KK Haspel, Southold Farmer, Died On Saturday

KK (Kathy Keller) Haspel, a Southold farmer, died of cancer on Saturday, Oct. 4. She was 63.

Haspal was born in Rockville Centre on December 13, 1950 to Elizabeth and William Keller.

In 1999, she bought ”The Farm”, a 5-acre plot on Main Road with her husband, Ira, with the vision to raise flowers, according to SoutholdLocal and Newsday.

In addition to poppies, sunflowers and zinnias, the farm grew heirloom tomatoes, garlic and other vegetables. She was a prominent figure in the farm-to-table movement and her collaboration with local chefs was featured in Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Newsday, News 12 and Edible East End, SoutholdLocal reports.

Haspel was an advocate of biodynamic farming, a “spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition”, according to Biodynamics.com, and adopted environmental practices such as Green Guerilla.

Haspel and her husband were also named Emeritus Members of the Board of the Fiver Children’s Foundation. Haspel was dedicated to teaching children about food and was tapped as the first Master Farmer serving the Edible School Yards on the North Fork. She also helped to establish school gardens in Southold, Greenport, Orient, Cutchogue and Shelter Island, according to SoutholdLocal.

Haspel is survived by her mother, Elizabeth Keller, her son, Max, and his wife, Gaby, and their children, Georgina and William of Brightwaters. She also is survived by brothers Coty Keller and Bob Keller, and sisters Patty Max and Lisa O’Brian, according to Newsday.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Oct. 18 at at DeFriest-Grattan Funeral Home orin Mattituck.