Farmstand Opening Spring 2025 ~
Farmstand Opening Spring 2025 ~
ABOUT THE FARM
PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
278 RIGOR HILL RD, CHATHAM, NY 12037
MAILING ADDRESS:
P.O. BOX 60, OLD CHATHAM, NY 12136
The farm is located at the intersection of Rigor Hill Road & the Taconic State Parkway.
Hi! I’m Shelley and my story began over 15 years ago when my love & excitement for gardening collided with my husband’s passion for filming. Today, Guiding Green Thumbs is expanding our passion for growing and sharing through transformation of a neglected piece of farmland. Join our journey as we turn our land into a blossoming full-scale flower farm and nursery!
Our belief is that nature’s wild beauty is not just something to admire— it’s something to learn from, cultivate and share with the community. Our farm is a place where untamed wild beauty meets intentional design and cultivation. Our goal is to inspire gardeners of all levels to grow their confidence and experience. Through our farm stand, workshops and in-person experiences, we invite you to experience the colorful rhythm of the seasons. Discover the art of growing and arranging flowers, build confidence in cultivating your own gardens or simply bring home and share the beauty of our fields with your friends and family.
At Guiding Green Thumbs, we believe that healthy soil grows the most vibrant flowers, thriving ecosystems and fosters sustainability. We care as much about what comes out of our fields, as we do what goes into them. As a Certified Naturally Grown farm, we are committed to chemical-free practices that nurture the soil, support bio-diversity and produce flowers you can feel confident about bringing into your home. Every decision we make is rooted in the belief that the soil is more than just dirt, its the foundation of a thriving partnership with our land.
So whether you’re curious about our renovations, stopping by for a bouquet, looking to expand your own garden, joining us for an in-person workshop or just happy to support local businesses, we’re here to bring the magic of flowers to your fingertips!
Farm Stand Opens in Spring 2025!
We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our newly renovated farm stand this Spring! After months of hard work transforming a neglected farm into a vibrant space, we’re ready to welcome you to experience the beauty of specialty cut flowers, hands-on workshops, and a variety of plants.
Explore our collection of locally grown flowers, perfectly suited for any occasion. Discover our selection of nursery stock and spring vegetable & herb transplants to kickstart your gardening journey in the Spring!
In addition to our farm stand, we’re offering a series of educational workshops designed for all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, our workshops will guide you through the art of gardening. Whether its seed starting, growing in containers, vegetable gardening, increasing your knowledge of native plants or just learning lots of ways to elevate your space with flowers, we have something fun to share with you!
Our Story Begins with Renovation & Renewal
Guiding Green Thumbs LLC acquired this parcel in April of 2023. By June, this historic barn underwent the first of many major repairs. We hired local professionals to lift and level the barn so that the existing caving foundation could be dug out and removed. A solid concrete foundation was on the schedule. The new foundation was completed near the end of August. We then hired a contractor to replace the sill beam with new timber frame. We needed a 60’ sill beam (which was constructed of 3 solid interlocking pieces!) Once the barn could sit back down on its new foundation, the back half of the roof was scheduled for replacement to fix 2 major gaps in the roof that caused some internal floor and siding damage. The roof replacement finished by the end of October 2023. No more leaks, no more bailing water out to minimize the damage from an extremely rainy season. The well pump was replaced and able to pump with the help of generators. An order for new electricity and rewiring was on the schedule. It’s safe to say that the barn received some much needed TLC in 2023.
In 2024, the farm received an official address of 278 Rigor Hill Road. We found out in January of 2024 that our application for an NRCS grant was approved! We had funding for a new high tunnel greenhouse in order to grow and extend crop production in our short growing season. Our high tunnel excavation and installation was completed in July 2024. Electricity is in the works for that site location. We were able to install a cooler room for cut flowers by the End of August! NYSEG installed the new electrical meter and the barn officially has power. Our lean-to partition was reframed and rebuilt and will serve as our customer flower pick-up location and farm stand. A new roof was installed once renovations were complete.
At the end of July, we added a John Deere tractor! We knew we couldn’t keep up on brush-hogging, farming or moving material without one! We will continue to update our progress as it happens! This journey will be ever evolving as we maneuver and learn about our land and what it takes to build this amazing farm from the ground up!
