John & I met in August 2018, while showing cattle at the Schoharie Sunshine Fair. From the start, our love for agriculture has brought us together.
My parents were first generation farmers who taught me the value of hard work, determination, and the importance of following your dreams. From a young age I aspired to be a cattle rancher. I fell in love with the Black Angus breed and my father bought a small herd. My passion for agriculture was nurtured while I cared for the cattle and various other livestock on my parent’s farm.
John grew up a fourth generation cattle farmer, a role which quickly required sacrifice. During John’s childhood Central Bridge Farms functioned as a cow-calf operation, raising over 200 Black Angus cattle. However in 2012, John’s father & older brother were deployed to Afghanistan; forcing the farm to significantly decrease its herd. While only in high school, John began managing the farm alongside his grandfather.
When John & I met we were both fresh out of college. He had his bachelor’s in ag business and I had mine in animal science. We branched out into the world of agriculture, anxious to expand our knowledge. John began working for the local Soil & Water Conservation District, while I spent a summer working at Trowbridge Farms. I focused on beef genetics and began working as an artificial inseminator for Select Sires.
During this time Central Bridge Farms had fallen into financial turmoil. The farm was still functioning on the same business model as it had 40 years prior. One feeder calf sale a year meant only one paycheck a year, and with costs rising & beef prices remaining the same, the difference was taking a toll.
John began marketing beef directly to consumers in 2018 and the results were drastic. In 2019, John rebuilt the business model of Central Bridge Farms to centralize around direct marketing & diversification.
John & I were married in September 2020. We invested everything we had into rebuilding the farm. We started by renovating an old egg-wash building into a farm store. John began implementing new conservation practices around the farm, including pasture rotation. We invested in a high quality bull & began inseminating the higher performing cows. We also split our calving season into spring & fall groups so as to supply beef year-round. Lastly, we increased our diversity with the addition of pigs, chickens, and a garden.
In May 2022, John & I became the official owners of Central Bridge Farms. The past few years have been of incredible growth. Our natural form of genetic selection has increased our average wean weight by 200 pounds per calf. The pasture rotation has improved the yields from our fields and provided our cattle with more to eat while eliminating weeds without the use of chemicals. We’ve added a high tunnel to our garden & expanded our farm store.
This past year I was able to leave my day job and work full-time on the farm, while raising our son & fifth generation farmer, John Robert (J.R.).
John & I are especially grateful to God for his many blessings and the family & friends he’s placed in our lives to help us on our journey. Our story is far from over, so we welcome you to tag along for the ride!