Cross Island Farms

04/07/2026

Come join us on the farm Sunday April 12th, 1-3:30pm for the Fodder-Forage Field Day.

🌿 Free Hands‑On Demonstration: Establishing Tree Fodder Plantings for Your Livestock! Join us for an in‑person, practical demonstration on using fast‑growing tree fodder to support healthy livestock—and see these ideas in action at a working farm.
📅 April 12
📍Cross Island Farms, Jefferson County
⏰1–4 PM
🔗Register for free: https://bit.ly/4s9vtQf

Learn how willow and poplar can be planted, managed,
and harvested as supplemental feed—especially helpful during the summer forage
slump.
We’ll cover:
🌳 Selecting and planting live stakes
🌳 Basic care and maintenance
🌳 How tree fodder fits into resilient livestock systems

🎤 Featured Speakers
Dani Baker & David Belding –Cross Island Farms
Isaac Matlock – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County
Chris Kemnah – NOFA-NY
Ben Roosa – American Farmland Trust

About Cross Island Farms
Cross Island Farms is a leader in home‑scale forest gardens, inspiring people to plan, plant, and tend resilient edible landscapes.
🎥 See the ideas—then experience them in person Be sure to watch Dani Baker’s new Home‑Scale Forest Garden Series on WPBS-TV where she shares practical, accessible guidance for creating perennial food forests at any scale.
Then come take a deeper dive and explore these systems firsthand at Cross Island Farms on April 12!

Come get your hands in the soil and take home practical tips you can use right away on your farm!

04/07/2026

Our own award-winning author and PBS TV star Dani Baker is speaking at Colgate University on April 16th. Hope you can make it. Please spread the word.

07/20/2025

Come Visit our Self-Serve Farm stand with change for your cash in the honor can.

Right now the table inside the front porch (shown here) is overflowing with fresh organic goodies including two varieties of heirloom garlic, heirloom onions, an assortment of young zuchinni, and tart Black Currant Preserves made with only organic black currants and raw sugar: no water or pectin added.

The small glass-fronted fridge holds fresh organic chard, kale, gourmet beans, garlic scapes, rainbow carrots, red onions with greens, and fresh-picked pink and red currants. The berries will change with the season.

If it’s organically raised certified 100% grass-fed beef that you crave, check out our selection of frozen cuts listed on the price sheet on the right of the table and see the farmer to purchase your choices.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

06/27/2025

U-Pick in the Edible Forest:
Honeyberries, Gooseberries, Mulberries,
Raspberries, Red Currants now ripe!
Call 315-482-3663 for appointment.

05/23/2025

"THE FARM STAND IS NOW OPEN!"--THE SELF-SERVE FARMSTAND IS OPEN INSIDE THE FRONT PORCH.

LIMITED QUANTITIES OF BABY KALE, LETTUCE, BOK CHOY,

ASPARAGUS, RHUBARB AND FINGERLING POTATOES

ALL IN THE SMALL REFRIDGERATOR

CALL AHEAD FOR CUTS OF BEEF AVAILABLE FROM THE FARMER.
(315) 482-3663

Call now to connect with business.

04/07/2025

“They Don’t Come Any Newer Than This”—Experienced mom goat Cherry works on cleaning one baby girl while the other starts to nurse, even before she can stand up. You go Cherry!

04/05/2025

“Newborn Goat Girl Needs Foster Care”—This little girl was born yesterday, and mom is unable to care for her. Ideally we would graft her onto another momma goat or find someone looking for a bottle baby. In the mean time she needs someone to bottle feed her multiple times daily. Any takers?

03/23/2025

Why can’t we all get along like this?

12/01/2024

This Saturday from 10 to 3 Cross Island Farms will have a table at the MacSherry Library Holiday Fair selling organic jams, Dani’s book and gift certificates for Farm and Edible Forest tours and 100% grass-fed beef. Come check us out.

10/31/2024

"Lambeau Gets An A On His Test"- We bought a new registered South Devon bull named Lambeau this summer to breed our cows. We never actually observed him doing his job, so we were a little nervous about whether he identified as a male or not. As a result, we did pregnancy checks on the 11 cows and heifers he was with. The lab test came back today, and he got a A+. Go Lambeau!!

10/14/2024

“Caught in the Act!”—This butternut squash looks like it got caught in the live trap. Usually we catch raccoons or mink tryto eat our. Hi kets. In this case the squash bine grew through the wire mesh and the squash grew inside. Every day is a new experience on the farm.