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Farm Case Study: Amawalk Farm

Amawalk Farm

Max Apton
Katonah, NY

SNAPSHOT QUESTIONS

When did you start your farm?
Amawalk Farm was started in 2009 and operated for three seasons before being shuttered for a few years. 2015 was the first season the farm has been in operation since closing in 2012.

What do you produce?
We produce a diverse collection of vegetables and eggs.

How big is your farm?
The farm is situated on forty acres, however we only cultivate about five in vegetables. Various livestock are on the farm for home use.

Where is it?
Amawalk Farm is just twenty minutes north of Stone Barns Center in Katonah, New York.

What is your soil type and topography?
Our vegetable field is a very hilly sandy loam.

Do you lease, rent or own your land?
I rent the land here.

What are your markets?
We have a 20 member CSA and sell to several restaurants and country clubs each week.

IN-DEPTH QUESTIONS

What made you want to start your farm? What was your dream?

Just like many other first generation farmers, I began farming in the search for work that felt real and meaningful. My dream has always been to secure my own land.

How were you involved in farming before you started your own farm?

I got my first farm job on the Big Island of Hawai’i. I worked for a couple seasons on other farms back in the Northeast, then as a field manager at Stone Barns for three seasons before coming to Amawalk.

How did you secure land and capital for your farm?

Land is rented from the landowners, who also live on the property. For one thousand dollars a month I get access to the field, a small heated greenhouse, some other infrastructure and a bit of equipment. Other start-up costs were paid out of pocket from savings I had.

What problems did you run into in the planning stages?

Most of the planning issues stemmed from either not knowing the capacity of the new fields or not knowing the capacity of the new markets. Both were largely unknowns and added an additional layer of gambling.

What did your farm look like in year one?

This season was generally a very positive one. We have definitely been feeling out which markets will be the most productive for us and are already well into planning out next season. I kept a small crew. Most of the season I only employed one person pretty much full-time in addition to myself. We grew a diverse collection of vegetables but nothing specialty or too far out of the ordinary.

What were some challenges that you didn’t expect to have and how did you deal with them?

Working out kinks between myself and the landowners mid-season in clarifying some elements of the lease having to do with general caretaking of the property and sharing of produce. Other problems having to do with fertility and markets were faced but were definitely expected.

What were some indicators in the beginning stages that made you optimistic for your farm’s success?

We saw very little food waste in the 2015 season. Most produce (close to 95%) was sold, which I was extremely pleased with. Crops were going out the door looking remarkable and with very high quality. Feedback was positive from our buyers and CSA, which is an enormous bolster to morale during a growing season.

What have been some landmark events in your farm’s development? (equipment purchases, strategic decision, markets, etc.)

Aside from the obvious improvements that came with purchasing a large pickup truck and a walk-behind tractor, the biggest landmarks have been strategic. The implementation of the CSA changed the farm right at the start of the season from what was going to be a wholesale staple crop operation to a diverse retail operation. It was sort of a last minute audible, but I felt it was the best thing to do. At the start of next season, I will also be taking on a partner in the farm business, which will again change things greatly.

Was there a point when you felt your farm became “established?”

Not really yet. We’ll see at the end of the winter when CSA sign-up is out again whether or not we are truly established.

How have your goals changed?

Somewhat. I am pursuing an education in landscape design at the same time I am managing the farm. I have a side business landscaping for residential clients to help bring in more income and to give me some off-farm interest. I still wish to own my own land though.

How have you been successful? (financial, production, quality of life, etc.)

I think I’ve largely been successful in my goals of running a farm that is not losing money and allowing myself enough free time to run a side business and return to school part-time.

Who or what can you credit for your successes?

I credit all of my mentors and employers who taught me everything I know.

What challenges does your farm face now and in the future?

Not overexpanding. We have lots of tillable acreage that always beckons us, but we are trying to stay cautious and conservative in our production goals and sales quotas. It can be hard for a fledgling farm to figure out exactly how much revenue per acre they can expect with their particular business plan.

Where do you see your farm in five years?

If I’m still on this property, I would like to see the farm continuing to hum along with a small CSA, a few great restaurant customers and an ever-improving piece of fertile farmland.

What advice would you give to beginning farmers?

Reading and research is important up to a certain point. There is no replacing actual experience and it’s also important to realize you will never know it all. A lot of what I have learned in farming has come from paying attention to those who know more than I do, asking tons of questions and trusting my gut with difficult decisions.

From the 2015 Young Farmers Preconference — “This Is How We Do It: Learning From Successful Farm Models.”

Originally published on March 14, 2016

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