Spending a Day at Duke Farms

Duke Farms is an estate that was established by James Buchanan Duke, an American entrepreneur who founded Duke Power and the American Tobacco Company. Starting in 1893, "Buck" Duke started to buy land next to the Raritan River in rural New Jersey. His vision was to create a farm similar to those in North Carolina where he had grown up. Eventually, he had assembled about 2,700 acres (11 km²) of farm and woodlands that contained 45 buildings, 9 lakes, 18 miles of roads, 810 acres of woodlands, 464 acres of grassland bird habitat, and 1.5 miles of stone walls.

When James B. Duke died in 1925, his 12-year-old daughter, Doris Duke, gained control of the property. She was very invested in the property and made it her main residence. She incorporated innovative ecological farming methods she learned from Louis Bromfield's Malabar Farm. Starting in 1958 she created and designed over a five-year period a unique botanical display in the Horace Trumbauer conservatory and greenhouses known as Duke Gardens. 

Located in Hillsborough, New Jersey, the property is managed by the Doris Duke Foundation after the death of Doris Duke, James B. Duke's daughter, and the second owner. The Doris Duke Foundation supports the well-being of people and the planet for a more creative, equitable, and sustainable future. We operate five national grantmaking programs in the performing arts, the environment, medical research, child and family well-being, and mutual understanding between communities, as well as Duke Farms and Shangri La, two centers that serve the public directly. 

Duke Farms Is A Leader In Conservation & Sustainability with 2,700 acres of land, that restores the natural environment, and invests in sustainability innovation while offering visitors free inclusive, and accessible resources for finding their place in nature. In 2012, Duke Farms was opened to Public visitation, with a mission to be a leader in environmental stewardship and to inspire visitors to become informed stewards of the land.

At Duke Farms, you’ll find 1,000+ acres of land to explore native species, sustainability efforts, and the area’s natural beauty. Walk, bike, take a class, or eat and shop local at our award-winning café and farmers market. Visiting the property is always free, but a parking pass is required for Saturday visits from April to October. 

The Leed Platinum Orchird Range was designed by Boston architects Kendall Taylor & Stevens – it was the first ornamental building constructed at Duke Farms. Less than a mile from the Orientation Center, located in the Core, the Orchid Range houses a Subtropical Display and a Tropical Orchid Display focusing on plants native to the United States. The Tropical Orchid Garden is filled with a wide variety of orchid species from tropical regions along with some of the magnificent orchids that have been cultivated at Duke Farms throughout its history. The subtropical display is filled with orchids that have evolved in cooler subtropical locations where winter nights dip to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability and regenerative agriculture, Duke Farms hosts a seasonal farmers market, providing the community with locally produced, high-quality nutritious food. The market runs on Sundays from May through November between 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. The rest of Duke Farms continues to be closed Sunday while the market is running.

YOUTUBE VIDEO

Free Amazon Prime Trial:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/video/primesignup?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=ib1&tag=hockeywiztrav-20&linkId=a3c1b84491174e344428e8a4c3be2f1a&ref_=ihub_curatedcontent_5d5520b9-1915-4beb-bdfc-01a90af1be3f

Duke Farms Website:

https://www.dukefarms.org/