Thinking about what she and her husband have accomplished over the years, and flashing a huge smile, Carolyn said, “I love all this, this is my heaven!”
When Carolyn and Frederick Wellington met, they were both working in Albany, she at Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and he at the New York State Education Department. Both were about to retire. Fred invited Carolyn to his property, nestled in the picturesque rolling hills of the Schoharie Valley region. He had already begun building a home on the wooded acreage. They married in 1992, cleared land, and built tiers of raised beds to grow and harvest a variety of herbs. In 1995, they opened Wellington Herbs and Spices.
Improvements were soon to follow -- adding a tea room to host Victorian Teas for small groups, for example. Carolyn formulated her famous Island Iced Tea, the recipe a close-held secret! They added a pond and a barn featuring a gallery of art work and sculpture. Soap making classes were offered. They started a Caribbean Festival to highlight their own Caribbean heritage. Informal walks through the gardens, during which guests were given information about the culinary and medicinal benefits of the herbs and other plants, proved popular.
The COVID pandemic in 2020 severely impacted their shop. Frederick and Carolyn decided to temporarily close the shop and tea room, rebranding their company for the wholesale and online markets. They now deliver to Barber Farms in Schoharie, in addition to the Niskayuna Co-op, Schenectady Trading Company, and Capital Roots in Troy. Local orders are curbside pick-up only.
Information is available on the Wellington’s website, www.wellingtonsherbsandspices.com. Wellington’s is located at 649 Rickhard Hill Road, Schoharie.
