Toward a Regenerative Future: Agriculture Environmental Assessment

March 28, 2026

Spring has sprung at Opdyke Family Farm as we finish gathering the last of our maple syrup and prepare for another season of planting and growth. Some new things happening on the farm this spring include an expansion of our fruit production into raspberries and strawberries to supplement our blueberry crop, our chickens are now laying a rainbow assortment of eggs available for purchase, and we are getting into the onion and garlic business.

We are also excited to have completed a Tier II assessment as part of the Agricultural Environmental Management Program in New York. This past winter, technicians from the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District visited our property to asses the impact of our farm operations on water and soil quality.

Our property is home to a variety of water bodies including Ouleout Creek with a diverse community of aquatic insects and fish, a pond supporting an abundance of amphibians, and wetlands that many birds call home. While we avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and growth hormones on our farm, animals generate an abundance of waste. Our pasture-raised animals help to fertilize the pastures, with a small portion of the waste stored for fruit and vegetable compost.

Our Tier II assessment on waste management was favorable, given our efforts to contain the waste being composted. The one area we did get a recommendation for improvement was relocating our chickens further away from a drainage ditch. We are happy to say that this spring, our chickens are in a larger coop with more outdoor space, and much further away from any of our water bodies. Chicken manure is notoriously high in nitrogen, which if it gets into a waterway, can cause harmful algal blooms that might kill aquatic life.

Our experience with the Tier II assessment was positive and educational. If you live in Delaware County, you can learn more about the Agricultural Environmental Management Program through the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District’s website.

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