PULASKI, NY – Oswego County’s oldest and most celebrated organic farm will be seeing some operational changes starting this spring, but for their many customers and friends, a full line of organic produce and other organic foods will still be available.
Founded on land purchased in 1981 by the husband and wife team of Dick de Graff and Victoria Ladd-de Graff, Grindstone Farm was born of a desire to use the earth responsibility, while creating a sustainable business model that would last for generations and provide a local source of healthy, fresh, pesticide and herbicide free nutrition.
“I am pushing 70 years old, so like most farmers, I would like to be able to retire,” Dick de Graff said.
Grindstone Farm will begin to partner with Canastota based Off the Muck Market, a family owned business that offers a large distribution area, to deliver products directly to customers’ homes.
According to Dick de Graff, the coronavirus pandemic has brought great changes to the food delivery business, and this new partnership will allow Grindstone Farm to stay connected to long time customers and utilize a more efficient delivery system, while taking some of the pressure off of him as he moves toward retirement. de Graff will act as a liaison with other organic farms and curate the list of available products.
“We will be acting as a sort of farm hub,” Vic Ladd de Graff said. “Off the Muck did not have an organic line, and now they will through us.”
The early years of Grindstone Farm saw a “u-pick” operation, an idea Dick de Graff brought from his family’s farm in Williamstown, New York. The de Graff’s acreage became Oswego County’s first certified organic farm in 1988, following a three year certification process. This early entry into the organic realm led to Dick de Graff becoming known as the ‘elder statesman of organic agriculture’ in central New York.
Grindstone Farm has played a large role in educating future organic farmers, offering an internship program that allowed interested agriculturalists to live on the farm and take advantage of a total immersion experience. The opportunity to reside on the farm rent free and eat the food produced while learning the techniques of growing it organically brought interns from all over North America.
“We had our own little commune here,” Vic Ladd de Graff said.
Dick de Graff said that one of the highlights of running the farm has been the interaction with many, many people who shared a love of the land and an interest in developing methods of farming without chemicals. Former interns and employees of Grindstone Farm have joined a wide variety of agribusiness entities, some farming and some taking roles in government agencies, as well as playing a role in many forms of food distribution networks, all while sharing the importance of keeping the process organic.
“Passing on the skills and experiences to others, including our son Lucas, has been a great experience,” Dick de Graff said.
According to Vic Ladd- de Graff, the farm has seen some difficult times, but the gradual acceptance of the benefits of an organic diet has been a great help, and a source of pride, as well as a highlight of their persistence.
Commenting on the big picture of agriculture in New York State, Dick de Graff said, “There are opportunities here, but the opportunities are not easy to grasp.”
Looking back over the years of hard work, Vic Ladd de Graff feels a hard won sense of accomplishment.
“I can look back and tell my grandchildren that we can feel good about what we have done for Mother Earth, and what we have done to train people about good agricultural practices.”
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Dick, I haven’t been a customer for quite a while since I moved away but congratulations on your retirement! Best wishes to you and your family.
Dorothy DePew