Jen and John met at college at U.C. Berkeley, in Urban Gardening class. It was clear from the beginning that agriculture was in our future! We returned to Jen's hometown of Ithaca after college, and we got married and started the farm. Many of our wedding gifts came from the farming supply company where we registered. (Perplexed guests wrote things like, "I hope you like this dirt squincher," on wedding cards...) After a few years of running the farm while managing the produce section at our local cooperative market, John quit the juggling act and began farming full time in 1995. Jen works off the farm full-time but still helps out at market, with the CSA, and the big-picture farm planning.

In December of 1997, Nathaniel was born. He spent his early summers in a backpack while we were hoeing weeds or washing produce, and now helps out a few days a week—especially with harvesting berries, tending his chickens, and working at the market stall.

The farm could not run without the contributions of the people who work here and volunteer on the farm, and we truly appreciate the hundreds of hands who have helped make West Haven Farm a reality.

Todd, the farm manager, has been living in Ithaca since the Fall of 2004 and is entering his fourth season at West Haven Farm. He received a Bachelor's Degree from SUNY Albany in 2001. He was born and raised in New Jersey. Live music, hiking and reading are some of the activities that he gets the most joy out of. He's also the head coach of the Tompkins County Special Olympics swim team.

Jason is another manager at West Haven, though he is stepping back this year to work on raising his most important crop yet—his daughter Ava, who was born in November.

Sabrina, a member of the West Haven management team, has the official title of Farm Office Goddess. She handles not only the business side of things, but also the communications, and if you call or email the farm she's the person you'll be getting in touch with. Sabrina's other life is as a social worker, providing counseling to young adults. She's a keen advocate of sustainable agriculture, and her husband Harold has been a CSA working share since 1993!

Melissa, who is West Haven's Crew Leader, grew up in the middle of the woods by a trout stream in West Virginia. After four years of college and several years of moving around the country, she settled down in Ithaca. Melissa has been working at West Haven Farm since the fall of 2005, and has been interested in agriculture for many years, particularly farming methods that reduce the use of fossil fuels and holistic approaches to problems such as pest control. Melissa lives with a menagerie of animals and her partner, Jason, in Trumansburg.