Castle Creek, NY, Broome County
Acres Available
Open Tillable Acres
Wooded (or other) Acres
Condition & Current Use
Hilltop farm. Flat to rolling hay fields and silvopasture with woods of mixed hard and softwoods that run down the hill. The original farmhouse, which is now uninhabitable (we intend to remove and build the store/farmstand), is by the road, a modular ranch sets off to the side of the farmhouse with a 2 stall garage used as shop space and storage. The barn is 250 feet up the driveway from the road and 500 feet behind the barn is our home, surrounded by hay fields/pastures. There is a good spring and a pond that needs some rehab down the hill behind the barn. Currently, we have a few beef and dairy heifers, a small herd of Oberhasli dairy goats, laying hens and a large family garden. I hybridize daylilies and there are about 3000 daylily seedlings in the field. There is a 1.5-acre mature spruce stand where we have over 1800 oak logs inoculated, for Shiitake and Lion's mane mushroom production. For the last 3 years, the hay has been cut by another farmer down the road and we have temporary pastures set up for the livestock until the permanent high tensile pastures are built by Soil and Water in summer of '26. Fields are workable and will improve with regenerative practices. Hedgerows are overgrown and are in the process of trimming back to gain more field access. Lots of potential.
Soil Types
Farm History & Past Use
The farm was a 10-cow dairy operation before 1950. From 1956 to 1980, it transitioned into a hobby farm, supporting a family garden, maple syrup production, beef cows, horses, hay, and hunting. After lying idle from 1980 to 2000, I returned home, built a house, and began restoring the fields and fences for hay production, horses, chickens, dairy and meat goats, as well as timber harvesting and firewood production. After retiring in 2022 following 26 years of teaching agriculture, I met Mark in the fall of 2023, and together we launched the mushroom business in 2024. Since then, we have expanded to include a large garden, beef, dairy heifers, dairy goats, and layers. Plans are to add broilers and pigs in 26.
Tenure Options
Long-term options are preferable. We are starting this venture together late in life, our families are not nearby and not interested in farming for a living. We have lots of ideas and can't do it all alone. Looking for a couple or family but will not discount the right individual who could work alongside us to develop and grow diverse farm businesses. Ideally, we would each have our own individual farm enterprises but collaboration and partnership would be welcome. Example: If you want to do beef, layers, farmers markets and vegetables, we can do broilers, a milk cow, the wood shop, fruits and pigs, with a team effort on say haying, running the sap house and field crops. Wide open for ideas and options. We have also discussed adding agritourism. Perhaps with tours and classes on the mushrooms, visits with the kid goats and having overnight visitors using hip camp or one of the rv camping options that are out there in the near future. Down the road once the new barn, woodshop and blacksmith shops are built, we have ideas of having a farm museum in the old barn. Open to any ideas and options you might have!
Price for Lease Per Acre
Are you willing to mentor a new or beginning farmer?
Do you require a farmer who qualifies for agricultural assessment?
Production Preferences
Livestock / Crops Description
Will consider all options that can co-exist with our mushroom production and current livestock.
Crops Permitted
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Vegetables
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Fruits
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Flowers or Ornamentals
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Grains
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Hay
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Maple
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Other Crops
Livestock Permitted
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Cattle - Beef
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Cattle - Dairy
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Equine
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Goats/Sheep
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Pigs
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Poultry
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Bees
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Other Livestock
Preferred Farming Method
Farm Infrastructure
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Barns - Equipment Storage
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Barns - Livestock
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Electrical access
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Equipment
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Farmer housing
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Fencing
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Water access
Equipment
Tractors- AC 170 w/bucket, Oliver 1465, Massey Ferguson 135, AC C & JD 1400 w/soft cab, bucket, belly finish mower and front snow blower. JD 270 skid steer w/bucket, 4' forks & 8' extensions & 3pt/receiver hitch adapter plate , haybine, rakes, tedders, round baler and 2 square balers 1 w/kicker, hay wagons, hay elevators. 2 horse trailer, utility trailer, 8' spring tooth drag. Woodmizer portable sawmill and edger, 2 wood splitters. Some maple sugaring equipment. two 4-wheelers, misc. carts., 3 point attachments-(log skid plate w/winch, 6' tandem disc, 6' spring tooth harrow, 6' box blade w/rippers, single bottom plow, 6' back blade, carry all, 6" & 9" augers, manure bucket, wood chipper, 2 bale spears, 3 bottom plow and 2 brush hogs), bucket mount bale spear, 2 manure spreaders, misc. horse/oxen implements, brooder, incubator, cider press, 4 wheeler log arch & manure spreader. O'brien step-in posts, 6- 3:1 geared reels w/polybraid wire, high tensile tools, electric net fence, bee equipment, AC welders, torches, air compressors & air tools. 8'x8' & 12'x16' hoop houses. Buildings full of equipment, power and hand tools and supplies for pretty much any trade you can think of! Just purchased on 4/13/25- 34'x192' greenhouse to be rebuilt on the farm hopefully in 26. F350 4x4 dump truck w/cover and tool boxes.
Fencing
Old fencing was taken down in 2020. Currently waiting for contractor from soil and water grant to put in 5 strand high tensile perimeter fence with 5 rotational grazing paddocks late summer of 2026.
Water Access
Water access is a project under construction. New water lines to the barn, the barnyard and one of the rotational pastures with frost free hydrants done in '26. More water access to the back pastures is planned for next year ('27) with input from Soil & Water. Year-round spring and pond at the base of the hill below the barn.
Farmer Housing
3 bedroom, 2 bath modular with full basement put in by my parents in 2000. Heat, cooking, dryer, and hot water are all LP gas. Spectrum internet and TV available.
Additional Property Information
No chemical applications. Some tillage may be necessary to start, but want to move away from conventional methods.
Is the Property Conserved
Current Land Zoning
Is the property located in a NY Agricultural District?
Can the public be on the property as a part of the farm business?
Additional Information About This Property
Please note we cannot accommodate smokers.
After building the new barn and outbuildings we would like to restore the old English-style barn and use it for a working museum and to hold events. We also have the tools to fill several shops from years of working in many trades (blacksmith, woodworking, metal, plumbing, mechanic, electrical, drywall, painting, quarry, masonry, carpentry, logging, stone mason, roofing, etc.) to use and/or attract tourism. Developing options for rustic camping and possibly RV access. We really want to be as diverse and self-sufficient as possible. So if part of your family isn't into farming/homesteading there are lots of other options and we are more than willing to look at other ideas!
