Farming in the Esopus Valley

Farming in the Esopus Valley. . , The Esopus band of native Americans used this broad valley of rich soils deposited by the Esopus creek to provide a rich, varied diet. Besides hunting and fishing, native Americans used fire to clear the woods to encourage the growth of useful plants such as oaks, chestnuts, blueberries and strawberries. They also cleared and farmed small plots growing the “three sisters” , corn, beans, and squash , moving on as plots became exhausted. , Dutch farmers brought a two crop system that worked well in the mud flats of the Rhine river valley and was well suited for the mud flats of the Esopus plains. They harvested grain in September for their personal use and planted winter wheat for an April cash crop. Hurley farmers sold their crops in Albany, while those in New Paltz and further south sold in Manhattan. , Later French Huguenots and English settlers removed most of the trees so they could plow. They created a new open landscape. They learned to plant corn and squash but also introduced new plants such as cabbages, beets, apples, and European grasses. They introduced new domesticated animals too , cattle, pigs, chickens, and bees. Local creeks provided water power for the grain mills that supplied much of the flour for Washington's army. Later these mills supplied feed and hay for the mules on the D and H canal. , Just as it was for the indigenous natives, our most important crop remains sweet corn. Today it's followed by grain corns and hay for feed and silage. Local farms also grow acres of pumpkins, other vegetables, and flowers. We hope this valley remains farmland for many generations to come. , Town of Hurley , A Link in the Delaware and Hudson Heritage Corridor.