The Evolution of Red Wagon Farm
The Humble Beginnings
Our farm story begins in 1922, when my great‑grandfather left everything he knew behind and immigrated to America in search of a new life. After a short, whirlwind chapter in the Bronx, he followed his heart west to Wisconsin, where he started a small dairy farm and began carving out a future from the soil.
In 1927, he made a bold move that still echoes through our family history: he loaded his cows onto a railcar, climbed in with them, and rode the train all the way to the land we now call home. Here, he tended a modest herd of dairy cows, building the first roots of what would become Red Wagon Farm.
Then, in 1961, my grandfather officially gave the farm its name and spirit. Red Wagon Farm was born right here in Owego with the simplest of setups—a few fresh vegetables laid out on a board stretched across two chairs by the side of the road. Season by season, he and my grandmother expanded that humble stand into a thriving 40‑acre vegetable farm, selling their harvests right from the very place where our story is still unfolding today.
Discovering our Family Legacy
After a brief, all‑expenses‑paid tour of several third‑world countries courtesy of the U.S. Army, life had a different kind of urgency and clarity. Not long after, our family left Broome County for Tioga County, and in 2009 this farm quite literally found us. We bought the land and I slowly began bringing the old farmstand back to life, board by board and season by season.
What started as a simple desire for our own fresh eggs quickly turned into something bigger. Our little backyard flock grew, the “extra dozen or two” turned into an overflowing spare fridge, and before long we were sharing those same rich, nutritious eggs with friends and neighbors who kept coming back for more.
From there, the fields began to change. We started planting pumpkins and winter squash just for fun, but the hobby didn’t stay small for long—it became a full‑blown, hobby‑gone‑too‑far in the very best way. Each row we planted pulled us deeper into this place and its history.
And that’s where the story tips forward into the future, with the land—and our path—still unfolding in front of us.
Regenerative Future
As we dug deeper into nutrient density and truly healthy food, our little farm began to burst with new life. By 2025, we’d planted over 240 thriving blueberry bushes. That momentum sparked our next big leap: expanding into roughly 600 raspberry bushes and 300 blackberry bushes, turning our hillsides into a sea of berries.
Each year, we also plant thousands of garlic heads, and in 2026 we proudly grew four distinct varieties, each with its own bold flavor and character. Today, we’re the fourth generation to walk these paths, honor this land, and carry our family’s legacy forward.
By embracing regenerative agriculture, we’re rebuilding the soil, inviting back the life beneath our feet, and protecting this farm for the next four generations and beyond. Where the future leads is wide open—but we’re already dreaming about new crops like gooseberries and table grapes as we keep exploring what this land can do.