CENTRE HALL — The Tait farm is celebrating 30 years of “shrub” with an open house on June 17 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the Centre Hall farm. One of the highlights is the sampling, which will feature the mixtures that Otto’s, Barrel 21, Big Springs Distillery and 7 Mountain Winery add to the shrub to make a new and different beverage.
Jim and Greta Collins will be providing music and Chef Tory Glassner will be demonstrate some culinary uses for shrub.
Children will be welcome at a do-it-yourself station where they can create a drink also.
So what is shrub any way? A small bush for landscaping? Well, not exactly. In this instance, shrub is a beverage that can be traced back to concoctions mixed in the late 1600s. At that time the drinks were made of fruit, sugar and alcohol. Sometime in the next 200 years, someone discovered that replacing alcohol with vinegar produced a drink that could stay fresh for months. So how did the Tait’s become involved with shrub?
In 1950, Marian and Elton Tait purchased the 130 acres that became Tait Farm. It was more of a hobby farm in the early years. The couple raised three kids on the farm. Sandy was the oldest and then David and John. The family grew Christmas trees and raised sheep and Bassett hounds.
“I became a Tait when I married David in 1992,” said Kim Tait. “In the late 70s or early 80s, the two brothers decided to involve themselves more in the farm. They expanded the tree business, added an apple orchard and began to grow raspberries and asparagus. John had a stronger interest in the trees and Bassetts and David did more with the growing of asparagus and raspberries, according to Kim. They offered pick your own options which became traditions for many locals. There is now a third generation of people coming to get their Christmas trees and shop.”
As for the shrub — one year a bumper crop of raspberries caused a question of what to do with them since wet weather was deterring the pickers. Cindy Tait Law, David’s first wife, remembered a recipe for a fruit drink she had made years earlier with fruit — called “shrub.
The Taits experimented and concocted the first raspberry shrub. In 1987 the family offered the shrub for sale and this year, they celebrate 30 years of making the popular drink. There are fifteen kinds of shrub in the store at the farm. The store has been in operation now for 20 years. The facility at Boal has enabled the staff to keep up the level of production, which is still done by hand.
Since her husband’s passing in 1997, Kim has continued to carry out the family’s goals for the farm. In the store, as elsewhere in the business, Kim said, “I take a seasonal approach to life — eating and living. We try to support other local farms and businesses. None of us can do it all.”
Kim said the greenhouse is one of her favorite places to work on the farm.
“I do it all, but especially enjoy the greenhouse work. It’s less weather driven,” she said. “I think that people have expectations of the farm and I love the challenge of collective forward vision.”
People come to the farm to see their favorite plants or produce but also to see what’s new and different. Kim said that the farm is value driven, but must stay true to the identity it has established.
She said she is impressed with some young people working at Tait Farm who represent the next generation of farmers.
“They not only work hard, but are totally committed to the sustainability and healthy quality of the products,” explained Kim.
From a few family members to 20 people, the business and the farm have evolved. Cindy Tait Law has worked with more than 20 product developers and recipe changes to produce the items offered in the store and for tasting at the upcoming event.
After the Shrub Celebration, visit the farm throughout the summer and watch as snap peas, squash, tomatoes, greens and beans provide the starts for wonderful summer meals. The farm hosts classes from time to time to teach you what to do with summer produce as well as the Shrubs.
