Styer Orchard Market Reopens

After a few months closed and a makeover, Styer Orchard has an operating market again.

The refreshed market on Woodbourne Road reopened to the public on Monday after a soft opening for friends and family on Sunday.

The market was stocked with fresh cider doughnuts, pies, farm-picked fruits and veggies, coffee from the locally-operated Covered Bridge Coffee Roasters, hoagies, salads, ice cream, local honey, and a number of other goods.

Tim Field, who operates the market and farm, which are both owned by Middletown Township and leased to him, said he excitedly watched from the kitchen window at the business as the first customers pulled their vehicles into the parking lot Monday morning.

“This is just the start, but we’re open,” he said.

Since the opening, the store has been busy with customers coming in and out. On Tuesday morning, they purchased the goods made and grown at the property and other products with local ties.

“It’s good to be back. I hope the pies are just as good as they were before,” one customer was overheard telling the staff.

“Just in time for Thanksgiving,” she said.

The market and orchard are both operated by Field. Previously, the Field family operated the farm and orchard and the Barberides family operated the market, but the township awarded the contract for both parts of the property to Field earlier this year.

Krissy Palladino, the market’s general manager, told LevittownNow.com the market currently employs 37 people, including nine employees who previously worked in the market when it had different operators. Palladino first worked at the farm and orchard in 1996 when the Styer family still ran the operation and she also worked with the Field family on the orchard and farm.

“It’s nice to see it together as one entity,” she said.

Palladino said the support from the community has been refreshing.

Field said people had been coming up to the closed store for months asking when it would reopen.

“I saw a New York plate and asked if they traveled here. They said they came from New York,” Field said while explaining the almost-overwhelming feeling of appreciation for the customers.

For their opening, Styer Orchard donated a dollar for each cider doughnut sold to the Middletown Township Police Department’s Shop With A Cop program.

By the end of Monday, 2,847 cider doughnuts were sold, Palladino said.

Field said he was rounding up and the market will donate $3,000 to help local kids in needs this holiday season.

Officer Missy Robison and market operator Tim Field.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Officer Missy Robison said she was pleased with the donation and support. As she was in the store, customers were coming up to make additional donations to the Shop With A Cop program.

Moving forward, Field said the market will continue to support community efforts, including bringing school groups to the market and farm.

Plans are underway to display farm equipment and an antique cider press for students and families to look at and learn about.

The market had been empty since April when the Barberides cleared out and Field took over.

For months, Field and his crew worked on cleaning and renovating the building, which was first constructed decades ago.

“There’s a new floor, new paint, new ceiling tiles, and new lighting,” Field said, showing off the store’s complete refresh and new food preparation areas.

The counters and vegetable and fruit stands were handcrafted, Field said.

While he had hoped to open a few months back, Field said the extensive overhaul of the facility and supply chain problems held up the opening.

But for Field, opening the refreshed market is bittersweet as his parents ran the farm and orchard from 2000 until 2019 when he took over. The property is the place where he spent much of his youth growing up and where he lives with his wife and young kids.