Many of Long Island's farm stands obtain their inventories of fall mums from Jay W. Guild Greenhouse Farm, located on Middle Road in Peconic. Each year, More than 100,000 mums are grown, with the currently favored yellow variation accounting for nearly one third of the autumn bloomers. Other color choices include orange, dark red, purple and white. In addition to mums, the greenhouse also grows ornamental kale, which has become another popular choice for fall landscaping projects. Once the plants are ready to transport to area farm stands, nurseries and garden retail centers, six weeks of hustle and bustle ensue to move them to these destined locations, making the start of fall the busiest time of the year for Jay W. Guild Greenhouse Farm.
East end farms, such as Helen's Flower Farm in Aquebogue, Bayview Farm and Market in Aquebogue, Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck and Fink’s Country Farm in Manorville, display colorful rows of mums and bountiful piles of pumpkins. The popular Halloween gourds are soon available in an array of colors, from traditional orange to varying shades of green, tan and today's sought-after white. If one of your younger friends happens to be a scout, several troops are selling fall plants as well to help raise funds for their activities and community projects.
Giving your home a boost of autumn-themed curb appeal is as simple as alternating two different colors of mums on the front steps and a grouping of different pumpkins at the corner next to your home's front door. An attractive fall arrangement can also be created at the base of a curbside mailbox. Filling window box-style planters with smaller mums and ornamental kale and nestling miniature pumpkins for a finishing touch can enhance deck and porch railings. Indoors, mums and pumpkins may be enlisted to flank fireplace hearths, adorn mantels and decorate tabletops.
One of the quintessential images of the season presents itself when Long Island's natural landscapes explode into dramatic bursts of fall hues. When you drive out along the north fork this weekend to pick apples and visit some wineries, be sure to pause at one of the east end farm stands to select some mums to colorize your home in celebration of autumn's arrival.