It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable.
About Stone Barns
Since our first plantings in the fall of 2003, we have been committed to a simple and
holistic set of ecological principles that have guided farmers for millennia:
• The Soil is the foundation of health, nutrition and flavor
• Biodiversity reinforces stability and resilience
• The service of Livestock and their manures are essential contributors to complex,
mature ecosystems
• Mixed multi-year rotational systems for animals, grains and vegetable crops that
integrate cover crops provide a balance of exercise, nourish and rest needed for
enduring and healthy productivity
• The surrounding habitats and Ecosystems are valuable collaborators with
cultivated systems
• There is no waste in a natural system.
These basic principles are a baseline from which we have launched myriad ongoing
experiments, trials, and lessons. Self-generating, self-renewing agricultural ecosystems
offer real solutions to climate change, food scarcity and ecological decline. The Farm at
Stone Barns Center works to translate the value of the land beyond its productivity to
embrace the social and ecological values that are essential to restoration of resilient
regional food cultures. It is the grounds for exploration and experimentation that integrates
traditional wisdom with innovative research. It is also an active environment for hosting an
equitable, diverse and inclusive community of farmers, chefs, scientists, educators and
artisans.
“Stone Barns Center is located on the unceded territory of the Munsee Lenape, Schaghticoke, and Wappinger peoples. We honor the native people who have stewarded this area for 11,000 years and seek to highlight the continuous history of agriculture that began with their work.”
The Farm is a group of interdependent disciplines with each of its farmer members carrying
a distinct and essential role in the ensemble. The farmers share resources, information and
responsibility for the whole under singular holistic management and work in close
partnership with the Innovation Labs and Blue Hill in the development, process and
evaluation of research projects.
We grow more than 300 varieties of seeded crops and engage in a dozen ongoing seed
breeding and trial collaborations. Examples include a potato release evaluation with
Cornell, Northeast sweet potato trials with Louisiana State University, beet trials with the
University of Wisconsin, spring/winter grain trials with North Dakota State University, and
flower trials with the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.
We have a multi-species grazing, foraging and ranging livestock program managing over 350
acres of farm and Rockefeller State Park Preserve land in ecological service and
production.
Stone Barns Center adheres to rigorous practices for farm animal welfare and livestock
handling. Our protocol is developed and informed by the most renowned animal welfare
certification programs in the world, including Certified Humane and American Humane.
The bulk of our standards are derived directly from Certified Humane, which serves as the
foundational premise of our protocol. The purpose of our standards is to improve the lives
of our farm animals. These standards incorporate scientific research, veterinary advice and
farmer experience. They serve as a practical guideline for the care and management of all
livestock at Stone Barns Center. We believe that the way we raise our animals, the food
they produce and the impact of our farming system on the ecosystem are intrinsically
linked, so we strive to build an environment where all three systems can simultaneously
thrive.
Stone Barns Center comprises 100 acres of managed edible landscaping, composting,
agroforestry, fruit and nut orchards, and formal organic gardens. Additional ecological
monitoring work expands across 300 acres of pastoral ecosystems, which are part of the
neighboring Rockefeller State Park Preserve.
Contact Us
630 Bedford Road
Pocantico Hills, NY 10591
General Inquiries: [email protected]
Membership Questions: [email protected]
https://www.stonebarnscenter.org/
