Since 1799, The Beardslee Homestead has been a cherished family legacy, passed down from generation to generation until the year 2020. Looking to escape the lockdowns in Westchester County and yearning to spend time in the quiet and calm of the outdoors, my family began taking trips to property we owned in Upstate New York. During one of these trips, my family came across a “for sale” sign at The Beardslee Homestead, and within a month, the farm became an inseparable part of our lives. 

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The Beardslee family had been looking to sell the farm for quite some time, but could not find a buyer dedicated to sustaining the history and agricultural essence of the farm. Grounded in our deep conservative values, my family—The Greco family— felt a profound responsibility to uphold the farm’s tradition and continue the Beardslee legacy. Owning the property and transforming The Beardslee Homestead into our family business added an extra layer of excitement as we embarked on the journey of regenerating the land. Our family knew that by restoring the historic hop house and renewing the agricultural production of the farm, we could build a prosperous family business rooted in being good stewards of the land as God calls us to be. 

Although owned by the Beardslee family beginning in 1799, the farm dates back to 1785 when a man named Matthew Bennet operated a tavern on the Unadilla River. Cornell University conducted a study of the trees used in the construction of the tavern and dated them back to the 1620s and 1640s. Matthew Bennet sold the tavern to a man named Jabez Beardslee, great great great grandson of William Beardsley (note the spelling change) who emigrated from Derbyshire, England in the Puritan migration of the early 1600s. In 1816, dubbed the year without a summer, the agricultural community of New York took devastating losses. The Beardslees, prudent farmers and conservationists, sold their stockpiled grain from the previous season at cost to aid suffering farmers and families. From this point on, the Beardslee family became known for their generosity and stewardship of both people and the land. 

Since acquiring the farm in 2020, my family has been fascinated by the history of the Beardslee Homestead and its family. We have read old journals, newspapers, and historical documents. The American spirit of perseverance rooted in faith was very prevalent in the Beardslee family and now in the Greco family as we regenerate the farm into an Eco-AgriResort. We aim to maintain this legacy of conservation, sustainability, prudence, and generosity. 

Regenerating the Beardslee Homestead means producing our agricultural commodities sustainably, powering our farm store and future weddings and events venue with renewable energy, and reclaiming undesirable agricultural land in Unadilla River flood plains. As the Beardslee family once harnessed the Unadilla River’s renewable hydropower for their grist and saw mills, the Greco family aims to harness the sun’s renewable power for future events. We currently power our farm store with solar and are actively working with solar developers to build new projects on undesirable land on both sides of the River, in Chenango and Otsego Counties. 

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The Beardslee Homestead agricultural production is currently focused on grapes, herbs, honey, apples, hops, and eggs. Our chickens, ducks, and turkeys roam freely across the property, playing a vital role in controlling invasive pests like Japanese Beetles and various fungi, and in regenerating our soil with essential nutrients. Our honeybees are essential in pollinating our apple trees and in providing us with delicious raw honey! 

This year, the vineyard switched to organic methods of pest control and unfortunately felt the devastating reality that sustainable production can sometimes entail. Despite our success in employing regenerative, organic methods like kaolin clay spray and grazing birds for pest management, we still face challenges in overcoming fungal diseases that plague vineyards after rainy springtimes. However, our apple orchard appears to be thriving after switching to sustainable practices! Despite the hardships we face, our commitment remains steadfast: to work with nature rather than against it as we cultivate the land and navigate challenges along the way. 

With my oldest sister and brother-in-law recently welcoming their first baby, the third generation of Greco’s to enjoy the Homestead, the importance of persevering and responsibly stewarding the Beardslee Homestead for future generations has never been clearer. Pride in our family, our country, and in God’s beautiful creation inspires us to persevere in our commitment, despite the challenges. 

Cecilia Greco is the Director of Sustainability at The Beardslee Homestead in New Berlin, New York. She recently graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Environmental Sustainability.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.