As part of our new “Meet Your Farmers & Makers” series, here is a Q & A with Reeves Cochran (RC) and Skyler Liebig (SL), owners of Fresh Take Farm in Granville, NY (and the youngest farmers at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market!). Keep reading to learn more about their Certified Naturally Grown farm and produce offerings.
(SFM) Where were you born?
(RC) “I was born in Manhattan. Then my parents moved to Providence, RI for a few months before we settled in Wellesley, MA, where I lived for the next 18 years.”
(SL) “I was born in Glens Falls, but I’ve lived in Granville my whole life.”
(SFM) What was the first album you bought?
(RC) “That’s a good question. I think it was Yessongs–re-mastered old hits from the band Yes. ”
(SL) “Oh geeze, that was a while ago. I’m pretty sure it was the album Country Grammar, by Nelly.”
(SFM) If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life what would it be?
(RC) “Boy! This is a tough one! I’ll have to say, Veal and Bratwurst Stew… It’s that time of year.”
(SL) “One meal for the rest of my life? It would have to be Shrimp Scampi.”
(SFM) What is your guilty pleasure (travel, food, recreation, etc.)?
(RC) “Ice cream.”
(SL) “I’d have to say, an iced cold beer.”
(SFM) What is your favorite book?
(RC) “Does a newspaper count?”
(SL) “The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.”
(SFM) If you could go back in time what year would you travel to, and why?
(RC) “1720-1730—Before electricity, but technology had still come a long way. I just think it would be a great time period to visit. The world was still open for exploring but a lot of the foundations that we use to this day were being put in place.”
(SL) “That’s a good one. I’d like to go back to the Roaring Twenties… It would be one heck of a time.”
(SFM) What does your perfect day look like?
(RC) “It depends on the time of year. In the summertime, it would be arriving at the beach early in the morning and enjoying fresh seafood for dinner. In the winter, it would be heading to the mountains and skiing all day.”
(SL) “It would be 75 degrees, sunny and hot, but not too breezy. I’d be out on a beach somewhere.”
(SFM) If you could have dinner with anyone (past or present), who would it be?
(RC) “I don’t want to embarrass Skyler, but I’d have to say my girlfriend.”
(SL) “Johnny Cash.”
(SFM) How do you recharge?
(RC) “A little bit of sleep, eat some food, and take a breather to reset.”
(SL) “A quick nap.”
(SFM) If you could have a super power what would it be?
(RC) “The power to fly, but if that’s not available, I’d want to be able to stop and manipulate time. You know, slow it down or play it at half speed.”
(SL) “To be able to fly.”
More on Fresh Take Farm:
Based in Washington County, NY, Fresh Take Farm is a homegrown operation located on a beautiful 14-acre plot along the Mettowee River in Granville, NY. Established in early 2015, Fresh Take Farm uses a wide variety of preparation, planting, and cultivation techniques to build up soil fertility, ensure plant health, and control weed pressure for better crops.
Fresh Take Farm uses 100% natural methods and recently achieved their Certified Naturally Grown certification. All of the materials they use in production are in accordance with USDA Organic standards. They only use all organic seeds, do not use chemical fertilizers or synthetic chemicals of any kind and their farming methods are focused on improving and maintaining soil health.
Reeves Cochran, (22) grew up in Wellesley, MA, just outside of Boston. He began farming in 2011 at Volante Farms in Needham, MA, where he studied food production and the importance of the local food movement. In 2013 he completed a 3-month internship in organic agriculture at EARTH University in Costa Rica.
In the summer of 2013 he started working for Kilpatrick Family Farm, which is where he met Skyler. His time at KFF helped to instill the confidence that good farmers can restore balance to our food systems. Reeves is very committed to breaking the current food supply chain that is harming our planet, and replacing it with sustainable, responsible methods that will help to change the way we eat and set an example for future farmers.
Skyler Liebig, (23) is a fourth generation farmer, born and raised in Granville, NY who has had a deep connection to farming for as long as he can remember. Growing up on his family’s certified organic dairy farm, he learned invaluable farming skills from his father and grandfather over the years. Those experiences instilled in him the value of hard work and the love for the land. Connecting with like-minded people who are passionate about how their food is sourced and supporting the local community is one of the biggest reasons Skyler decided to become a farmer.
Shortly after college, Skyler started working at Kilpatrick Family Farm, where he met Reeves. Both men were mentored by owner Michael Kilpatrick, who helped them to refine their farming abilities, and change the way they thought about food and its relationship to the environment.
This is Fresh Take Farm’s first season at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market and we are thrilled to have them! You can find them every Wednesday next to the middle and north pavilions. They’re currently growing over 40 different crops, with a total of 70 different seed varieties. Shares of their 8-Week Fall/Winter CSA, which will run from November through December, are now available. For more information or to sign up, visit: www.freshtakefarm.com.
