Hawthorne Valley is a biodynamic community – farmland, farm store and school
CrushBrew Editorial · Food · 6 min read
Key Takeaways
Biodynamic since 1972 — Hawthorne Valley Farm is a biodynamic farm community in Ghent, New York, founded in 1972.
Many enterprises — It runs a dairy and creamery, an organic bakery, a sauerkraut cellar, a farm store, a CSA, and a Waldorf school.
Cows kept with care — Its herd of about sixty cows, mostly Brown Swiss, keeps its horns and raises its own calves as a closed herd.
Fermenting since 1999 — The Sauerkraut Cellar has lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger carrots, and beet kvass since 1999.
Organic pioneer — One of the first US dairies to be certified organic, Hawthorne Valley uses only its own cows’ milk and grows or makes much of what its farm store sells.
In This Article
What is Hawthorne Valley Farm?
Hawthorne Valley Farm sits in Harlemville, a hamlet inside the town of Ghent, in New York’s Hudson Valley. It has been farming and teaching since 1972, and it is more than a farm. Under one community you will find a biodynamic dairy and vegetable operation, a creamery, an organic bakery, a sauerkraut cellar, a farm store, a CSA, and a K-12 Waldorf school.
Much of what the farm store sells is grown on the land and made on site. The whole place is run on biodynamic principles and carries organic, Biodynamic, and Animal Welfare Approved certification.
Biodynamic Farming
A holistic, organic approach to agriculture that treats the whole farm as a single living system, with attention to soil, plants, and animals together. At Hawthorne Valley, biodynamic practice shapes everything from how the cows are kept to how the vegetables and grains are grown, and the farm is certified both organic and Biodynamic.
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What makes Hawthorne Valley’s dairy herd special?
The dairy herd is the heart of the farm, and it is run with unusual care. Around sixty cows make up the herd, mostly Brown Swiss with a little Jersey and a remnant of Holstein, bred over the years into something close to a farm-specific type. Brown Swiss cows are sturdy enough to walk to the far pastures, calm in temperament, and comfortable in both heat and cold, which matters on a farm that hosts as many visitors and students as this one.
The cows graze Hawthorne Valley’s pastures through spring, summer, and fall, and move to biodynamic hay and baleage in the colder months, with a small amount of organic grain to hold their condition through winter. They get no hormones or antibiotics, and they keep their horns, which biodynamic farmers believe aids digestion and enriches the milk. Calves stay with their mothers for at least three weeks, longer than commercial dairies allow.
Every cow and bull has a name, and the farmers know each animal’s personality. Calves are named to share their mother’s first initial, so Hyacinth’s calves might be Heather, Hippo, and Hector, a small system that helps the farmers track family lines through the herd.
Closed Herd
A dairy herd that raises its own replacement animals rather than buying in cattle from outside. Hawthorne Valley keeps a closed herd, raising its own calves for the future herd, which lets the farmers track family lineage and breed cows suited to the land and its many visitors.
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What does the farm make and sell?
Hawthorne Valley was one of the first dairies in the United States to be certified organic, and it uses only milk from its own cows. The higher fat and protein in the Brown Swiss and Jersey milk give it a generous cream line and make it well suited to the creamery’s work. The creamery turns out yogurt, hard cheeses like Cheddar and Alpine, softer cheeses, and bottled milk.
Down in the Sauerkraut Cellar, the farm has been lacto-fermenting vegetables since 1999, when it started with a crock, a bumper crop of cabbage, and a little salt. Production peaks in the cold months after the September cabbage harvest, and the cellar turns out sauerkrauts, kimchi, ginger carrots, and beet kvass.
Lacto-Fermentation
A preservation method in which beneficial bacteria convert the sugars in vegetables into lactic acid, a natural preservative that keeps harmful bacteria from growing. Hawthorne Valley has lacto-fermented vegetables since 1999, making sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger carrots, and beet kvass that ferment for three to six months.
The certified-organic bakery, in the farm store building, mills its wheat daily and bakes sourdough and yeasted breads, rolls, granola, scones, and cookies from biodynamic and organic ingredients. Even the sourdough starter has a name, Henry, which tells you something about how personally this farm treats its work.
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Can you visit Hawthorne Valley Farm?
Yes, and the farm wants you to. The farm store is open seven days a week as a full natural-foods store, and visitors can take a guided tour or wander a self-guided route with a map from the store. Hawthorne Valley also runs educational programs for children and adults, sells through its CSA, and brings its products to greenmarkets in New York City.
For anyone exploring the Hudson Valley, it is an easy place to spend a morning, meet the cows by name, and taste why a farm run this deliberately makes the food it does.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hawthorne Valley Farm
🌾 Hawthorne Valley Farm at a Glance
A quick reference to the farm, its enterprises, and what it makes.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Harlemville, Ghent, New York (Hudson Valley) |
| Established | 1972 |
| Type | Biodynamic farm community; certified organic, Demeter Biodynamic, Animal Welfare Approved |
| Dairy herd | About 60 cows, mostly Brown Swiss; grass-fed, horns kept, closed herd |
| Creamery | Yogurt, hard and soft cheeses, and milk from the farm’s own cows |
| Sauerkraut Cellar | Lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger carrots, beet kvass (since 1999) |
| Bakery | Organic sourdough and yeasted breads, daily-milled wheat, baked goods |
| Also here | CSA, Farm Store (open 7 days), K-12 Waldorf school, NYC greenmarkets |
| Visiting | Guided and self-guided farm tours; educational programs |
