It all began exactly where you’d imagine - amidst the heat and itchy leaves of a cauliflower bed in July 2023. On the worst humid afternoon, Virginia and Leigha started chatting about the future farm life they envisioned. After years of working at various organic veggie farms in the Hudson Valley, Central New York, and Pennsylvania. They both wanted to start a farm that focused on high-quality food, climate-centric practices, and produced at a scale that wouldn’t exploit other workers. And so became Odd Crop!
Odd Crop is now situated on 2.5 acres in Morrisville, New York, and co-exists at the same location as the oldest organic CSA in Madison County known as Smitty’s Market Garden (Est. 1997). We grow over 180 varieties of diversified vegetables, herbs, and flowers on mostly raised beds. All of which are hand-tended and carefully farmed with organic techniques.
At Odd Crop, everything we do is for the long-term health of our ecosystem and community. No chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or synthetic fertilizers are ever used on our farm. Besides our initial tractor tilling, everything we do is by hand. We hand dig and build every raised bed, transplant every seed/plant, and hand weed whenever possible. This is what we mean by Slow Grown.
2024 is our first production year, but we hope to be in it for the long haul. Shout out to all the mentors, colleagues, friends, and community who have helped us arrive here. Farming does not exist without people, and we hope to honor that.
Want to learn more about our growing practices? Read more here.
ABOUT ODD CROP
the farmers
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Virginia Forester
ODD CROP CO-FARMER
Howdy! Virginia grew up in Baldwinsville, NY, and has been farming on and off since 2018. She’s farmed at Winds Of Change CSA and Common Thread Farm in Central New York as well as Clarks Summit, PA. Virginia has forever wanted to work outdoors and graduated from ESF (College of Environmental Science & Forestry) in 2022.
Since childhood, Virginia wanted to start a farm, but for many years did not think it would be possible. Now she’s extremely excited to do it on her terms and has decided to prioritize happiness and health over monetary gain. The goal for Virginia is to be outside, hanging with friends, and eating good food. At Odd Crop, Virginia is the jack of all trades, whether it be a mechanical fix or organizing spreadsheets, she has the details locked down. She also is the first to suggest an ice cream break! There is no one on earth who appreciates ice cream more than Virginia.
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Leigha Morris
ODD CROP CO-FARMER
Leigha grew up on a small-scale farm in Eaton, NY, and comes from a long line of farmers. In truth, she never imagined that she would fall back in Central New York or that she’d be farming!
Originally, Leigha worked in the creative space for small businesses and startups. That is until six years ago, when she landed in the Hudson Valley and fell right back into the dirty jeans and fingernails lifestyle. She began farming at Little Seed Gardens organic veggie farm, which changed her life for the better. Served as the Gleaning Coordinator for Long Table Harvest for three years, and expanded their services to a Seedling Distribution program and Community Supported Shares program. Then eventually became the Marketing Manager for Hudson Harvest + Field Goods. For Leigha, farming is as much about the people as it is about the plants and place. Mutual aid and land access are also huge focuses for her. Plus, swim breaks, afternoon crafts, and inter-generational hangs.
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Gary Smith aka Smitty
LAND OWNER, FRIEND + FELLOW FARMER
Smitty has been organically farming and stewarding his land since 1997. Before then he had been gardening, growing starts in his greenhouse, and tending to a smaller garden plot while he ran his diner for 30 years in Hamilton, New York. Smitty is the real deal, kind, helpful, and salt-of-the-earth guy. An incredible cook, farmer, and friend to all who know him.
Odd Crop wouldn’t be here this season if it wasn’t for his generosity to share the land he’s maintained for 20+ years. This will be his 27th year running his organic CSA share on 1.5 acres. He’s done it entirely by himself plus a few helping hands over the years. Smitty’s Market Garden serves as an inspiration for what matters.
