At Glynwood, we're practicing regenerative agriculture and training young farmers in relation to a resilient regional food system. Regenerative agriculture uses the patterns of nature to design and manage the production of food, fiber, and other agricultural products to regenerate the ecological, social, economic and spiritual well-being of land, people and community. Resilient systems are designed to avoid or reduce damage from disruptions, to “bounce back” swiftly and at low cost from a damaging disturbance or shock, and to make changes to prepare for expected challenges ahead.
Apprentices have the opportunity to experience first-hand the realities of farming in the Hudson Valley and to learn approaches that enhance farm productivity and profitability while also contributing to the development of a regenerative and resilient regional food system. Our agricultural practices cultivate healthy soils, crops, pastures and livestock to produce healthy, nutritious food for the communities that we serve. We believe that these practices offer multiple benefits to our farm and our region because they cultivate healthy relationships on the farm and in the food system, minimize our need for inputs and our production of wastes, and support the accumulation of wealth.
Our Apprentice and Farm Business Incubator programs provide in-field practicum and curriculum from a network of technical expertise in business, finance, and law; traditional farming knowledge and food traditions, new ecological farming approaches, and scientific discovery.
Our programs offer new and experienced farmers the opportunity to experience first-hand the realities of farming in the Hudson Valley and to learn approaches that enhance farm productivity and profitability while also contributing to the development of a regenerative and resilient regional food system.
CULTIVATING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS IN THE HUDSON VALLEY
Glynwood’s new Strategic Farm Initiatives is focused on developing our farm as a Resilient Agriculture demonstration and training destination for best practices in climate-smart food and farming that cultivate regenerative and resilient regional food systems. The new program pilots real-world examples of leading-edge climate risk management strategies tailored to the needs of small and mid-scale diversified farm and food businesses through four initiatives:
The Holistic Management Initiative demonstrates the use of whole farm management practices that support healthy and productive landscapes capable of supporting a high quality of life for Glynwood’s staff and the communities that we serve, now and far into the future.
The Climate Risk Management Initiative demonstrates best practices in resilience business planning to reduce climate risk and capture new opportunities associated with changing weather patterns.
The Carbon Management Initiative demonstrates easy-to-use tools for farmers who want to document the carbon footprint of their operations and make changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase biological carbon sequestration in their own operations and throughout their value network.
The Agroforestry Initiative demonstrates the integration of traditional ecological knowledge and western science in the design and management of edible agroforestry practices that reduce current and expected climate risks to Glynwood’s operations, produce nutrient-dense perennial food and feed crops, enhance farm biodiversity, and sequester carbon both above and below ground.
Using an adaptive, learn-as-we-go management strategy, Glynwood’s land management team share lessons learned in farm tours, workshops, farm management guides, improved management tools, and story-telling, all designed to further the work of businesses and organizations promoting the just transformation of food and farming in the Hudson Valley and beyond.
VEGETABLE OPERATION
The farm produces a variety of vegetables at garden and field-scale over 6-acres using practices such as no-till, minimal-till, cover cropping/crop rotation, and four-season production in high tunnels. Apprentices help grow the food we sell through our CSA and Farm Store, as well as the food we donate to our local food access partners. Our vegetables are USDA Certified Organic which means we adhere to strict standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, as well as requiring a holistic approach to land stewardship and transparency.
LIVESTOCK OPERATION
All of our animal species are raised on the farm and grown on intensively managed pasture rotations where animals can exercise their natural grazing instincts and where soil health is the focus. To demonstrate our commitment to the ethical and healthy care of our livestock we are Animal Welfare Approved (AWA). We are also Certified Grassfed for our cattle. We are proud to be participating as a pilot farm in AWA's Certified Regenerative program.
Our pasture-raised meat and eggs are available at our Farm Store and in restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley.
CSA & FARM STORE
We grow USDA Certified Organic produce for our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that provides fresh vegetables weekly to 170 households in our surrounding community. We offer vegetable shares year-round, and our produce is also available for a la carte purchase at our Farm Store. Glynwood Grazed pasture-raised and Animal Welfare Approved meat is available through our Farm Store and at restaurants throughout the Hudson Valley. Our produce, CSA shares, and meat can be purchased using SNAP benefits.
STEWARDSHIP
Our Farm Team engages in field walks and ecological monitoring activities with our Apprentices to provide a holistic view of farmland stewardship and comprehensive risk assessment of resource use and infrastructure development on the Farm. We take an agroecological approach to farm design and management that emphasizes cultivating resilience with regenerative practices that achieve both climate mitigation and adaptation goals. Our stewardship efforts include the design and establishment of agroforestry practices for diversified operations, the use of energy-efficient technologies, and whole farm landscape strategies that reduce climate risk and enhance the climate resilience of our farm enterprises.
