Meet the Farmers

Farmers

Chris and Amy moved to Central New York in the winter of 2008 and began plans for their first farming season together.

Amy Brown grew up in Chickasha, Oklahoma and made her way to Amherst, Massachusetts to attend Hampshire College in 2003.  While finishing up school in 2005, she met Chris and got hooked on the idea of starting a farm together.  While searching for farm land and living in Amherst Amy taught whitewater kayaking, scooped ice cream, and worked as a counselor at an after-school program.  In 2008, she learned to farm, run a business, and plan a wedding.  In 2009, she was pregnant with their first child.  Now she works as a teacher's assistant at The House of the Good Shepherd in Utica and loves it!

Chris Babis grew up in Westlake, Ohio and graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Environmental Science.  He made his way out to the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts in 2003 to begin honing his farming skills.  After working on 3 different CSAs in those five years in the Amherst area, Chris and Amy purchased a farm in Madison County and began Common Thread Community Farm in 2008.  No matter what the weather Chris can find a reason to go get a treat, usually coffee and donuts on rainy days and ice cream on hot sunny days. 

Georgette is our first daughter and was born on January 13th 2010 , a great time for farm babies to be born!  As far as we can tell she enjoys her life on the farm, meeting new people, tickling her face with grass, and trying to get anything she can into her mouth.

Ellie & Boone

Ellie was our first dog, she is the sheriff on the farm keeping all of the other critters and farm animals in their place. She is also very sweet and loves kids!

Boone is our newest puppy, he loves Ellie so much and is happy to be her deputy dog taking over all her other previous projects.

Apprentices

Chris Schnitzy Chris on left, Heidi on right

Common Thread Farm Apprentices 2011

Chris Wentz:

Heidi Frankenhauser (Schnitzy):

Heidi is a Midwest Gal with a background in Psychology and a passion for social justice.  She left a job in mental health research with the goal of learning to grow her own food.  Outside of the field, you can find her on her yoga mat, playing in the kitchen, on a walk, writing, or nose-deep in a good read.  Heidi has a firm belief in the interconnectedness of all things.  She is currently assembling an arsenal of tools that she hopes to use to help others to find peace, happiness, and wellness.

This year we were lucky enough to have amazing apprentices that are hard workers, eager to learn, and never turn down a donut.  What else could you ask for?

Assistant Manager

Cody Fearon, Assistant Grower

Cody Fearon is our 2011 assistant manager.  Born in West Virginia, raised in Trumansburg, NY, Cody has spent the past three years working on small family farms.  In the past he has worked as a carpenter, salmon fisherman, and bodysurfer.  Cody has read many books, climbed to many mountaintops, and cooked many tasty dishes.  In the future Cody hopes to own his own farm.  Hopefully there will be a dairy cow.