HURLEY, N.Y. — Over a dozen years ago, Peter Buffett and his Novo Foundation bought farmland — once known as Gill Farm — sprawled out in the Hurley Flats.
Today, that 1,600-acre parcel is known as the Hudson Valley Farm Hub, and it has had a very distinct mission during its 12 years of operation.
In December 2013, the purposeful focus of the farm was already clearly foreseen.
“The idea was, and continues to be, for a farm dedicated to advancing resiliency in the regional food system; a land base from which to address issues facing regional agriculture such as food access, climate change, challenging market forces, and habitat loss,” wrote Brooke Pickering-Cole, senior advisor, external relations/special projects for the farm, in a synopsis describing the facility.
The purchase, she said, was part of NoVo Foundation — a charitable organization controlled by Buffet and his wife, Jennifer — “broader commitment to sustainable agriculture, natural resource conservation, and thriving local communities.”
The Hudson Valley Farm Hub is wholly funded by the NoVo Foundation.
The foundation’s 2023 tax records show that NoVo Hudson Valley Farm Hub funding exceeded $13.7 million that year for “costs associated with professional farmer training, the hosting and supporting or agricultural research, the demonstration of new farm technologies, and educational resources for advances in food and farming.”
In all, the NoVo Foundation has contributed at least $266 million to Hudson Valley charitable groups, activists, and governments between 2017 and 2023, tax records show.
With that funding, the Farm Hub has initiated change at the site off Hurley Mountain Road.
It has transitioned from what was a largely conventional sweet corn enterprise into a non-profit organization with a research and education focus and a varied rotation of organically grown vegetables, grains and cover crops, Pickering-Cole said.
Overall, the Farm Hub’s mission is to foster a resilient food system in the Hudson Valley.
“We steer our efforts towards the greater community of regional farmers, Hudson Valley neighbors, and the natural environment around us,” Pickering-Cole wrote.
That happens, she added, by advancing “field research and innovation.”
Research areas include on-farm ecology and wildlife conservation, no-till practices, small grains varieties, and pests and disease in organic systems, Pickering-Cole said.
Since 2014, the Farm Hub has cooperated with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County and Cornell University on agronomic research trials that take place in the fields and in the hub greenhouses.
The Hudson Valley Farm Hub provides training and informational gatherings for growers and community members. Examples of these are annual farmer training workshops and field days focusing on topics like farm equipment, soil health, and on-farm ecology in partnership with Hawthorne Valley’s “Farmscape Ecology” program.
Significant amounts of the crop grown at the farm hub are donated, Pickering-Cole said.
In April 2024, Julianne Schrader Ortega was selected to be executive manager of the farm.
“In the lead role at Farm Hub, Julianne oversees all aspects of the organization including production, operations, programs and administration while working collectively to bring forward the Farm Hub’s vision and strategic direction,” Pickering-Cole said. “Julianne has worked in partnership with farmers and community leaders to transform land use and empower communities to move towards sustainable and just food systems.”
Food donations have been made by the Farm Hub since its inception, all of it to New York state’s food system, Pickering-Cole said said.
“We donate all of our vegetables — over 500,000 lbs. — annually to the emergency feeding system and we move about 15,000 bushels of organic grains into the wholesale market,” Pickering-Cole said. “Our field crops are sold to mission-aligned partners in the region where there are gaps in local production and demand is not met by local producers. We also donate a lot of dry beans and popcorn.”
The Farm Hub has also created jobs.
According to Pickering-Cole, the Farm Hub employs a staff of about 65, including farmer managers and field staff, farm mechanics, researchers, educators and administrative staff.
The 1,600 acres under Farm Hub stewardship includes 900 acres in field crop production, 100 acres dedicated to vegetables in a three-year rotation, 200 acres under ecological management, 20 acres dedicated to agroforestry, and additional acreage comprised of woods, riparian forest and the Esopus and Stony creeks.
All of the on-farm infrastructure serves the Farm Hub’s agricultural purpose and mission, Pickering-Cole said.
That includes the machine shop, offices, and storage for crops, seeds and equipment, plus greenhouses. Many of the farm buildings originated with Gill Farms.
“All new buildings and improvements made to existing structures have increased our potential for positively impact the food system,” Pickering-Cole added.
Hands-on workshops are regularly held.
They include workshops for farmers in tractor operation, diagnostics and repair, safety and maintenance. These are offered free of charge over the course of eight weeks, twice per year, in English and Spanish. In 2024, the Farm Hub conducted a specialized grain bin safety training for staff and local fire departments.
Another program is the “Farmscape Ecology,” a collaboration between the Farm Hub and Hawthorne Valley Farm, featuring a research collaborative that includes farmers and partners from regional colleges, universities and organizations.
“We host ecology events on and off the farm such as local bird walks, film screenings, and an annual ecology field day,” Pickering-Cole said.
Additionally, the Farm Hub recently released a short video series called “Women in Ecology,” which features portraits of seven women conducting field research at the farm.
The Farm Hub seeds program works with indigenous and cultural partners on seed-saving initiatives and cultural foodways, officials said.
“For many years now, we have been in partnership with the Akwesasne Mohawk community in northern New York, growing corn, beans and squash in the Seed Garden, as well as doing larger grow-outs of indigenous corn varieties for seed for repatriation to the Akwesasne community,” the synopsis said.
Later this year, the Farm Hub is scheduled to host a public Birding Day, a No-Till Field Day, and the annual Farmscape Ecology Field Day.
In 2014, the Farm Hub began implementing a diversified rotation of crops using organic farming methods.
“A primary focus where farming activities are concerned is on soil health and, accordingly, we have reduced tillage significantly across the farm,” Pickering-Cole said. “In addition, we have taken some acreage out of production, some in flood prone areas, for the purpose of creating habitat to support biodiversity on the farm.”
Julianne Schrader Ortega , the Farm Hub’s executive manager, said the future looks bright.
“As we step into our second decade, the HV Farm Hub will expand and deepen our work and partnerships to catalyze further transformation towards a regenerative regional food economy that nourishes all members of our community,” she said.
