Blueberry gleaning at the Farm Hub launched in early July with patches in full bloom. Two varieties of the blueberries – Reka and Chandler – packed the fields on Route 209, some of them as large as quarters.
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The Farm Hub staff are busy on and off the field! Check out these short mentions to see what our staff are up to on and off the field.
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Local Economies Project and the Hudson Valley Farm Hub are pleased to announce that Jean-Paul Courtens has joined the Hudson Valley Farm Hub as Associate Director for Farmer Training. Jean-Paul is the founder and owner of Roxbury Farm in Kinderhook, New York, a 375-acre organic and biodynamic farm and one of the largest community supported agriculture programs in the region. His farming success and distinctive leadership builds upon the recognition of his skills as a teacher and mentor on organic practices, land stewardship, whole farm planning, and farm business development.
This past year Jean-Paul assisted the Farm Hub in an advisory capacity, working closely with John Gill and others to facilitate the transition from a private farm business to a non-profit center for education and research. Now, as part of our senior management team, Jean-Paul will focus primarily on the development of the Farm Hub’s Professional Farmer Training and other continuing education programs.
Jean Paul is originally from Holland where he earned a degree biodynamic agriculture before moving to the U.S. over twenty-five years ago. Prior to starting Roxbury Farm in 1990, Jean-Paul developed the vegetable garden at Hawthorne Valley Farm, one of the many farming organizations in the region with which he maintains a strong relationship. In recent years he and his partner Jody Bolluyt have lectured at numerous farming conferences on topics such as soil health, organic methods, and new farmer training.
John Gill, Farm Manager of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub, and Jean-Paul Courtens, owner of Roxbury Farms, were honored this month with Glynwood’s 2014 Harvest Award, in recognition of spearheading a pioneering farming partnership to establish sustainable agricultural production at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub. John and Jean-Paul are part of LEP’s Farm Hub team, which has been leading the on-site transition of the farm operation from private sweet corn business to non-profit center for farmer training and research. Their collaborative approach serves as an important model for producers across the region.
“Working with John and sharing our experiences has been enlightening. All of us farmers here in the Hudson Valley face many of the same challenges, and we need to come together to ensure the long-term viability of our way of life,” Courtens said. John Gill agreed, adding, “I’m grateful to be working with Jean-Paul and the Farm Hub team to bring this farm, which has been in my family for three generations, into its next phase.”
The award was presented at Glynwood’s annual Barn Dance Gala in Cold Spring, New York on Saturday, September 6th. Local Economies Project’s Associate Director, Jerry Cosgrove, and Program Manager, Sarah Brannen, were in attendance to help celebrate.
Glynwood, one of Local Economies Project’s partners, is an agricultural nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture that benefits the natural environment, energizes local economies, enhances human health and strengthens rural communities.
