About Us
The Harbes Family Farm Story
30 Years and counting!
The harbes family story
While the Harbes have been farming for 13 generations dating back to their origins in western Europe, they have only been farming the fertile soils of Long Island since the 1920s. The Harbes originally farmed in the Hempstead area until the Long Island Expressway was built through their farm in the 1960s. At that time the family chose to move to Long Island’s rural North Fork and began farming in Mattituck.
It was here on the North Fork in 1978 that a fruitful journey began as two high school sweethearts, Ed & Monica Harbes, married young and started a new life on the family farm in Mattituck. Ed worked with his father, becoming a 12th generation farmer as he strove to provide for his ever-growing family with the potato and cabbage farming business. Having eight children, Monica devoted her time to homemaking and motherhood, helping on the farm when time permitted.
In 1989, Ed planted a new type of Super Sweet Corn, built a 14′ by 14′ gazebo, and started retailing corn and tomatoes with the salesmanship of his ten-year-old son, Jason. They were humble beginnings to be sure, but the public was kind to them, and over the years their business grew.
Growing Memories
One season Ed Harbes happened to grow pumpkins by the farmstand. Even though there was a large wagon of them pre-picked for purchase, customers noticed the pumpkins growing nearby and asked if they could pick their own. Initially, he disliked the idea of allowing people into the field when there was a large supply ready for purchase. After saying no many times, it dawned on him that people not only wanted the product but they also wanted an enjoyable harvest experience for themselves. This realization inspired him to later offer other enjoyable country experiences; such as hayrides, corn mazes, and ready-to-eat roasted sweet corn.
As the years passed, more and more families began to visit for genuine farm experiences and agritainment. The corn mazes became more elaborate with costumed actors adding to the fun. Musical entertainment could be found performing on weekends and holidays. A singer was added to improve the hayride experience by singing songs and offering a guided tour of the Mattituck location. The Barnyard Adventure area was later introduced to create a space where people could have enjoyable interactive farm experiences. Visitors to the Barnyard can enjoy wide-open spaces, farm animals, weekend pig races, children’s activities, general fun and games, and, of course, the overall family-friendly atmosphere.
Over the past 30+ years, Harbes has expanded to three locations. Each location is built on the simple premise of offering country fun for everyone. Harbes Farms have created a lasting legacy of memories for countless families and the Harbes Family hopes to continue this tradition for many decades to come.
GOOD STEWARDSHIP
- We’re committed to protecting agricultural land and preserving our family legacy and heritage as farmers. We use environmentally responsible farming methods in all of our farming practices.
- We use locally sourced compost to enrich and protect the soil quality which minimizes the need for fertilizer.
- We perform crop rotation and cover cropping which is a method of replenishing the soil’s nutrients and preventing the depletion of the soil’s nutrients.
- We utilize reduced tillage farming practices that preserve soil quality, reduces the need for crop inputs, and minimizes water runoff. To date, we have put over 50 acres into conservation easement which ensures that this land will remain undeveloped.
- We work closely with Cornell University’s integrated pest management system to grow fresh and healthy produce with a minimum of inputs.
- Each year we continue to make strides towards greater stewardship of our precious resources. Thank you for the opportunity to share our agricultural heritage with you.
a commitment to sustainability
We are proud to have been the first certified sustainable vineyard on Long Island and continue to use environmentally responsible farming methods.