The Farmers
Christine’s love of the natural world was nurtured by her parents - she was brought up in her Mother’s gardens, Father’s florist shop, and otherwise on the back of a horse. Her interest in food system politics began early - raised in a family whose lives have been dedicated to providing care and service to those living with serious mental illness, she witnessed the disparities that exist for the most vulnerable members of the community to access nutritious food. After college in Central NY, where she studied Equine Business Management and Biology, Christine worked for both small and large animal veterinarians for a few years.
Fabio’s interest in agriculture began in college when he worked at a farm that runs an impressive CSA operation serving many communities and low-income families surrounding the Albany area. Studying Native American History in college provided a new lens by which to view the world; equitable land ownership, the preservation of natural resources, and seed sovereignty. After interning with Paul and Sandy Arnold of Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, NY, Fabio fell in love with year-round production farming.
Hunter is a first-generation farmer who began her farming career in 2017. She fell in love with it after doing some volunteer work on a farm in Westchester while in college in NYC, and post-graduation decided to dive into doing it full-time. After a lot of learning through hands-on experience (having no formal education in agriculture) she eventually started her own farm, Stoneberry Farm, in 2019 with her partner Connor. They specialized in producing organically-grown vegetables, fruits and flowers for sale at farmer’s markets and via wholesale. She loves that farming allows her to work outdoors in connection with nature, and the way that farm work has a tangible outcome that nourishes her community and the environment around her. She also enjoys that it’s an occupation that engages her wholly, with both body and mind being challenged on a daily basis.
Connor is also a first-generation farmer, spent several years working on a farm in his hometown before starting his own farm business with Hunter. He fell in love with farming during his first harvest back in 2014, and the joy harvesting brings him is still one of his favorite parts of farming a decade later. He loves that farming gives him the ability to work alongside others as part of a team working towards the shared goal of growing food for their community. He also enjoys the business side of farming, and the way it allows him to apply his statistical skills while also doing physical labor, outside the confines of an office.
