One of the Catskill region’s largest and most popular farmstands will not open its doors this year. Shaul Farms, an enormous market on Route 30 just south of Middleburgh, was a favorite among locals, tourists and home-canners, who made seasonal pilgrimmages to buy produce by the bag or bushel for more than 80 years.
Situated in the extremely fertile Schoharie Valley, Shaul’s offered a bountiful array of every vegetable grown in the Catskills, from root crops like onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes and rutabega to tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, brussels sprouts and salad greens. Some items may still be available this year, and it’s unclear whether the closure is permanent.
In a statement on the farm’s Facebook page late last month, owner David Shaul said:
For the last 83 years, my family has grown quality vegetables and taken care of the land. In the last several years we have been challenged to meet the changing needs of our customers, while at the same time we have faced increasing labor, food safety and environmental issues.Given these issues, I have made the difficult decision to take this growing season off. Please understand this decision was not made quickly or easily.
Catskill Eats 
When I was just a small child my Uncle James Youmans would take me to his friend Max Shauls farm and tell me me how the family had the best farm in all the Middleburgh Valley. I will always remember our trips to his farm.
So very sorry to hear about your closing use to go there with my parents when we would come up to the area to pick berries. You will be greatly missed by so many people. Good luck
so sorry to hear we drove from Albany and new Hampshire to get stuff for many years. your stuff was the best hope you don’t close forever.
When we were little kids we were friends with the Shaul family. We worked for nothing for Max to help harvest his crops. Unis made the hole gang a great lunch and we could bring home all the fresh veggies we could carry. The Shaul family was a great asset to Schoharie valley.
My grandfather Joe D’Arpa used to bring us to Shauls every time we were upstate over the summer. We still stop in to this day. Praying they continue to do their thing! So sad how regulations make things so difficult that it shuts places down! Thanks for the memories and best of luck!