Stony Creek Farm, Walton, NY

The Farm and Surroundings

Stony Creek Farm is nestled in the northwest corner of the ruggedly beautiful Catskill Mountains, an unspoiled region rich of cascading waterfalls, meandering trout streams, dense forests, sparkling lakes, and lush valleys.

The farm is just 10 minutes from Bear Spring Mountain and 30 minutes from Catskill State Park. Both areas offer miles of hiking trails and lakes for fishing and swimming. Stony Creek Farm is just outside of the sleepy little town of Walton, NY — home of the Delaware County Fair! Nearby attractions include Cooperstown, home to both the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Farmers Museum. A plethora of antique shops and local artisan goods (including hand-crafted pottery and organic maple syrup) provide plenty of inspiration for day trips. Families will find loads of fun right on the rolling hills of Stony Creek Farm, collecting eggs from the free-range chickens, frying up breakfast sausage made from Dan and Kate’s heirloom pigs or frolicking with the sheep and turkeys.

The Farming at Stony Creek

Stony Creek has been a working dairy farm for over 100 years, it has been owned by the Marsiglio family since 1985. In 2005 Kate and Dan returned (from travels abroad and life in the city) to the farm to raise authentic, sustainable food for their family. Little did they know there would be such a demand for their delicious pork and lamb, free-range eggs, and full-flavored organic vegetables. Kate and Dan adhere to rigorous free-range pasturing practices for all of their animals and supplement their grazing diet with local organic grains. All of their crops are raised organically.

This year marks the fifth growing season at Stony Creek. There are countless laying hens, a flock of sheep, a handful of heritage breed Tamworth pigs, as well as assorted turkeys and guinea hens, and a Jersey dairy cow, Sierra. Anakin, a livestock guard dog protects the sheep, and he’s mentored Sasha, the family dog, to be his partner in protecting the animals.

There is also a diverse garden of delicious organic vegetables and fruits, with a focus on storage crops like garlic, potatoes, onions, and carrots. Wait till you taste a fresh cucumber right off the vine!

The first two seasons at Stony Creek were consumed with the construction of Kate and Dan’s eco-friendly, hand-built off-grid house. Now, they have begun to improve the historic three-story barn.

 

The Marsiglio Family

The farming family at Stony Creek is three generations deep. Dan and Kate work with their children, Lucia and Isaac, at their side, and are often blessed with the help of all of their parents, Peter and Karen and Nick and Gail.

 

Location of the Feather Down Tents

The Feather Down tents are located down a gentle hill from the historic red barn (which holds the Farm Store), in a shady green hollow right near the farm’s namesake — a meandering Stony Creek. The hamlet of tents encircle an inviting communal campfire.

Activities:

• Make Your Own Pizza Night
  On Thursday and Saturday evenings we’ll start up our outdoor wood-burning bread oven for make-your-own pizza night. It's a great family event! $15 per person.
• Harvest Mornings
  Join us for an hour in our organic garden while we help you harvest your own vegetables and herbs. Walk among the flowers, brush up against the aromatic herbs, and watch the sun burn away the morning dew as we talk about our growing techniques, seed saving, and the heirloom vegetable varieties in our gardens! Meet us in the parking lot at 9 o’clock on Tuesdays and Saturdays. $35 per person. Price includes a crate of vegetables and herbs.
• Produce Baskets
  After our harvest, we stock our home and the Honesty Shop with baskets of fresh vegetables. Sign up if you would like to have a basket of seasonal veggies and herbs waiting for you in your tent when you arrive. An example basket might include two kinds of herbs, scallions, two bunches of greens, and some of the seasonal vegetables - right now we are harvesting Scarlet Nantes carrots and yellow crookneck squash! $20 for each basket of fresh veggies.
• Wildlife Watching
  A number of mammal, bird, insect, amphibian and reptile species may be seen on our property.
• Bird Watching
  Catch a glimpse of more popular birds in the area: the common loon, the broad-winged hawk, the bald eagle and the great blue heron.
• Paddling
  Ply your canoe or kayak through the larger bodies of water, such as Catskill State Park or explore the various other meandering waterways of our region.
• Fishing
  There are countless waterways of our county to catch your favorite fish, from trout to bass. Fishing gear and licenses are available in local outdoor supply stores.
• Hiking and Mountain Biking
  Hundreds of miles of backcountry trails in the region including our own!

>> Click here to make a reservation at Stony Creek Farm.