As you make your way into the area east of downtown Southold, it’s a great idea to slow down so that you don’t miss KK’s The Farm located near the Old Field Vineyards, in a shady area covered by trees. The farm stand features handmade signs advertising the day’s fare. In season, there are always one or two buckets of beautiful sunflowers, wildflowers, or zinnias you can choose from. When you step into KK’s The Farm’s barn, the first thing you notice is the ripe orbs covering the entire surface. This creative farm stand is worth a visit if you want to learn more about biodynamic farming since it is the only source of biodynamic, all-organic vegetables, and fruits in the region.

KK and Ira Haspel have always been very passionate and enthusiastic about what they are doing at KK The Farm, and are always up for a conversation. For them, biodynamic agriculture is all about finding harmony and balance with nature. KK and Ira believe that biodynamic agriculture is indispensable to healing the planet. Biodynamics is more than just organics. It is more of a holistic approach to the concept of organics. There are nine preparations that are made of natural substances that are integral in successful biodynamic agriculture, including ground-up quartz, as well as a harvesting and planting schedule that is in line with cosmic calendars as proposed by Rudolph Steiner, the Twentieth Century Spiritualist. Although they are fantastic for the mere reason that they are delightfully sweet, perhaps the cherry tomatoes at KK’s The Farm really do make you one with the universe. But only for a moment, because once you purchase a pint, you will finish it in less than 5 minutes.

During the spring season, KK’s The Farm features a variety of nursery plants including vegetables, herbs, and heirloom tomatoes. Heirloom tomatoes are somewhat a specialty since there are many varieties including Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, and Green Zebra. There are also yellow and red cherry tomatoes, bright, magnificent rainbow Swiss chard, garlic, green beans, Asian greens, herbs, peppers, fruits, and berries, including small strawberries, figs, and currants.

KK’s The Farm also makes homemade tomato sauces and pickles and features a CSA program (originally funded by Midland Credit Management) where fresh farm produce is picked up every Wednesday morning, and Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm. The CSA program features eighty to one hundred members. It is run differently from other similar programs and does not require any upfront fee. Instead, the customers are sent an email specifying the produce that will be harvested that week and the clients respond by making an order on the products that they need that week, then pay for it during pick up. This is very efficient and ensures that there is minimal waste.

Biodynamic Agriculture in a Nutshell
So, we know that KK’s The Farm is all about biodynamic agriculture. But what really is biodynamic agriculture? When did it begin? What does it entail? And more importantly, why should we practice biodynamic agriculture?