Damn Good Honey Farm: Damn Good Upstate Gem

Could the farm market be any cuter? Head over to he Damn Good Honey Farm market for everything from fresh baked goods and fresh produce, to handmade soaps, sandwiches and honey, of coure! Photo: Richard Ness

Nestled in the small town of Kerhonkson, NY lies a small family owned and operated farm stand. Damn Good Honey Farm is located just off of route 209 and offers an array of fresh produce, locally crafted goods, house made pastries, food, and of course, honey. Damn Good Honey started out as a small roadside tent selling home grown produce, honey, and handmade soaps. Run by husband and wife Jen and Keith Duarte they kept the operation as a small pop-up for two years. Seven years ago, they stumbled across a property owned by Rustic Ridge View Farm. The owner loved the idea the Duarte’s pop-up and offered them a small plot of land to rent so they could build a brick and mortar location. Damn Good Honey now had a permanent location and eventually became a hot spot for locals, summer vacationers, and fall city tourists.

Rustic, homey and right off the road, we dare you to leave the Damn Good Honey Farm empty-handed. Open through December! Photo: Richard Ness

Damn Good Honey went over multiple renovations and additions in their seven years of being at their current location, but one thing has never changed: their philosophy on how they grow their produce. When Jen and Keith first started growing produce, there was no organic farming in the area and they wanted to change that. “We wanted to feed our community the same food we wanted our son to eat,” Jen said. They have never used any pesticides. And, when they get produce from other locally owned family farms, they ensure that it is organic as well. This philosophy has evolved to encompass their pasture-raised chicken as well.

Once a year, they purchase chickens and raise them with no antibiotics or hormones; just chickens taking their time to grow the way they’re supposed to. Once they are ready, the chickens are then processed and sold in whole, breasts, and thighs. Keith got into beekeeping because of fond memories he had with his grandfather, who kept bees. He recalls being enamored with them and eating the comb straight from the hive.

A few years after his grandfather's death, Keith was going through some of his belongings and just so happened to stumble across some of his beekeeping supplies. This inspired him Keith to get started. He started out small, selling to friends, family, and neighbors and it was there where he and his wife started to think they could start selling their honey wholesale and to locals.

Comin’ in HOT! The Damn Good Chicken Sandwich is just that. We might even call it “Sooo Damn Good”. With their own farm-raised chicken, house-made pickles, pickled red onions, fresh tomato, garlic aioli, and house-made hot honey on brioche, we promise you’ll be speechless. The sammy alone is worth the trip! Photo: Kristin L. Wolfe

Last winter, the farm expanded yet again and added a kitchen to their operation. Damn Good Honey’s kitchen serves an array of breakfast and lunch items with fan favorites like the Wally Melt, a grilled cheese with cheddar, fresh parmesan, pear, and caramelized onions, and the CaMary with egg, avocado, and caramelized onions on a locally made bagel. Their signature Damn Good Chicken Sandwich is made with house made pickles, DGHF-grown tomatoes, pickled red onions, lettuce, aioli, and their own pasture raised fried chicken breast.

They’ve also expanded offerings with house-made baked goods including a weekly rotation of muffins, bagels, and pastries. And they always have plenty of their popular chocolate chip cookies stocked up every weekend.

Damn Good Honey Farm

15 Old Queens Highway Kerhonkson (near Minewaska State Park)

Friday-Sunday 9-5

Kitchen is open Fri-Sun 9-3; serves breakfast and lunch all day

Damn Good Honey Farm kitchen chef, T.J. Traver (and notnycbites guest writer!)

*A former CIA student, TJ has always wanted to be a chef. He fell in love with cooking thanks to his mother, a CIA graduate. A native of the Hudson Valley, TJ is fascinated by local products and sustainability with his goal of owning a 100% locally sourced fine dining restaurant. In his spare time from working at Damn Good Honey Farm, TJ enjoys spending time with his brother and friends outdoors preferably fishing. His cooking style can be categorized as new American fine dining but sticking to traditional European methods…