Tait Farm Foods

History of the Farm

Marian and Elton Tait purchased the farm in 1950. They were both Penn State graduates working for Agricultural Extension. Their new hobby farm was just the place to raise their 3 children (Sandy, David and John), as well as sheep, chickens, hogs, horses, and a few Basset hound dogs and Christmas Trees. In the late 1970's, the 2 prodigal sons left their day jobs and decided to return to the family farm to make a living off the land. Perennial crops of raspberries, asparagus, apples and more Christmas trees followed. By the mid-1980's, Tait Farm was the local place to come for pick-your-own crops, Christmas trees and dogs. In the summer of 1986, a bumper crop of raspberries was hanging on the canes while it rained buckets for nearly 2 weeks. Rather than allow the fruit to rot, it was picked and frozen for winter sales. After several unsuccessful attempts to sell the frozen raspberries, a family friend reminded David Tait of an old Colonial beverage called Raspberry Shrub. Shrub is made by preserving fresh fruit in vinegar and sweetening it with sugar, it was the perfect solution! This concentrate is then mixed with water (or spirits) to make a delicious sweet, tart beverage. The first bottles of Raspberry Shrub were made in David's kitchen on the farm in 1987, and since that time has grown into a line of more than 50 value-added products.