Small Bird, LLC - Katherine “Fae” Kilduff

I am a passionate restoration forester, arboretum & botanic garden manager, seed bank specialist & agroforestry specialist. I love converting land into native-species dominant, beautifully landscaped & productive agroforests/meadows/cottage gardens…

Preferred counties/regions

  • Columbia County
  • Greene County
  • Hudson Valley
  • Dutchess County
  • Ulster County
  • Sullivan County
  • Orange County
  • Putnam County
  • Westchester County
  • Rockland County
  • Delaware County
  • Long Island
  • Nassau County
  • Suffolk County
  • New York City
  • Bronx County
  • Brooklyn County
  • New York County
  • Queens County
  • Richmond County

Desired acreage

  • 5 or fewer
  • 6-10
  • 11-20

Farming Status

Beginning farmer: 10 years or less of experience managing a farm business

Not currently farming

Primary reason for farming

Hobby or for personal use

Farming status, plans, and practices

About Me:

I am an experienced restoration forest manager and have brought endangered forests back from the brink. This includes running nurseries to raise native species for projects.
Additionally, I have integrated farming, beauty and timber production into restoration projects. I do not believe these interests need to be opposed.

I am also an landscaper with successful installations in climates ranging from the tropics to deserts to the temperates.

I custom-tailor the look and feel of all my work to clients' current and long term needs, budgets, abilities, and tastes.

My Methods:

I use environmentally conscious, low input methods of farming and habitat restoration. I practice minimal disturbance to maintain and increase soil health and maximize flora and fauna biodiversity. Along with all of this, I enjoy creating something beautiful and inviting to both people and pollinators. I create biodiverse lawns, wildflower meadows, vegetable beds mixed with fruit trees and edible flowers, etc. I also keep up with the latest trends in landscaping, meaning that if a client found something on the internet they would like replicated, I can do that (provided the right budget).

Plans for the Future:

I am very interested in continuing to work with native species. I primarily want to create several demonstration garden and forest plots that will serve as a source of native plant material and examples of my methods. 

Other Needs and Preferences:

The property needs to be within commuting distance of NYC. The commuting distance depends on the intensity of the project. An overnight or overweekend place for my wife and I to stay would make my work much easier.

I want to reiterate that I am not interested in working with yield-focused projects or a fast-returns-at-all-costs types of arrangements. My efforts are in saving conservation (saving species from extinction!).

Landowners will benefit from working with me through having increased biodiversity and wildlife habitat on site which increases pollinator activity and nutrient cycling in the soils. They will benefit aesthetically by having native species gardens and forests on site. There may be financial incentives to hosting enough native flora & fauna through certain awards and designations from the county/state/federal govts (if the landowner is interested). Lastly, the landowners will benefit from working with me, who is a very happy and inspirational person to be around and communicate with!  

If you think my style coheres with your needs, aspirations, and budget, I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out via text or email anytime.

Farm Experience & Education

  • Farm internship/apprenticeship
  • Farmer training or workshop
  • Formal agricultural education
  • Farm manager
  • On farm work experience
  • 48 acre arboretum and botanic garden manager, seed bank specialist & agroforestry specialist.
    Farm/Forest Manager and Conservationist for several years on a 24-acre critically-endangered forest site.
  • Trained and experienced landscaper and landscape architect.
  • Trained and experienced nursery manager.

Farming Plans and Practices

Farming method or practice

  • Biodynamic
  • Organic (certified)
  • Organic (not certified)
  • Regenerative/Sustainable

Primary crops

  • black outline of a carrot Vegetables
  • black outline apple icon Fruits
  • black outline of a flower Flowers or Ornamentals
  • black outline other crops icon Other Crops

Primary livestock

  • No Livestock

For a Farm:

Growing native plants and trees for habitat restoration purposes as well as vegetables, nuts & fruits. The kind of species selected for use will be determined primarily by the conditions of the site.

For Personal Use:

I want to produce a garden for personal use as well. This may include flowers, vegetables, fruit and nut trees, berry shrubs, and ornamentals.

Marketing Method

I own a consultation and ecoscaping business already and have clients and contacts that I work with. 

Farm business plan or farm resume

I do not have a business plan or farm resume

Farmland Needs

Infrastructure required

  • black outline barn icon Barns - Equipment Storage
  • black outline electrical icon Electrical access
  • black outline tractor icon Equipment
  • black outline house icon Farmer housing
  • Black outline of a fence Fencing
  • Black outline of a water drop Water access

I would need the land to be within a reasonable commuting distance of NYC. If there was housing on the property/a place to stay in overnight or for the weekend, I am willing to consider a property that was further away but not more than three hours.
Water access is necessary for species that cannot survive on rainfall alone.
Small-scale, basic handheld equipment and a place to store it is also a must.

Desired Tenure

Tenure options desired

  • For Lease
  • For Sale
  • Business Partnership
  • Farm Management
  • Cooperative Model
  • Other Tenure Agreement

I am open to many kinds of arrangements with a landowner. I willing to work with restoration-minded landowners to develop a plan for their property. I would ideally want a non-financial mutual benefit arrangement. I improve site conditions and the owner provides a host space for my native plants. 

If you have other arrangements that you would like to propose or discuss, please feel free to reach out and we can hop on a call.

Will this operation qualify an eligible landowner for an Agricultural Assessment?

Unsure

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