Becker Farms moving into fall programming

By Kylie Roberts

Special to Niagara Frontier Publications

With the chill of winter fast approaching Western New York, Becker Farms will be closing its apple orchards for the season. In September and October, the apple orchards are open for apple picking daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a ticket purchase.

Even though the orchards are closed, there is still fun to be had on the farm during the offseason. The Becker Brewing Company hosts weekly events (Thursday through Sunday) inside to keep guests warm and having fun. Events include group wine tastings, “Boozy Bingo,” “Sangria Sundays” and “Free-Fire Fridays.”

“I still like to try to go to the farm after apple picking is over with,” Molly Stonish said. “I really like their ciders and it’s a fun way to get away from my busy schedule for a little while.”

Stonish, from North Tonawanda, grew up going to Becker Farms picking apples in the fall. Now that she’s older, she still likes to go, but prefers to participate in other kinds of events.

Located in Gasport, Becker Farms serves as a fall tradition with something for everyone. From apple picking to farmer's markets, there are plenty of attractions to keep everyone busy and happy all day.

“This year I went to go pick sunflowers in August at Becker Farms with my sister,” Gianna DePalma said. “There weren’t too many people around, and we almost had the farm to ourselves. We got a bottle of rosé from the brewing company with our ticket and got to choose our flowers.”

DePalma, from Grand Island, decided to add some summer fun to her Becker Farms traditions and was excited to hear about the winter event schedule.

Becker Farms provides plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy on a nice fall day. A petting zoo on the grounds is open from 10 a.m. until dusk. The petting zoo has feeders to give a snack to your favorite animals, such as mini donkeys, goats, alpacas and pigs. Goat races are held three times daily at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m.

“I brought my younger siblings to see the animals when they up were visiting me in September,” Maddie Wojcieszek said. “My sister, Evelyn, loved feeding the donkeys; then, after, we got lunch inside. The food and drinks were good, and I would definitely come back for a winter event.”

Wojcieszek, from Maryland, comes to Becker Farms in the fall with her family to keep some of their seasonal traditions alive even though she is away from home. She hopes to keep that spirit going in the winter by continuing to attend events at the farm.”

The farm currently hosts live bands every Saturday in November and December, excluding holidays. The lineup is as follows:

Nov. 11: Rob Beccue

Nov. 18: Doug Yeomans Music

Nov. 25: The Lakeman Duo

Dec. 2: Tommy Acoustic Experience

Dec. 9: Christopher Joel

Dec. 16: The Lakeman Duo

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This is a Niagara University student-created piece completed as part of the course CMS 226A. For more information, contact the Niagara Frontier Publications’ managing editor.