Research Done at Phillies Bridge Farm

Cornell NY State Agricultural Experiment Station

From 2003 to 2007, Phillies Bridge Farm Project participated in a project testing the feasibility of growing apples and sweet cherries without pesticides. The trees are planted two feet apart or closer using disease/scab resistant columnar dwarf clones then covered with fine netting that precludes insects. Bees are introduced for pollination at the appropriate time, but otherwise the netting stays in place until harvest. The ground around the trees is covered with heavy woodchip mulch so weeding isn't necessary.

US Department of Agriculture and Environmental Defense Fund

We have a habitat on the farm that is suitable for a New York State listed endangered and federally threatened species. The USDA with the design help of a consultant for the Environmental Defense Fund has installed improvements and enlargements to about fifteen acres of the farm. Fencing was constructed and goats pastured at a high density to eat out the browse for habitat improvement.

State University of New York at New Paltz

The farm was used as a test site to determine the area and capacity of the aquifer that may underlie a large portion of the Town of Gardiner.