Two weeks ago, my sister, Juliette and I went on a hike in the Catskills. On our way home, as we were heading towards New Paltz, we passed a sign for “Tweefontein Herb Farm.” I had previously known about the other farm stands along the road, and was planning on stopping at one of them for my independent fieldtrip, but I was intrigued by the herb farm and pulled in. Up a narrow dirt road we came across a little house. It looked more like someone’s residence than a farm, except that it was surrounded by herb gardens and had herbs and streamers hanging form the eaves.

On the porch, a young man and woman, both barefoot, beckoned us inside. They led us to their small shop, which was filled with herbs and incense. The store also sells crystals, jewelry, hangings, perfumes, and thrifted clothes. Their best seller however is their tea, which they make from their own natural herbs. Originally, one of the women had owned a crystal shop in New Paltz, but she joined forces with the herb farm and they now sell their goods together. Their goods range from $1 items, such as sprigs of herbs or tiny amethysts, to much more expensive items of jewelry or perfume.

The Tweefontein Herb Farm is a much larger operation than I imaged. After speaking with the man and woman we had met on our way in, we learned that the farm sells at all the major farmers markets in New York, including the Union Square farmers market. They say they have a loyal following, especially for their tea. When I asked if they sold much near by, the man explained that they occasionally sell in New Paltz, but that they don’t have much of a community customer base. I wasn’t particularly surprised by this, especially given what we’d learned in class about the pull of New York business and the hidden nature of their little farm.

The farm is all organic and was created from an old homestead, which originally had been a dairy farm. In the 1980s, the Tweefontein Farm became a member of the New York City Greenmarket and has been one ever since. The farm grows herbs and vegetables and makes added value goods, such as tea and herbal medicines.

The two young people we met offered to pick us some fresh herbs, since they said that most of their herbs haven’t bloomed yet (it’s not quite the season yet). My sister bought some crystals and we made our way back out into the world. It felt as if we had walked out of a dream, and our clothes still carried the smell of the incense from inside. Outside we petted their two resident golden retrievers and waved goodbye.

This Friday, April 22nd, our class took a trip to another wonderful sustainable farm in the Hudson Valley: Hudson Valley Kinders & Kritters. When we arrived at the farm we were greeted by Stephanie, who is one of the farm’s two owners. She explained how she had grown up raising chickens; she and her partner became interested in goat farming after first acquiring a couple of goats for their own personal use in their backyard. Once they decided to begin goat farming, they realized they needed land for their goats—so, they turned to the Farmer Landowner Match Program, which is run through the Columbia Land Conservancy and the Dutchess Land Conservancy.

The Farmer Landowner Match Program matches landowners with prospective farmers who need land for their work. It is a mutually beneficial system that helps promote sustainable farming: the landowners get tax breaks because their land is being used for agricultural purposes, and the farmers get to use the land for much less than it would cost to buy.

Terrance, one of the people who helped found the Match Program five years ago, is from the CLC; he also came to Kinders & Kritters to talk to us about the philosophy behind the program. He said that the landowners are mostly people of retirement age who don’t farm, or farmers who don’t use all their land and want to rent out the extra. The farmers are often young people looking for a chance to farm without buying land. Terrance was excited that the program is working for young people and explained that the current U.S. farming population is on average 59-years-old. He said programs like this one are popping up all over the country, and are a way to allow a younger generation to farm.

Hudson Valley Kinders & Kritters is a perfect example of the Match Program at work. Stephanie’s farm is on a piece of property in Red Hook owned by a couple and their children. The family is actively engaged in the farm and the kids especially like to help out. 

After we met Stephanie and Terrance, it was time to pet the goats. First, we dipped our boots in antibacterial cleanser and signed wavers just in case of any goat accidents. Stephanie explained that they had two kinds of goats, which they raised for both meat and dairy. The Kinders were her favorite and she explained how she had become attached to them and they would come sit in her lap. She also told a story of “kidding”—helping to birth baby goats—in forty degree weather, and how she took the baby goats and put them in her sleeping bag with her to keep them warm. In fact, when we arrived, a baby goat had just been born about forty minutes earlier! Stephanie did not seem phased and happily talked to us about her goats for a while.

The goats were incredibly fun to play with and we even got to pick them up! There were plenty of babies passed around and it was sad to say goodbye.