Aug 28, 2024
Keeping a legacy going
At Abode Farm in New Lebanon, Sarah Steadman is maintaining the historic tradition of agriculture, on land that was the Mount Lebanon Shaker Village turned Abode of the Message community, where she grew up. Now that the site also houses a retreat center, the importance of preserving the land’s agricultural history with environmentally sustainable practices has become extremely meaningful to Steadman, as she navigates her small business journey.
“It was very important to me to keep the legacy going,” Said Steadman. She grew up with the Abode farm in her life, learning and being inspired by farmer Sarah Westwind who managed the farm for many years before Steadman. While studying ethnography at Hampshire College she learned the farm was being slated to close. At 19 she committed to running the farm, while simultaneously finishing her degree.
These days, unfortunately, noble vision and hard work aren’t the only thing you need to run a successful farm - sometimes you need lawyers too. When Steadman needed to separate the Abode Farm property from a business partnership with a farm at another location, the logistics were daunting and she was tied up in red tape for years.
Steadman turned to Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation (HVADC), and through the Incubator Without Walls program (IWW) HVADC provided Abode with the Business Technical Assistance (BTA) it needed to succeed. Steadman worked with experienced HVADC collaborator, the Harris-Pero Law Firm.
“I am amazed this resource exists.” Steadman said. “Sometimes it can feel like there's so little help out there. To get a helping hand is amazing and I am truly grateful.”
In this instance, Steadman worked with the law firm’s attorneys Megan Harris-Pero and Emily O’Halloran to navigate the legalese of her situation so she could get back to what she loves - farming and feeding her community.
“Megan and I really enjoyed working with Sarah and being able to help a young woman restructure her business,” said O’Halloran. “(legal situations) can be more overwhelming than a farmer first realizes. She was always saying how busy she is. We are glad that now that all of the documents are in place, she won’t have to worry.”
Abode Farm offers a robust CSA Program which features Abode produce as well as some from other collaborating farms, including New Leaf and Gentle Time.
“It’s helpful for farms to band together,” Steadman said. “Each farm can specialize in what they do best and bring a really robust CSA to our community. Abode has historically farmed a wide array of produce, but with the new collaborations, it’s shifting some of its focus to producing more herbs and flowers.”
Now, with less paperwork to worry about, Steadman is also hosting educational events and dinner parties at the farm. They recently hosted a popup dinner at the farm with Sarita & Ray, During which chefs Raymond Stalker and Sarita Orobio-Wolff used Abode produce to create a dinner for friends and guests served on the farm. Abode also gives kids from nearby organizations, like the Darrow School, hands-on farming experiences.
The farm also provides food to the Abode retreat center - a unique wellness-based facility with a long and storied history. Built by the Shakers starting in 1785, the site was originally called South Family. It was a community, a chair factory and a working farm. From 1947-1973 this property became the home of a teen summer camp. Almost 200 years from the time the Shakers first built South Family, the property was purchased by a group of spiritual devotees who came together to establish a new community here, called The Abode of The Message. They restored the old shaker buildings and created a haven for “esoteric study” based on the allegedly prophetic teachings of Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan and his grandfather Hazrat Inayat Khan.
To learn more about the BTA available through HVADC’s Incubator Without Walls program, visit https://www.hvadc.org/incubator-without-walls.