In 2009, I got a Nikon camera for Christmas. I have a passion for photography and a creative eye, but I highly lack in the technical side of taking photos. Thanks to Nikon’s amazing cameras, I was able to translate what was around me into beautiful photos. Being that North Salem is a natural backdrop and offers lots of opportunities for photographers, I spent most of my free time the following year outside shooting whatever looked cool (after all, natural sunlight can make any photo look good). And what looked cool to me were flowers, plants, trees and birds. I guess if I had lived in the big city it would have been the complete opposite, right?
All of a sudden my hobby of taking photos turned into an interest in gardening. My interest in gardening turned into wanting a business. And living in North Salem turned this southern city girl into a whole new person. At first I thought of running a flower shop. Then I thought of becoming a paid photographer. My mind was everywhere and unsettled, but with my husbands eye for real estate we stumbled upon a cute little garden center in town at the corner of Bloomer Rd and Route 121.
Four years later, we signed on the dotted line. Thanks to the help of friends and family, Hayfields market was created.
What’s with the name, you ask? Well thanks to the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Crop and Soil Sciences (wow – that’s a mouth full!) there are some beautiful small hayfields on Mills Road that we own. They came up with an appropriate mix primarily of Timothy and Foxtail which has been providing stunning landscapes for residents, galloping fields for horses and feed for local cattle. As we spent many nights and long hours deciding on our brand, these hayfields continued to resonate. A true essence and foundation of the agricultural and market vibe we have, it only seemed fitting. And fun!
We hope you will enjoy your experience at Hayfields and your support of local businesses will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,
Renea Dayton
Owner
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Hayfields is a locally owned and operated “destination location” for the neighborhood, and surrounding area, of North Salem, N.Y. We specialize in gardening, fresh produce, dry goods, high-quality baked goods, small bites and delicious coffee and smoothies. We cater to everyone from locals and weekenders to commuters and seasonal visitors offering a variety of goods and services that meet the needs of the community while maintaining an agricultural and market vibe.