St. Francis Farm Community

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to live a sustainable life based on the Gospels and on Catholic Worker principles as an alternative to the consumer culture. The community provides practical assistance, prayerful presence, and a place for reflection to help others simplify their lives.

The grace of God, the generosity of supporters and the bounty of the land provide the foundation for the community. By their commitment and unpaid labor the full-time residents maintain buildings, work the land, and welcome visitors. Guests volunteer their labor and share the simple gifts of the farm: work and prayer, discussion and recreation.  

Where and What:

We live and work on 180 mostly wooded acres in Orwell NY, near the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. It's a poor area. Our large garden, small orchard, dairy goats, laying hens, rabbits and pigs provide food for the core community and extra produce to give away; we’ve sent food to a local soup kitchen, a low-income senior housing complex, and individual neighbors. Our woods provide firewood and lumber which we use and sell. Our low-till organic growing methods minimize wastes and purchased inputs. We teach neighbors and guests how to grow their own food cheaply and sustainably. We help our neighbors as we can--listening to folks in trouble, mentoring children, checking on isolated elders, building wheelchair ramps, etc.