Cambridge, NY, Washington County
Acres Available
Open Tillable Acres
Wooded (or other) Acres
Condition & Current Use
The property was previously used for hay and then for rotational grazing of a few cows and sheep. Currently, I have a farmer rotationally grazing cows on the property in the summer. I have three tiny camps on the property that I rent May - October. I would like some smaller animals on the property, goats, chickens, sheep, or pigs. There is plenty of room for everyone. The campers like to see the animals. There is some fencing that needs a bit of repair before being used again, but it is not more than a day's work. I am also open to gardens. There is 1.5 acres across the street that animals do not have access to and some land on the house side that could be used for gardens rather than animals.
Soil Types
Farm History & Past Use
At least part of the property was hayed until 2015 when the animals began grazing on it. It is about half pasture and half wooded. I believe the woods were thinned 20 or 30 years ago. There is some fencing in the woods for pigs. I used to have pigs there and they were very happy. Mud wallows and a tiny pond.
Tenure Options
I am looking for a short or long term lease or partnership but am open to creative ideas. There are thriving markets in the area and successful CSAs so people are educated about local food and many are very interested. We are lucky! I do not have separate housing but have no issue sharing the house with someone. The house has a living room and a family room along with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, etc. So easy to share. There are many properties around here that are affordable and close so it would not take long to find a rental if you are a more private person. Building on the property is not out of the question either.
Do you require a farmer who qualifies for agricultural assessment?
Production Preferences
Livestock / Crops Description
I currently have a few laying hens and that is it for now. There are two buildings and a tent on the property that I rent out in the summer via Airbnb. I am now an Airbnb super host! Here is one of the tents on Airbnb. I cannot, however. take care of them all. I generally have a helper from the WWOOF USA program or HelpX here to help out. I am very open to whatever someone might like to do with the land. It has amazing views. The Airbnb campers love it here. It is a good venue to bring people out to see the farm as it is pretty here.
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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Other Crops
Livestock Permitted
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Goats/Sheep
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Pigs
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Poultry
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Other Livestock
Farm Infrastructure
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Fencing
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Water access
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Barns - Equipment Storage
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Farmer housing
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Electrical access
Fencing
There is electric fencing around the fields that could be used to attach sheep net anywhere. I have some sheep net available for use. There is some woven wire fence that was used for goats and sheep. It needs some repair but is fixable.
Water Access
There is a well which is fine for animals and the house. There is no infrastructure in place for irrigation. The soil holds water well and is on a slope so it is well drained. Water is easy to find in this area. There is a small spring that surfaces at the top of the property and at the bottom in two places. I suspect any of those could be made into a pond. There are small year-round ponds in the woods from an old shale excavation operation. They always have water in them, but might not be big enough to use for irrigation. I do not know how fast they would replenish.
Farmer Housing
I do not have separate housing, but have been hosting WWOOFers for the past 4 years and have started renting rooms as well. I would be willing to allow someone to stay in the house for a period to give them the opportunity to find other suitable accommodations or put a camper, yurt, tiny house, or other structure on the property. You would be welcome to stay as a renter while farming the property if I have availability.
Additional Property Information
I am not interested in having a lot of chemicals on the property. Organically certified pesticides, fertilizers, etc. would be fine. The property is zoned agricultural and there are no restrictions on what animals can be housed here. The nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away and there are only three year-round residences on the road. Nothing within eyeshot which is nice.
Can the public be on the property as a part of the farm business?
Additional Information About This Property
There is an amazing view. There are 2 small ponds on the property in the woods from removal of red shale that was used for dye at one point in time. They are small and pretty, but probably not of use other than to allow the pigs to wet themselves occasionally. Water is easy to find anywhere on the property. An additional well would be easy to do. There are 3 springs on the property. It is about 1/2 woods with some oak and other nut trees in with the pine and beech etc. Pigs could roam and eat acorns in the fall. The farm faces south and the fields slope to the south so the snow melts quickly and the soil warms quickly in the spring. It is peaceful and lovely here. The farm is about 30 minutes from Saratoga Springs and 40 minutes from Troy, both of which have thriving farmer's markets. We are also within an hour of Manchester, 30 minutes from Bennington, and 30 from lake George, NY. There are other markets here as well. It is 3.5 hours from NYC green markets.
