LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm upon the
occasion of celebrating its 100th Anniversary

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in acknowledging
significant milestones in the distinguished histories of its esteemed
entities; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Wilkens Fruit
and Fir Farm upon the occasion of celebrating its 100th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm was founded in 1916 by John Wilk-
ens, his sister Anna Wilkens, and Jeremiah Murphy; and
WHEREAS, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm began as a 71-acre all-purpose
farm including cattle, apples, and peaches; and
WHEREAS, John Wilkens worked tirelessly to develop the farm and build
barns which still exist on the property, while Jeremiah Murphy purchased
an additional 105 acres; and
WHEREAS, A cider mill was added in the 1920s; profits from hard cider
sales were used by John and Anna Wilkens to pay off the mortgage to
Jeremiah Murphy, and they gained full ownership of the land in 1926; and
WHEREAS, After expansion of its apple and peach orchards, the farm
began to sell its produce wholesale to local farmers in the 1930s; and
WHEREAS, The farm also grew grapes, strawberries, and corn, as well as
raised chickens; and
WHEREAS, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm became a valuable local employer
in the 1940s and 1950s, when it began to hire workers to pick apples and
work in the cider mill; and
WHEREAS, John Wilkens passed away in 1966 and his nephew, Johnny Wilk-
ens, and his wife, Barbara Keller Wilkens, began running the business
and the farm; and
WHEREAS, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm opened as a Pick-Your-Own farm in
1968; and
WHEREAS, Christmas trees were planted in the early 1970s and were
first sold on a Cut-Your-Own basis in 1976; and
WHEREAS, Johnny Wilkens passed away in 1997; Randy Pratt and his wife,
Barbie Wilkens Pratt, took over operation of the farm as third gener-
ation owners with fourth generation family members helping; and
WHEREAS, After adding pick-your-own pumpkins, new orchards of apples
and peaches were added in the 2000s and five different varieties of
grape were planted in 2010 to make wine; the winery is scheduled to open
in Fall of 2016; and
WHEREAS, Today, Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm offers peaches, plums,
nectarines, pears, over 40 varieties of apples, pumpkins, and Douglas
and Fraser Fir Christmas trees for harvest; and
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body acknowl-
edges the success of this exceptional family and its contributions to
the local and State economies, fully confident that it will continue to
enjoy the sparkling successes it has experienced thus far; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Wilkens Fruit and Fir Farm upon the occasion of celebrating its
100th Anniversary; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Randy Pratt and Barbie Wilkens Pratt.