Australian Farming Enthusiasts Tour Huntington Farm

If there was an award for “longest trip to work on a farm,” this globetrotting Australian duo should have a lock on the honors.

On November 12, Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,I-South Huntington) welcomed organic farming enthusiasts James Hood and Elanor Notley to the 10th Assembly District, which was a stop on their tour of organic farms.

During this recent leg of their trip, they were hosted by Kerber’s Farm proprietor Nick Voulgaris, a Huntington High School graduate who purchased and revitalized the historic farm, located on Pulaski Road near Oakwood Road, two and a half years ago.

Lupinacci presented Hood and Notley with citations welcoming them to Huntington, as well as New York State Assembly pins, as souvenirs to bring home to Australia. The duo departed Huntington November 13, en route to San Francisco to continue their organic agricultural travels.

“I am proud to represent parts of Suffolk County, which routinely ranks among the top New York State counties for agriculture,” Lupinacci said. “The fact that these two young Australians traveled halfway around the world to work on a Huntington farm shows that Suffolk County’s thriving agricultural sector will be a crucial component of Long Island’s economy for many years to come.”

Among other tasks, Hood and Notley helped prepare the farm for the winter season, harvested honey from bees raised on the farm and aided in production of the farm’s line of popular jams, which are produced on site, during their two-week visit. They came to Kerber’s as part of a tour organized by World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, which pairs interested farmers with hosts. In exchange for room and board, the volunteers work for several hours each day of their stay to aid in day-to-day operations of the farm.

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