How to Grow a Life: Farmers Kate & Dan Marsiglio
This upstate New York couple established Stony Creek Farmstead in 2005 with the simple aspiration of raising a family and living a little lighter on the planet. Their small farm has evolved in surprising ways but their mission endures. “The farm has allowed us to stay independent and lead the life we envisioned for ourselves.”
When you think of a Soloist, you may not picture a farmer. But then again, when you think of a farmer, you may not picture Kate and Dan Marsiglio.
This husband-wife duo founded Stony Creek Farmstead in 2005 with an aspiration to somehow contribute to the world while raising a family on 85 areas of family land in Walton, New York, in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
Dan and Kate Marsiglio of Stonycreek Farmstead
They began small, by selling meat, eggs, and vegetables.
That’s the farm part.
But over the years, driven by a desire to both expand their community and pay their bills, their farmstead grew to include overnight stays, a day camp, a store, and a restaurant.
That’s the business part.
Today, their farm-stays, where visitors can “glamp”—in well-appointed platform tents outfitted with wood-burning stoves, king-size beds, and a water closet—account for about three-quarters of their business.
In many ways, the Marsiglios are the ultimate Soloists. They’ve never worked a conventional 9 to 5. They’ve never had a water cooler conversation, never sat for a performance review, never “run an idea up the old flagpole.”
They make their own hours (which are invariably very, very long).
And their fierce independence affords them the freedom to pursue a lifestyle that’s aligned with their values, one that’s rooted in nature, and prioritizes community over profits.
If you’ve ever dreamed of “getting back to the land” or ditching the city or burbs for the hills, this episode is for you. Grab your muck boots. Kate and Dan will inspire you.
Show Notes
Stony Creek Farmstead website
The UN Report on soil pollution
Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution by Paul Hawken