March marks a real turning point in our long, upstate winters. Snowstorms and frigid temps suddenly and miraculously give way to baby chicks and greenhouses filled with tender seedlings. It is a time of hope!
It is also the time of year I start to dream of the season’s first strawberries, and salivate at the thought of anything fresh and green plucked from local soil.
Friend and fellow farmer Jason Townsend of Kingfisher Farm in Sauquoit is in the thick of things this time of year, preparing for the season ahead. Jason grows a wide variety of vegetables and fruits on his 10-acre certified organic farm, selling via CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares*, two farmer’s markets, and online ordering via Kingfisherfarm.com and Local Foods Mohawk Valley.
Jason’s farm stand at the Clinton Farmer’s Market is always a popular stop, with mounds of gorgeous greens, organic apples, and plump tomatoes. Due to his laser-focus on soil health and its continued improvement, Jason grows some of the highest quality produce found in CNY.
Jason and I chatted a bit about his farm and its origins, and what he sees for his farm’s future:“We started our farm in Spring 2015. Prior to that, my wife and I had taken jobs in California where I was a manager on a large organic CSA farm. We took a good, long look at California but decided we’d much rather settle in the Northeast, upper Midwest, or Canada. A number of opportunities came up here in the Mohawk Valley—my wife took a job at Hamilton College and I found a job at Cornell Cooperative Extension. At the same time, I connected with Nancy Grove of Old Path Farm who had acreage she wanted to lease.
“After looking at a number of other farms in the area, we decided the opportunity Nancy was presenting was a perfect fit. Nancy and I worked out a “99-year ground lease”, which is a much more common agreement between Land Trusts and tenants than private parties, but it gives me confidence to truly invest in the property, and plenty of time to figure things out!
“First thing I planted was strawberries, and we started our first season with just 10 CSA members and one farmer’s market. The strawberries were a great way to jump into the local market and helped establish Kingfisher Farm as a source for high-quality and real organic produce. We also planted a 500-tree fruit orchard and those trees are now really coming into their own.
“We received NOFA-NY organic certification in 2018 and have been certified every year since. I am not a fan of what the USDA has done to water down organic standards for mega-farms. However, I still think it is very important for small farms to do everything they can to distinguish themselves as the true, soil-focused origins of organic produce. I would encourage anyone to check out the Real Organic Project. We are also certified by them, and they are doing fantastic outreach work on this issue.
“Looking forward, I am very excited to produce cider. We received a micro-enterprise grant through Mohawk Valley EDGE to get a commercial kitchen and small-scale cidery going. Our plan is to produce both sweet and hard cider. I’m especially excited about hard cider. We are in the process of receiving our “Farm Cidery” license from NY State which will allow us to sell our hard cider at farmer’s markets.
“I think our cidery will really be set apart by our use of organic apples, wild-foraged apples, and the part of the orchard I set aside for traditional English cider varieties. I’m very happy with our earthy “Pétillant Naturel” or Pét-Nat ciders this year. It’s the simplest, freshest way to make a very delicious, low- to medium-alcohol cider, in a French traditional way that really puts the flavors of the orchard out front. We also grow currants, raspberries and blueberries and would like to do some multi-fruit ciders. We will also be making batches of more typical higher alcohol content Americanized cider, more on the sweet side, and that has its place, too!
“I have two very talented and local-foods-devoted people working with me at the farm—Jackie Mancuso, General Manager and Andrew Sblendorio, Field Manager. A lot of the expansion of the farm over the last few years, and the consistent quality we are able to produce, is a result of their work. Both of them are great farmers and can tackle any job. I’m very lucky that they are a part of the farm.
“We love our lives in CNY a being a part of the growing local foods scene. It’s a fantastic place to raise a family. People are down-to-earth, giving, and there is so much natural beauty to enjoy. The farmland is high quality and the Adirondacks are wonderful and close. There are also so many incredibly talented mechanics, builders, and long-term farmers to work with and learn from here.
“I absolutely love being outdoors and seeing things grow. I love the ecology of the farm, seeing how plants respond to the different approaches we take to soil preparation, fertility, and landscape health. Local foods are much better for personal, environmental, and community health. Once people discover this way of eating, I don’t see them going back to the lifeless, industrial foods that fill the grocery stores. Local foods are a pathway to health.”
Kingfisher Farm can be found at the Oneida County Public Market in Utica throughout the year, at the Clinton Farmer’s Market during the summer season, and online. Be sure to check them out!
(Footnote:) *For those unfamiliar with the concept, a CSA is a fantastic way to enjoy the bounty of a local farm. Customers can buy a “share” of the farm’s produce for a defined season or set of weeks. The farmer, in turn, gets money up front to cover the expenses of spring planting. Sign-ups usually take place in the early spring, although some farms offer fall and winter shares, too.