from the fifty plus varieties in our orchards. In addition to seasonal October entree and vegetables, warm breads and delicious dessert, our luncheon will include apple recipes from soup to nuts. Our gift to you will be a lovely collection of favorite apple recipes to try at home.

The Heart of the Home Luncheon - Wednesday, October 21st, 12:30 p.m.
There is something touchingly simple and old fashioned about our farm world. Our daily work is cheerful: homemade bread; the tending of trees; blackberry pies; cherry preserves and apple butter; baskets of apples and pears; garden gatherings put simply in vases at a pretty table prepared for repast. The heart of our home nourishes, for us, our minds and bodies, our land and our spirit.

Oakleaf Luncheon - Thursday, October 22nd, 12:30 p.m.
A walk in the woods in late fall is breathtaking; the delectable harvest of the woods are a gift. In this luncheon we will take you on an adventure - beginning with outstanding recipes created with and accented by the gatherings of the woods (we will share!) - a quick fun lesson in our rich and fertile native forests (wait until you see your place cards!) - and completed with a surrounding steeped in oak leaf artistry. An autumnal treat!

Autumn Berries Luncheon- Wednesday, October 28th, 12:30 p.m.
By October the earth has flowered and fruited. Hedgerows are filled with wild grapes and rose hips, hawthorns and rowan berries. Some, like the rose Hip and the Wild Fox Grape, are delicious and filled with nutritional value, and have been used for hundreds of years to flavor teas and jellies and sauces. Some are just beautiful.

Harvest Table Luncheon - Thursday, October 29th, 12:30  p.m.
The moment is finally arrived when we have completed the harvest of apples, berries, flowers, pumpkins and squashes. can you imagine the fun you'll have savoring our special menu and luxuriating in the colorful harvest gatherings of late October?