Sandisfield Orchard

About the Farm

Sandisfield Orchard sits on 150 acres along New Hartford Road in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts, a property with roots that stretch back to the late 1700s when it was known as French Farm. For decades, William and Barbara Riiska ran the land as Riiska Brook Orchard, planting the first apple trees roughly 35 years ago and building a loyal following for their pick-your-own apples and blueberries.

When the Riiskas decided to sell, neighbors Emily Melchoir and Calvin Rodman stepped in with a clear purpose: they wanted the land to stay a farm. Though neither had a background in agriculture, the couple was determined to preserve the orchard's legacy and keep development off the acreage. They purchased the property and immediately set about expanding and investing in its future, planting heritage apple varieties alongside peaches and pears that will come into production in the years ahead.

Today the orchard is home to around 2,000 trees, including 1,500 semi-dwarf apple trees bearing twelve varieties, from McIntosh and Honeycrisp to Spencer and Mutsu, plus roughly 650 blueberry bushes for summer picking. Melchoir and Rodman have restored the barn, installed an industrial kitchen for baking apple cider doughnuts, and opened a cafe with views of the orchard and the surrounding mountains. Plans for a cidery are underway as well. It is a place where old roots and new ambitions meet, tended by a family that bought a farm simply because they believed it should remain one.