The main house at Longfield Farm
Longfield is located in the Town of Knox, New York (pop. 2600), about 15 miles west of Albany. We are small, diversified and family-owned, producing grass-fed lamb, fine woolens and fiber crafts, free-range chicken, pasture-raised eggs and artisan breads. We are committed to regenerative pasture management, humane animal husbandry and ethical behavior both on the farm and in the market.
The name Longfield was given to the farm by David and Mary Spencer, who established their homestead here in 1842. Apparently, the Spencers raised chickens, had a garden and a small apple orchard. The farm remained with the Spencers and their heirs for many years. Pam and Gary Kleppel bought Longfield in 2000 and began farming in 2004.
From the beginning, our goal has been to create a place that is healthy from the soil up. To accomplish that goal, we have sought to make the farm a productive and functional agricultural ecosystem that is home, not only to the plants and animals we raise, but to the wildlife that share our land with us. Our economic model is based on the principle that farmers have the right to make a decent living and that the farm needs to be profitable if it is to be sustainable. Above all, we believe that we must behave ethically, treating all of the creatures in our care with respect, and extending that concern for ethical behavior to our customers.
We believe that a farm is a place for learning – about life, good food, the fiber arts, and health. We continue to learn as we farm, and we extend our interest in education to the many visitors who come to Longfield Farm every year to study, to learn and to enjoy the special feeling people get when they visit a farm. We lead tours for students, families and numerous groups.
Most of all, we believe that farming is a conversation with Nature. By following the principles that govern all natural systems, farmers can restore the soil and sustain the land, and produce great food. It’s an art – “the art of farming, in sync with Nature”!
(left) The circa 1900 barn and (right) the new post-and-beam barn
The principal barn at Longfield Farm was constructed circa 1900. We added an overhang, called the Shed, to the east side in 2002. Our sheep spend winters in the barn and shed areas, the latter being used for lambing in the spring. They always have access to the outdoors, but can get out of the weather when necessary. When we came to Longfield, the barn had been turned into a carport. The barn doors had been replaced with an overhead garage door, complete with automatic garage-door opener. A white 1957 Mercedes roadster with red leather upholstery sat on the concrete pad. The walls had been covered in sheet rock and the ceiling was covered with acoustic tile. The beautiful wood siding was covered over with vinyl siding. We have slowly but surely been turning the barn back into a barn. Much of the vinyl siding is gone and the overhead garage door has been replaced by a pair of beautiful swinging doors, built by master woodworker Charles Donnelly.
Our newest barn was constructed in the traditional post-and-beam style by local craftsmen, Brett Pulliam and Nathan Giordano. It is a saltbox design, with the front section used for equipment and hay storage and the rear used to house our adult rams and ram lambs (at different times).
