11/25/2025
My father moved to Mount Bethel and founded our farm, Old Stonehouse Farm, in 1963. He grew crops and raised beef and pork, which he sold on the hoof and out of the freezer. The crops of hay, corn, grains and more, fed our animals and we’re sold to the public. His father, my grandfather, loved to garden, and when he retired from his general store in Fairfield, New Jersey, he spent more time gardening and growing vegetables and fruits. The garden bounty went to feed the family and also was sold to the community at the farm.
My mother came to the farm in the 1970s. She quickly became known as the local Egg lady. We always had chickens, both for eggs and for meat. There were always eggs on the counter, washed and drying, waiting to get weighed and boxed. People are always coming to the farm for eggs. My mother was also always known for her chocolate chip cookies, brownies, apple pie and other delectable baked goods. The kitchen always smelled of something sweet cooking. The food we grew and the food we made, fed our family and the community. That is what farms do. They grow food, they make food, and they sell it to the community. These are the practices that make a farm sustainable.
