Our Staff

Jacque had planned a career in healthcare and initially loved nursing school. But working in a hospital, she was disheartened to see so many people suffering diet-related illness and came to feel that she could have more impact by helping prevent disease in the first place—through good food. So she took a leap—and started farming. She milked goats and made cheese in the Adirondacks, then enrolled in an organic farming program at the Rodale Institute, which brought her on visits to CFF. She loved our livestock program and joined our staff in 2022. While she’s always cheerfully game to do anything from muck a barn to set up fences, she especially enjoys working with poultry, leading tours, and engaging with volunteers. Jacque says regenerative agriculture is essential to securing a good life for future generations, plans to someday have her own farm raising pastured rabbits, and is glad to be learning everything from record-keeping to organic certification. Livestock farming isn’t easy, but Jacque says it’s well worth it, especially in light of the reasons she transitioned from nursing to farming in the first place. “Knowing that all this nourishing food is going the people who need it most,” she says. “whenever I’m having a tough day, I just think about that. It’s really awesome.”

Originally from Bucks County, Sam began his farming career in central Virginia in 2010. After two growing seasons, Sam became the Farm Manager for Project GROWS, a youth oriented, educational non-profit farm from 2012-2016. With hopes of getting back to his roots in Bucks County, Sam left VA to manage the River park Farm in New York City. There he cultivated a unique set of production skills involving high quality, chef inspired produce. Over the years he has not only matured into a strong farmer but has developed a passion for teaching and growing a vibrant, healthy, and sustainable generation of young farmers and community builders.

Lydia hails from the sprawling deserts of southern New Mexico. She had her first exposure to the world of organic vegetable farming during the final summer break of her undergraduate study at Cornell University. Lydia graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Hotel Administration and worked as a Food & Beverage manager at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for two years before transitioning to full-time farm work in 2022. Lydia is passionate about fostering equity in the food system and helping to increase accessibility to the highest quality of food that is grown with the health of the earth and her inhabitants in mind. When Lydia is not pruning tomatoes in the high tunnel or packing kale bunches as the Wash and Pack Facility lead, she can be found dancing Flamenco, cooking up yummy dishes, and traveling near and far in search of new adventures.

Ben Crooke is from Bucks County. He grew up on a local dairy farm where he learned to love working with cows, equipment, other livestock and the land. Being raised in the barn, field, and farm shop by a supportive, loving family instilled in Ben a great passion for farming. Active in local and state 4-H programs, Ben showed and judged cows and attended leadership conferences. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Animal Science, then for seven years worked on his family’s dairy farm and with his own dairy herd. More recently Ben ran his own dairy supply business, supplying dairy farmers in a 10-county area. After selling the business, Ben joined Carversville Farm Foundation in 2022 as the crop farmer/mechanic. He grows hay and other crops and fixes equipment on the farm. Some of his favorite things to do on the farm are helping others solve problems and creatively plan for what’s next in crop and livestock production. His wife and four young, energetic children are a constant source of strong support and inspiration. Ben really enjoys working with an upbeat, positive team on the farm, to produce healthy food for people in need.

Brenna grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She went to school for Equine science and found her love for working outdoors through working with horses. After graduating, she worked on a small, organic farm and that is when her love for farming began. She started at Carversville Farm Foundation in spring 2022 and enjoys everything that is done here in support of the farm`s mission. She has taken charge of the production of the shitake mushrooms, which has become one of her favorite things to grow and harvest. She hopes to have her own small, sustainable farm one day and use all of the knowledge that she is learning at Carversville Farm.

Stephanie became CFF's first employee in 2014 and has been the Farm Administrator ever since. She holds a Communications degree from Millersville University and worked in Marketing before the farming world presented itself the opportunity of a lifetime.  She is involved in all aspects of CFF except the actual farming, although she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty!  She handles everything from accounting to placing equipment and seed orders, to onboarding new staff, vendor negotiations and more.

Bruce grew up in Plymouth Meeting, PA in between two suburban farms. His parents were excellent gardeners and he grew up eating delicious home-grown vegetables every summer. After a distinguished career of over 30 years in drug discovery working as a medicinal chemist at various pharmaceutical companies, he returned to childhood passion, attended Delaware Valley University and obtained a Certificate in Organic Farming. He now proudly works as a farmer at Carversville.  He is hoping to some day buy some property in Bucks County and help create an independent, sustainable farm.

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Craig has been livestock manager at CFF since 2016, raising the farm’s animals using rotational grazing methods that are best for them, the land, and the people who eat their eggs and meat. After earning a degree in History at the University of Michigan, Craig farmed at The Farmers Museum and founded Skate Creek Farm, where he developed his skills in modern grass-based, organic livestock production. He founded the livestock program at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in 2004 and, after a dozen years overseeing the multispecies livestock there, he’s glad to be raising a diversity of healthy animals in tandem with a diverse and healthy ecosystem to help fulfill CFF’s mission.

Dan, a member of CFF’s livestock team, grew up in nearbyDublin, PA, and studied Animal Nutrition at West Virginia University. While he’spreviously worked with dogs and cats, this is his first time working with farmanimals. He says Carversville Farm Foundation is the only farm job he appliedto, as he was inspired by the strong non-profit mission and the opportunity towork hard for a good cause. Dan especially enjoys taking care of the farm’sflocks of pastured turkeys, but says his favorite task on the farm is movingour herd of grassfed beef cattle to fresh pasture every day, “becausethey're always so excited and grateful.”

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As a young farmer, herbal apprentice, advocate, artist, and writer, Chloe has been shaped by her deep reverence for Earth and all the beings she holds. Her educational background in developmental psychology, human rights, and holistic health supports the belief that is foundational to her work: That all people deserve nourishing food, clean water, and supportive relationships.  Chloe strives to nurture communities rooted in right relationship with their land and with one another, through comprehensive education and compassionate mutual aid.

Doneek is from upstate New York, where he ran his own business, worked with horses and found his way into livestock husbandry. Now in his second year on CFF’s livestock team, he especially enjoys working with our herd of grassfed cattle, including moving them to fresh pastures daily. Doneek says he loves knowing that his work on the farm makes meaningful positive impacts in peoples’ lives. His goals are to further grow his cattle stockmanship skills and his knowledge of regenerative agriculture.

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Raised in the small town of Royersford, PA, Dylan began his food-and-farmingjourney in 2022 while working in the produce department of the Kimberton WholeFoods, where he discovered an abundance of flavors from organic localfarms.  From that moment on, he decided toseek out fresh, locally grown, and, in the name of flavor, “to be closer to myfood.”

That summer, he visited Campo Rosso Farm, was offered a job onthe spot, couldn’t resist the tomatoes and said yes. This was the firstvegetable farm he had ever visited, and his first morning there was spent inthe greenhouse, tending Italian Dattarini tomatoes from Sicily, where he wasstruck by their aroma and flavor. “I was hooked,” he recalls, “and knew I wouldnever stray from this world for the rest of my life.”

The following year he was determined to further explorefarming, and he says when he heard about Carversville Farm Foundation hethought it was “too good to be true.”  Todayhe loves working for the mission we serve, and his proud that his hard work isfeeding those in need.

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Zach has a passion for land management. A lifelong local and lover of the outdoors, he graduated from DelVal University with a degree in business administration. Zach enjoys managing extensive properties and his previous experience includes five years at Pleasant Valley Farm in Hopewell, NJ. Now at CFF he keeps the property ship-shape, with close attention to every detail. Zach says his favorite part of working at CFF is the positive work culture, which he himself embodies by always being willing to lend a hand. Zach simply cannot get enough of the outdoors, so after a day of working outside on the farm, his favorite pastime is hiking and exploring with his beloved yellow lab.

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A lover of both animals and meat, Spencer is a former vegetarian turned livestock farmer, and is passionately committed to humane slaughter. Spencer believes we all need to participate in adapting food systems to meet the challenges of the future—and he cannot imagine a better way to participate than regeneratively farming nutrient-dense food to distribute equitably. After opting out of eating meat grown in inhumane systems, he tried raising ducks in 2020 and soon began farming professionally at Double Brook Farm, where he saw local food systems’ positive outcomes. Now a member of CFF’s livestock team, his work here includes caring for animals daily, overseeing the humane harvest of the farm's poultry, and tracking CFF's meat donations to the non-profit partners we support.

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Owen grew up just a short drive away, in Abington, Pennsylvania. He majored in environmental studies at Towson University and competed on their NCAA swim team. After graduating, he began looking for a career in the environmental field and learned of CFF. Since coming on as an apprentice in February 2022, Owen has taken on the role of a full-time livestock employee. He has a particular interest in animal welfare and livestock production and enjoys the purpose-driven work to produce and donate as much as possible. Owen says he is grateful for the opportunity to learn from all of the experienced people here, and excited to continue pursuing a career in livestock farming.

Kristy was inspired to explore food production while studying anthropology at Binghamton University, where she learned about the health risks of inaccessibility to nutritious food. She says that’s why she is happy to be working in support of CFF’s mission, providing quality food at no cost to improve the lives of others.

Kristy originally became interested in farming after working on a small urban farm in Montpelier, VT with Americorps NCCC. From there, she worked with garlic on a farm in her hometown in Upstate New York, where she decided to pursue farming further. Kristy is excited to be working at CFF, the biggest farm she has worked on yet, and says she is looking forward to many new learning opportunities here. She especially enjoys learning how to harvest new vegetables and herbs, and watching their life cycle. In her free time, Kristy likes to find local swimming spots, sing, and look for pretty flowers.

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Steven is a farmer focused on organic agriculture.  He graduated from Pratt Institute with a degree in Industrial Design and has also completed a Permaculture Design Course.  Steven began farming in 2009 as an apprentice on various organic vegetable farms.  From 2012 to 2016, he started and managed Great Road Farm in Skillman, NJ, primarily growing for Agricola restaurant in Princeton, and he co-authored the Agricola Cookbook. Steven enjoys the creative process of growing nutrient-dense food and is grateful to be a part of the Carversville Farm Foundation team as Farm Manager to grow for soup kitchens and food pantries.

Jennifer grew up in Texas’s Dallas-Fort Worth area and was drawn to farming in her thirties by her love of animals, nature, and experiences of new places and people. She joined CFF in 2023 and immediately impressed colleagues with her head-turning farm styles and infectious laugh. Jennifer takes great satisfaction in harvesting fresh food that grew from a seed and says CFF’s mission crystalized for her on a trip to volunteer at Face to Face, where she saw our donated harvests nourish, nurture and heal the community. Jennifer also loves working with volunteers at the farm, especially seeing first-timers’ eyes and energy light at the experience of growing fresh food for people in need. Her dream is to someday build a tiny home surrounded by a garden, café, dance studio and sanctuary.

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