KINGSTON

ALBANY

FARM HUB

MASSACHUSETTS

NE

W Y

OR

K

CONNECTICUT

NEW JERSEYNYC

Farm Hub Facility

Esopus Creek

HURLEY

Hurle

y M

ount

ain

Road

209

KINGSTON

28

The Hudson Valley Farm Hub

2,000 ft

N

S

W E

FIELD CROPSTo help farmers respond to the emerging market demand for local grains in the food and beverage industries, the Farm Hub is hosting research and commercial-scale testing of promising varieties of barley, rye, oats, and wheat. Some small grains grown at a larger scale on the farm act as cover crops before they are harvested. The Farm Hub is also growing grain corn and soybeans to demonstrate no-till and organic production methods.

COVER CROPS Cover crops are grown for the purpose of protecting or improving the soil. Some cover crops replenish the nutrients used by other crops in a rotation, reducing the need for fertilizer. Others can decrease weeds, insects, and diseases, lessening the need for chemical inputs. They also protect soil from wind erosion and flooding. The Farm Hub is experimenting with different cover crop mixes with the goal of supporting soil health for Hudson Valley farms.

VEGETABLESOur vegetable production includes identifying varieties that grow well in the Hudson Valley climate, show resistance to disease and insect pressure, and possess traits sought by area chefs and processors. Farm Hub vegetables are grown using organic methods. Large growouts provide a wholesale training platform for the ProFarmer program.

ECOLOGICAL STEWARDSHIPThe Farm Hub’s rich soil is partially due to periodic flooding of the Esopus Creek, which runs through the farm. While flooding can leave behind mineral-rich silt deposits, it can also wash away topsoil and destroy crops. The Farm Hub is exploring farming’s relationship to nature through identifying ecological synergies and managing floodwaters with cover crops and plantings along the creek.

Field crops

Cover crops

Vegetables

Small Grains Trial

Native American Seed Santuary

Wynkoop Road

2017