Priscilla's Farm

Priscilla’s Farm

My earliest memories are of my father’s vegetable garden in New Hampshire and the taste of the sugar snap peas. Growing up, I embraced this idea of growing your own food and making flower bouquets out of whatever could be foraged. Enrolled at Ithaca College, I took a job working for a local flower farm, Little Flower, and the owner, Alison become one of my earliest role models. I drove her truck to the Ithaca Farmer’s Market, making bouquets out the back and smiles with each sale. After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and Sociology (minor in Art History and Religion!) my life took on another direction; of motherhood and public school teaching. I continued to do personal gardening and small scale projects for private clients, yet decided to leave my tenured teaching position and throw myself into something I have always been passionate about: farming.

I spent time in the Berkshires of Massachusetts at a therapeutic community, Gould Farm, as I was writing my MA thesis on horticultural therapy. On Long Island I got a dream position as the Program Educator for Garden of Eve Organic Farm in Riverhead and was then promoted to the Farm Stand Manager. But this was not my dream. I did meet my current husband, Leslie Howard here, as the Field Manager and we experienced life in a yurt for a season and were fortunate to work with many diverse, intelligent and interesting folks. Les moved on to Sang Lee Farm in Peconic, and I took work at Biophilia Organic Farm and the mentorship of Farmer Phil and his dog, Pudgie. Most recently working for Girls in the Garden out of Bellport, I have learned the demands of high end garden and landscape business and have several clients of my own.

Today, however, Les and I are one step closer to our dream! With 4 children between us and a shared passion for sustainability, community and growing good food, we have been approved by the Peconic Land Trust board to lease one acre in Southold, NY. The very first baby steps to what we hope will be a lifelong practice and a fulfillment of our dream, Priscilla’s Farm. As we navigate through the early stages of starting our own business, we value your support, feedback and questions. Happy Spring 2018!!