Co-owners Bev and Mark Cheffo take the traditional concepts of what a farm can be and elevate them in Ghent.
By Richard Pérez-Feria
Tucked into the rolling hills of Ghent, NY, Liberty Farms is a vibrant, multifaceted property that defies the traditional definition of what most people consider a “farm” to be. Co-owned by Mark and Bev Cheffo, Liberty Farms blends certified organic agriculture with eco-tourism, equestrian life and event hosting—all on land painstakingly restored over the past decade. What began as a modest weekend escape for the married couple has grown into a “working regenerative farm,” employing full-time staff and drawing visitors from across the region. We tracked Mark down to explore how Liberty Farms came to be—and what makes it unlike anything else in our sphere.
For the interested but uninitiated, describe Liberty Farms. In other words, what’s your elevator pitch?
At its core and roots, Liberty Farms is a certified organic farm, raising beef, chicken, lamb and pork and growing a bevy of vegetables and mushrooms. Liberty Farms has also separate but fully integrated operations including an equestrian center, premium glamp site, acclaimed wedding and event venue and a soon-to-open restaurant featuring LF and other local producers. All of the land that makes up LF is certified organic, most of it brought back to life and vibrancy before being acquired over the last decade.
In which way do you think your and Bev’s journey is the most straightforward cliché that stipulates after a successful few decades in NYC, one moves to Upstate New York and buys a farm?
We did not expect to own a farm; nor did I expect to become a farmer when we bought our weekend house “in the country” when our two kids were small. Indeed, it started with a backyard garden, grew to a few acre paddock where I grew thousands of pumpkins and started in earnest when we bought 200 acres a few miles away in what was Liberty Stud Farm.
The current iteration of the farm employs 20 people full time and we split our time between Brooklyn and the farm as I continue my full-time day job as a partner in a law firm. Buying a gentleman’s farm in the country as a vanity or hobby might be the cliché but LF is an actual working organic regenerative farm that seeks to provide superior products and experiences while improving the farmland, giving back to community and being a stop on eco-tourism offerings of the Hudson Valley.
In three hours: What’s my itinerary?
Three hours will fly by. We’d start at The Stay at Liberty Farms, our glamping venue. We’d have a drink on the deck overlooking the Catskill mountains. There are ten private safari-type tents at the Stay, each with rain showers, flush toilets and a king size bed.
From there we’d head across the road to the vegetable and flower farm to explore what was in season and taste some veggies right out of the fields. We’d see how our Lion’s Mane and other mushrooms are carefully grown and harvested. We have a wide array of vegetables to support our CSAs, markets and restaurant.
Just a short stroll from there, we’d explore the equestrian center where we’d mount horses and have a state-of-the-art indoor arena. The horses belong to our boarders who range from lifetime equestrians to folks who became riders in their adult years.
Before we left the main farm, we’d stop by the honor farm store where we could grab a drink and plan our dinner from the meat, vegetables and other products in the store.
From there we’d head down bucolic Ostrander Road to peek in at the Barn at Liberty Farms, our event space. We’d pass sheep and our guard donkey, Frankie, along the way. The event space, which has been reimagined from its origin as the stud barn, retains an authentic barn vibe with all of the appreciated comforts and design features. We only host one event per weekend and many guests choose to also reserve the glamp site for their guests.
Once we leave the main farm, we’d travel around a mile up the road on Route 66 to our new farmland where we raise the beef, chicken, lamb and pork. We’d tour each of the areas and explain the operations. We might see new piglets, a nursing calf or collect some eggs during our tour.
Finally, we’d drive about a half-mile back up the road to our new restaurant, the Tavern at Liberty Farm (opening June 2025) where we’d enjoy a great dinner sourced substantially from LF and local farms.
Finish this sentence: Liberty Farms is different than anything you’ve ever experienced because…
Liberty Farms is different because it offers a wide range of experiences, is certified organic, only raises grass-fed beef and lamb and employs a team of exceptional people who are all on the farm because they want to be and not because they have to be.
What does success look like for you and Bev personally and for Liberty Farms? In five years, will there be more Liberty Farms or is one just right?
Success can be fluid, but for us success means a mature, smooth, functioning farming and events operation where the name LF is synonymous with quality and integrity. Success also means teaching new farmers, continuing to preserve and improve farmland and providing our customers with excellent yet accessible products. Success will mean having more time to ensure the little things on the farm that bring happiness. Success will be sharing our successes and failures with the next generation of farmers who’ll hopefully view us as an example of what responsible local organic agriculture can yield.
Comments are closed.