Our farm is home to a diverse range of plant and animal species that work in harmony together with the land. We are developing a rotational grazing system that starts with goats to will eat invasive plants, followed by sheep to clean up after the goats, and then flocks of turkey, chickens and ducks to eat pests while adding nutrient-rich natural fertilizer back into the soil.
Like much of the Northeast, the property bears numerous scars of ecological degradation, invasive species and overpopulation of deer. Nonetheless, the acreage contains incredible ecological resources. A large hemlock swamp is perhaps one of the most significant examples of this community type in New York State. Pitch pine-oak-heath ridges are another significant ecological community. Numerous sedge meadows, beaver ponds, and oligotrophic lakes and streams include an incredible diversity of communities and rare species that are only beginning to be identified. Diverse songbirds and birds of prey are commonly observed in the woodlands and wetlands, including Golden and Bald eagles, Osprey, and Great Horned Owls.
Our 2,100-acre demonstration site is a rich tapestry of biodiversity and cultural history. It has been shaped by centuries of human activity and offers a unique opportunity for experimentation and learning. This living laboratory is ideal for research and pilot projects due to its size, diversity of habitats, controlled access, and our commitment to innovation.
Natural Resources
The site is situated in the Hudson Highlands ecoregion 60 miles north of New York City, within a larger forest block of nearly 30,000 acres. Much of the property is at elevations of approximately 1,000 feet, with higher regions reaching nearly 1,400 feet. Ledge outcroppings dot the landscape. These locations host dramatically unique ecological pockets thanks to their particular physical conditions and their inaccessibility to white-tailed deer. The property drains into several major watersheds, including the Hudson River, the Housatonic River, and the Great Swamp. It is hydrologically complex with numerous springs and groundwater seeps, streams, ponds, and several rare and diverse wetland communities.
Like much of the Northeast, the property bears numerous scars of ecological degradation, invasive species and overpopulation of deer. Nonetheless, the acreage contains incredible ecological resources. A large hemlock swamp is perhaps one of the most significant examples of this community type in New York State. Pitch pine-oak-heath ridges are another significant ecological community. Numerous sedge meadows, beaver ponds, and oligotrophic lakes and streams include an incredible diversity of communities and rare species that are only beginning to be identified. Diverse songbirds and birds of prey are commonly observed in the woodlands and wetlands, including Golden and Bald eagles, Osprey, and Great Horned Owls.
History
The site's cultural landscape history is fundamental to our understanding of its ecological conditions today. The area was likely a vital home for hunting and gathering for the Mahican people prior to colonial settlement due to its rich forests, waterways, and diverse wildlife. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, European settlers killed and forcibly displaced Native American peoples and transformed Northeastern landscapes through industry and agriculture. These transformations resulted in habitat loss—including deforestation and soil erosion—and declining biodiversity such as the extirpation of megafauna like elk and wolves.
Our highland property has limited agricultural soil, mostly within its small central valley, unlike the larger Clove Valley on our western boundary, which was once considered an important breadbasket for feeding New York City. Thus, it was not heavily farmed until the Merino wool boom in the 19th century, when the highlands were densely settled by small farmers who toiled on the steep rocky terrain for a generation or two before migrating farther west in search of farmlands that might sustain their families. This property and the surrounding landscape were in many ways abandoned following the crash of the Merino sheep industry and the advent of modernizing agriculture and industry in the United States.
Today
Today, the proliferation of invasive species across formerly abandoned farmlands and eroded stream banks has become a legacy of the region's cultural history—alongside the extant ruins of early American architecture, stone walls, family burial grounds, mill ponds, and iron furnaces. Ecologically, this new era has introduced one ecologically disruptive event after another. The introduction of invasive insects and diseases have devastated important tree species such as American chestnut, American elm, and now eastern hemlock, butternut, and ash species. At the same time, the rise of suburbanization and modern agriculture have allowed white-tailed deer to be one of the most dominant species in the rural landscape. Like much of the Hudson Valley, this landscape now faces the continuing pressures of suburban sprawl with efforts for land preservation, and a renaissance in small farming practices promising a more sustainable future.
Given its complex history, ecological challenges, and remaining extraordinary biodiversity, our demonstration site is ideally situated to pioneer restoration and land management practices that regenerate biodiversity and ecological integrity, while preserving cultural history and developing new approaches to agriculture that support biodiversity while producing healthy, local food for human beings.