About the 2011 CSA Conference Farmer Panelists:

Jody Bolluyt joined Roxbury Farm in 2000. She studied biology and botany and the University of Iowa before returning to her agricultural roots. She follows in the foot steps of her farming grandparents and uncles along with her sister, Keri, who farms in Vermont. Together Jean-Paul and Jody are committed to furthering the practices of sustainable agriculture by educating customers and future farmers. They also work closely with many other organizations such as Northeast Organic Farming and Gardening Association, the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Assocation, Columbia Land Conservancy, Cornell University, Just Food, Cornell Coopertive Extension, Equity Trust, the Open Space Institute, and the National Park Service at the Martin Van Buren National Historic site to expand the circle of organizations promoting and supporting sustainable agriculture.
 

Chris Cashen, along with his wife Katie Smith, owns and operates the Farm at Miller's Crossing, a 200 acre farm in Claverack NY. Entering their 16th season of growing certified organic vegetables, bedding plants, and grassfed beef, the farm serves over 800 families through the CSA model in Columbia County, Long Island City, and Brooklyn with vegetables and beef. The farm also attends the Hudson Farmer's Market in Hudson NY, and wholesales vegetables and plants to Honest Weight, Food Coop in Albany, NY, and Hawthorne Valley Farm Store in Harlemville, NY, as well as other regional stores and farmstands.

In 2010 the farm began a frozen beef CSA meat share, and also offered a winter share, which offered frozen vegetables from the farm, processed by Hudson Valley Co-packers in Kingston, NY, as well as roots, squash, and some greens.
 

Jean-Paul Courtens started Roxbury Farm in 1990 in Claverack after starting the vegetable garden at Hawthorne Valley Farm. Jean-Paul attended a 4-year training school for Biodynamic Agriculture in the Netherlands before he emigrated to the United States. In 2000, Roxbury Farm moved to new land in Kinderhook, gaining secure land tenure in perpetuity. Jean-Paul works constantly to maintain and build soil fertlity on the farm. He hopes to change our outlook on soil by calling it "earth" instead of soil or dirt as this implies something unpleasant (you soil your clothes or you get your hands dirty).
 

Zaid Kurdieh and his wife Haifa have owned and operated Norwich Meadows Farm, a diversified small-scale, certified organic farm located in Norwich, NY, since 1998. In 2000, Zaid and Haifa expanded beyond their upstate market into New York City. Today, Norwich Meadows’ produce and eco-halal meat are available through 7 Just Food CSAs, as well as the Union Square and East Village Greenmarkets. The farm also supplies acclaimed local restaurants, including Blue Hill at Stone Barns and the Union Square Restaurant Group, and in fall 2010, became a local produce supplier for Dean & Deluca.