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Category: <span>Sustainable Farming</span>

Maxine Simone Williams

Maxine: Storyteller, Urban Farmer & Community Builder

November 24, 2025 Jennifer Ross

In today’s evolving food landscape, a new generation of young farmers is redefining how we connect with land, culture, and…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming, Urban Farmer Filed under: agriculture, community gardens, composting, cotton, farm, farm educator, farming, nyc, NYC Grows, sustainable farming, urban farm, urban farmer
companion planting

Companion Planting: Which Plants Get Along?

April 27, 2020 Jennifer Ross

Did you ever meet someone and immediately feel strange energy? The energy feels ‘off ‘and you just cannot connect with…

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Posted in: Gardening, Sustainable Farming, Uncategorized Filed under: companion hers, companion planting, companion planting strategies, companion plants, companion vegetables, competing plants, planting rules, planting strategy, plants that get along
grow vegetables

Ready, Set, Grow Vegetables

April 7, 2020 Jennifer Ross

We started preparing the garden the week of March 23rd. Although it’s small compared to a large farm, it still…

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Posted in: Farm Education, Gardening, Seeds, Soil, Sustainable Farming Filed under: organic farming, organic garden, organic garden beds, preparing garden beds, preparing soil, sustainable farming, sustainable gardening
The new HeartBeet Farms Garden

New HeartBeet Farms Garden

March 23, 2020 Jennifer Ross

“A garden returns 50 times the investment you put into it.  Not just food, but joy, peace, and a real…

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Posted in: Farm Education, Gardening, Sustainable Farming Filed under: education garden, gardening, grow a garden, new garden, organic garden, smithtown garden, sustainable garden
Celebrate Earth DAy

A Farm Movie with a Big Impact

October 21, 2019 Jennifer Ross

One of our Stony Brook Village Farm stand customers was excited to tell us about a farm movie she saw…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming Filed under: farm movie, farming, farming and nature, sustainable farming, the biggest little farm
Victory Farm Poster

We Honor A Patriotic Farm Family

February 4, 2019 Jennifer Ross

For Black History Month, we are honoring the farm family who owned the property that HeartBeet Farms currently resides on.…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming Filed under: Alfred Hobbs, Hobbs Farm, james henry hobbs, patriotic farmer, Sustainable Farm, victory farm
Seed Storage Unit

Seed Storage Innovation for Farms

January 28, 2019 Jennifer Ross

As we farm, we continue to build up a diverse seed inventory. We source our seeds from several reputable companies…

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Posted in: Seeds, Sustainable Farming Filed under: farm seeds, organic seeds, seed cabinets, seeds, sustainable farming

Using Drone Technology at Local Farms

January 15, 2019 Jennifer Ross

People often ask us what type of nutrition we use on our plants. It’s a very simple answer – our…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming Filed under: drone technology, drones, drones for agriculture, drones for farms, drones for spraying, farm technology, sustainable farming

Is a Plant-Based Diet Always Nutritious?

April 9, 2018 Jennifer Ross

You decided to explore a plant-based diet, go vegan, or simply incorporate more healthy vegetables into your meals.  This is…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming Filed under: healthy vegetables, nutrients from vegetables, organic farming, organic vegetables, plant based, plant based diets, plant based meals, plant based nutrition, vegan, vegetarian

Heating Innovation in the Hoop House

March 20, 2018 Jennifer Ross

Last winter, Ann and I researched and contemplated many different heating options for the hoop house.  We almost purchased a…

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Posted in: Sustainable Farming Filed under: greenhouse, heat for seedlings, heating for hoop houses, heating greenhouse, heating mats, heating plants, heating seeds, hoop house, seed germination

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Recent Posts

  • In a Sea of Blacktop, They Chose Purple: The Lavender Pivot That Saved Hoshyla Farms
  • How One Community Garden Continues to Transform Food Access and Public Health
  • Food as a Bridge Between Farm and Community @ Assunta’s
  • From Farm Experience to Food System Change: The Power of Regenerative Agritourism
  • How Veteran Farmers Are Strengthening America’s Food System
  • Volunteer Travel: Turning Vacations Into Meaningful Global Impact
  • Everyday Plant Wisdom: Herbs, Food, and Home Remedies

heartbeetfarms

The Agri-Tourist Podcast, my journey back to agriculture! Join me to learn from agritourism farmers & entrepreneurs & help me build my farm strategy!

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggie Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉
When I think about my conversation with Susan and When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.

What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.

This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole! 

#lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm
This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear o This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear or cactus pear! Tastes so good!!!💗
a sneak peek at my return to Sicily…. a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….
Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment rescue and rehab plants that would have been thrown out in the garbage by various grocery stores.  They nurture these plants back to great health and then offer them to their visitors in return for a donation to their non profit.  I absolutely love this program...this is reusing and recycling at its very best!  Think about what you can rescue, rehab and reuse in your own home....

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode!
When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Dire When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, in Episode 43, we talked about faith, food security, and the early days of building a community garden rooted in purpose. In this catch-up conversation, I found something different — not just survival, but momentum. He joined me from his greenhouse on a cold morning, surrounded by vibrant greens and reblooming orchids rescued from grocery store discard piles. That image felt symbolic. What he’s building is about second chances — for land, for food, for families.

Since we last spoke, his organization raised $96,000 at a farm-to-table fundraiser and paid off a $350,000 mortgage in one year. But what struck me most wasn’t the financial milestone — it was his clarity. “My goal is not to end up selling from the garden,” he told me. “My hope is to keep feeding the one that need it the most.” They’re serving nearly 200 families every two weeks, expanding school gardens, and now dreaming about a community hub with a teaching kitchen and space for nonprofits to gather.

There’s one line that stayed with me: “The kids will show up no matter what.” That’s leadership. That’s responsibility. This isn’t just a garden anymore — it’s infrastructure for community health. And as you listen to this episode, I hope you hear not just a story of growth, but a blueprint for what’s possible when agriculture is rooted in mission, dignity, and long-term vision.

Click the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode 87 with Giany! You can also visit our website to watch the video! 

#foodaccess #foodsecurity #communitygarden #foodinsecurity #farmtotable
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HeartBeet Farms

2 days ago

HeartBeet Farms
Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉 ... See MoreSee Less

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HeartBeet Farms

3 days ago

HeartBeet Farms
When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole! #lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm ... See MoreSee Less

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HeartBeet Farms

(516)343-6247
heartbeetfarms@gmail.com

Recent Posts

  • In a Sea of Blacktop, They Chose Purple: The Lavender Pivot That Saved Hoshyla Farms
  • How One Community Garden Continues to Transform Food Access and Public Health
  • Food as a Bridge Between Farm and Community @ Assunta’s
  • From Farm Experience to Food System Change: The Power of Regenerative Agritourism
  • How Veteran Farmers Are Strengthening America’s Food System
  • Volunteer Travel: Turning Vacations Into Meaningful Global Impact
  • Everyday Plant Wisdom: Herbs, Food, and Home Remedies

heartbeetfarms

The Agri-Tourist Podcast, my journey back to agriculture! Join me to learn from agritourism farmers & entrepreneurs & help me build my farm strategy!

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggie Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉
When I think about my conversation with Susan and When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.

What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.

This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole! 

#lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm
This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear o This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear or cactus pear! Tastes so good!!!💗
a sneak peek at my return to Sicily…. a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….
Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment rescue and rehab plants that would have been thrown out in the garbage by various grocery stores.  They nurture these plants back to great health and then offer them to their visitors in return for a donation to their non profit.  I absolutely love this program...this is reusing and recycling at its very best!  Think about what you can rescue, rehab and reuse in your own home....

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode!
When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Dire When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, in Episode 43, we talked about faith, food security, and the early days of building a community garden rooted in purpose. In this catch-up conversation, I found something different — not just survival, but momentum. He joined me from his greenhouse on a cold morning, surrounded by vibrant greens and reblooming orchids rescued from grocery store discard piles. That image felt symbolic. What he’s building is about second chances — for land, for food, for families.

Since we last spoke, his organization raised $96,000 at a farm-to-table fundraiser and paid off a $350,000 mortgage in one year. But what struck me most wasn’t the financial milestone — it was his clarity. “My goal is not to end up selling from the garden,” he told me. “My hope is to keep feeding the one that need it the most.” They’re serving nearly 200 families every two weeks, expanding school gardens, and now dreaming about a community hub with a teaching kitchen and space for nonprofits to gather.

There’s one line that stayed with me: “The kids will show up no matter what.” That’s leadership. That’s responsibility. This isn’t just a garden anymore — it’s infrastructure for community health. And as you listen to this episode, I hope you hear not just a story of growth, but a blueprint for what’s possible when agriculture is rooted in mission, dignity, and long-term vision.

Click the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode 87 with Giany! You can also visit our website to watch the video! 

#foodaccess #foodsecurity #communitygarden #foodinsecurity #farmtotable
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