Yonder Fruit Farms — Local services in Town of Kinderhook

Extremely Disappointing Experience — Staff Need Serious Training

My family and I had a very unpleasant experience at Yonder Fruit Farms in Valatie. From the moment we arrived, my wife — who wears a headscarf — was stared at and clearly spoken about by an older woman working there. It was uncomfortable and disheartening, especially as we had our three young children with us, including a baby.

We came for a simple “pick your own” day — raspberries and apples. Anyone who’s picked raspberries near the end of the season knows it can take time to fill even a pound or two, especially with little kids helping. We were enjoying our time, taking photos, and making family memories — until checkout.

When we went to pay, the same older woman told us there was a $20 minimum for apples (even though they’re $1 per pound and we had about 6 pounds). I asked politely if I could just top it off with a few pounds from the farm stand to meet the minimum — she refused and snapped that we had “been there over two hours,” in a tone that was rude and unnecessary. There’s no posted time limit for picking, and we certainly weren’t loitering — just a family enjoying a day out.

The younger staff working the register looked uncomfortable, possibly relatives of hers, and I actually felt bad for them having to witness her behavior. She reeks of ignorance and a lack of education. The entire interaction left us feeling unwelcome and singled out.

Across the street, Golden Harvest is a completely different experience — friendly, welcoming, professional staff, and great produce. I highly recommend going there instead. Yonder Farms’ owners should really consider addressing the behavior of certain staff members — even if they’re family — because it completely ruins what should be a pleasant...

Worst pick your own in the Upstate NY area. Please avoid if you are looking to have a good time. Very miserable staff looks like they are always in a very very Bad mood. They were...

Good prices, easy location from Albany. Went during a long weekend and wasn’t too busy or overpicked. Did not experience any issues with staff like in...