About Katchkie Farm
Katchkie Farm is a year-round NOFA-certified organic Community Supported Agriculture farm in Kinderhook, New York dedicated to building connections between consumers, food professionals and families and healthy, delicious, local food. Katchkie prides itself on holistic stewardship of the land and its bounty.
Katchkie Farm’s partnership with the Sylvia Center enhances our educational mission by hosting children for hands-on farm-to-table culinary experiences and supporting their cooking programs in New York City.
Our History
Katchkie Farm is a NOFA-certified organic farm, owned by the NYC-based catering company Great Performances. An industry first, Katchkie Farm represents a commitment in celebrating local flavors as well as an investment in sustainable agriculture and good earth practices. Katchkie sits on 60 acres in Columbia County, NY and yielded its first harvest in 2007.
Several ecologists visited in 2007 to document the farm, showing how Katchkie farm’s fields have hosted dynamic life for centuries. Conrad Vispo from Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program captured the various flora and fauna at Katchkie Farm over a period of two years.
In addition to its role as a traditional farm, Katchkie is home to The Sylvia Center, an educational nonprofit that introduces children to the pleasures and benefits of healthy, sustainable food through farm visits and cooking workshops. Katchkie Farm’s philanthropic role includes committing 5% of its annual harvest to anti-hunger organizations.
The Sylvia Center
In 2007, the seeds for the Sylvia Center were planted at Katchkie Farm. Looking for a way to honor her daughter, Liz Neumark envisioned an education program that would teach children about food, where it comes from, and the connection between food and health. Over the years, Katchkie Farm has been home to a Learning Garden and has hosted programs for students to observe and participate in the full operation of a farm, culminating in creating delicious dishes using produce they harvested. Katchkie Farm has also hosted the annual Farm-to-Table fundraiser for the Sylvia Center, drawing in guests and donors from the greater New York City area to enjoy the farm and its bounty while supporting the Sylvia Center’s mission.
Today, the Sylvia Center partners with community-based organizations, schools, and local businesses to deliver nutrition-focused culinary programming in all five boroughs of New York City and Columbia County, New York. From its early roots at Katchkie Farm, the Sylvia Center has served more than 35,000 participants.
