Blog
Can you imagine…
The expression “giving thanks” is an interesting one. It reminds me of this tradition we had in my family growing up where we’d go around the kitchen table after dinner and acknowledge each person for something. There were 6 of us kids, my parents, and usually one and...
The Story Behind Our Barn
It was just 3 years ago that we were doing all the things that we’d normally do on the farm during the extraordinarily busy week before Thanksgiving. But, with a little something extra on top... That little something was actually the biggest project we’ve ever taken...
A Problem We Can Solve
bet you already know this about us, but when you ask us questions and share your concerns with us, we listen. Sometimes, we aren't able to be more than a listening ear or offer more than a calming presence. But every now and then, we connect the dots and see there’s a...
I Never Imagined We’d Be Doing This 1 Year Ago
We’ve never been interested in keeping this farm all to ourselves. It’s just too special of a place for that. And that’s why, from our first year onwards, we’ve made a point to host farm tours every season. Thinking back over the years, there are a few tours that...
3 Things We’re Really Embarrassed to Tell You About
Embarrassment is such a strong emotion, isn't it? I remember feeling it for the first time in kindergarten when my teacher asked someone to come up to the front of the class and answer some questions about the days of the week. I eagerly raised my hand. And then...
Why you won’t find Wilbur around here
I was a little surprised when we started our pig-breeding program and Greg told me that he had an important rule of thumb ("NO PINK PIGS") for picking out the genetics that would shape the future of our farm. Considering the fact that he's partially color blind, his...
When you want something badly enough…
Back when we were in college, Greg was the numbers person. He was nice to everyone. He excelled at everything academic including French Medieval Literature and Analytical Chemistry. But, I will tell you this, a handyman... he was not. I had proof of this early on when...
The Importance of Farming Practices
There’s a famous chef in the Hudson Valley region named Dan Barber. Have you heard of him? Among his many accomplishments, Dan's written extensively about how the farming methods used to raise things like fish and livestock affect the flavor and the nutritional value...
When one of us gets hurt
What really happened to my hip? I tried riding the boar. We took a few graceful steps together and then he grumbled something about how I never give him as many watermelon treats as I give to his friend, Peggy. And in in shock, I fell off the boar's haunches and...
Growing Tropical Plants on our Rochester Farm
Getting the ginger and turmeric seeds that first year was a fairly straightforward process. We did some googling, found an organic ginger farm out in Hawaii, and ordered enough seed to give us a good challenge. The seeds arrived in February. And shortly thereafter, we...
The Moment I Knew I Wanted to be a Farmer
It wasn’t some big event. Just a simple moment in time that changed my life. And that I remember as clear as day. I was fresh out of college. And in preparation for a research fellowship I was doing in sub-Saharan Africa later that year, I joined the crew on a small...
How We Offer Certified Organic Pork
Ever since we first came up with the idea for this farm over a bottle of wine in our tiny SoCal apartment a couple of years before Greg graduated from grad school, we knew that we were going to certify the farm as “organic.” Our first year, we did just that and we...
How We Farm Together
When we bought this overgrown vacant plot of land, Greg was light years ahead of me in terms of farming knowledge and know-how. As the farmer newbie, I didn’t have the confidence or experience to do much of the technical farm work solo. And this meant we did a lot of...
Our Special Sauce
Pig loading probably isn't something you’ve heard us talk about much. But it involves moving the pigs from the pasture to our trailer so we can transport them to the butcher. And it's one of the last steps in the process. If you’re envisioning a stressed animal being...
One more time
An astute customer attended one of our farm tours last year. And after thanking us for sharing the farm with her, she smiled and leaned in close and said something I won’t ever forget. “There’s so much joy on your farm,” she said. “But, compared to the other animals...