Preferred counties/regions
- Hudson Valley
- Dutchess County
- Ulster County
- Sullivan County
- Orange County
- Putnam County
- Westchester County
- Rockland County
Desired acreage
- 5 or fewer
- 6-10
- 11-20
- 21-50
Farming Status
Aspiring farmer: 1 year or less of farming experience
Not currently farming
Primary reason for farming
Other
Educational purposes, To provide healthy food to local food banks, To launch a farmers market, Land Stewardship
Farming status, plans, and practices
We are an education institute called Little Leaf. For the best 11 years, we have dedicated our work to running well-loved nature preschools in lower Westchester. We'd like to continue this work but expand now into farming and expansive gardening, as well as raising chickens for eggs. With an on-staff farming and gardening team, we hope to bring this world to children ages 2-18, and even offer internships to those in college. We hope to have organic farms and gardens, as well as care for any woodlands on the farm where the children and families may go on nature walks.
Farm Experience & Education
I am a NYS licensed educator and have been running my own early childhood center for the past 11 years. I have two masters degrees and have participated in lots of supplemental trainings related to working with nature and children. I manage a team of amazing educators and am hoping to hire farm and gardeners who can also work with the current educators so the children and families can participate in the farming.
Farming Plans and Practices
Farming method or practice
- Organic (not certified)
- Other
We hope to incorporate permaculture techniques and values into our farm and land stewardship. We hope to also follow best practices for woodland preservation.
Primary crops
-
Vegetables
-
Fruits
-
Flowers or Ornamentals
-
Maple
Primary livestock
-
Goats/Sheep
-
Poultry
We want to grow fresh fruit and produce native to this area, as well as wildflowers and herbs. We hope to have chickens for eggs and goats for milking.
Marketing Method
Our marketing will be community outreach and digital marketing. We have quite a following of families so word of mouth is big for us!
Farm business plan or farm resume
Farmland Needs
Infrastructure required
-
Barns - Livestock
-
Electrical access
We need a simple structure that we could convert to an eco-friendly 2000 square foot schoolhouse - or we need permission to construct this ourselves. We are willing to invest and adhere to all local regulations and present plans to our landlord to approval. We would love to be as off-the-grid as possible, i.e. solar panels, heat pumps, etc.
Desired Tenure
We are flexible!
