The latest iteration of a nearly 200 year old dairy farm.

Our nursery is located on the site of an old dairy farm that was founded in the early 1800s and owned by the same family for most of its long history. Farming was abandoned and the old buildings were taken over by time, neglect, and some very hungry vines. New owners, Chip and Ali, purchased the property in fall 2018 and have been slowly working to restore it to its former glory. Ali found a passion for plants as she worked to bring the grounds back to life. Discoveries of tiny violets dotting the lawn in early spring  and delicious nuts on old chestnut trees in fall brought joy and provoked curiosity. Curiosity led to research and research led to a passion for plants that became the Old Dairy.

The Old Dairy is our attempt to share our farm and our passion. Our test gardens are open to the public and we welcome visitors to ask questions as they explore the grounds. The farm is a work in progress, but we hope one day that it will provide year-round interest to our human friends and a safe haven to wildlife.

We cultivate plants that are uniquely suited to the Hudson Valley.

Gardening in a cold climate is never easy. Summers are short and winters are long. We focus on growing plants that will extend the season: early sprouting bulbs, fall flowering perennials, and specimen trees and shrubs with fantastic winter color, form, bark, or berries. 

Every plant we grow is selected with love and an eye toward multi-season interest. Selecting plants for year-round interest includes providing food, shelter, and nesting sites for animals, birds, and insects throughout the year.

We are currently growing over 600 varieties of trees, shrubs, and perennials (as well as a large assortment of tender plants & annuals which we do not offer for sale but you can enjoy in our gardens ). Please check back often as our plant list is ever changing.  

All of our plants are grown right here on the farm from seed, cutting, or division. Our plants are fed by the sun, the soil, and the rain just as nature intended. We bring in the highest quality compost-based soil from a (relatively) local source in order to give our plants the best possible start in life. We are peat free and chemical free: no fertilizers, no pesticides, no herbicides. 

We utilize unheated cold frames for seed starting and hoop houses for winter protection. We do not provide supplemental heat or use traditionally heated commercial greenhouses as we do not seek to burn additional fossil fuels or otherwise expand our carbon footprint. 

WHAT TO EXPECT 

We are a working farm, a family home, and a nursery.

Please be aware that this is not your "normal" nursery. The nursery is an extension of our home and our farm. Both are still new to us and both are regularly undergoing restoration. We welcome visitors to peruse the grounds and enjoy, but ask that you do so with both caution and respect.

A few requests before you visit:

• Please do not bring dogs. 

• Please do wear sensible shoes as the grounds are uneven. 

Please visit often as we are constantly rediscovering or reinventing new parts of the property and are excited to share our progress!