HVADC Client: Sonderview Farm

The O’Sullivan family is smart, and they know a lot about agriculture. However, when starting Sonderview Farm in Ancramdale last year, they were also smart enough to know that there were things they didn’t know. Well versed in agriculture but not starting a small business, the O’Sullivans reached out to HVADC for business technical assistance (BTA) to secure their plans.

“I’m so happy Sonderview Farm took the initiative to seek BTA from HVADC’s Incubator Without Walls (IWW) program.” said HVADC Executive Director Todd Erling. “The O’Sullivans are driven and passionate, and stand as an important reminder that HVADC’s resources are here for every farm, no matter the scale, or age. We want to help existing farms thrive but we also strongly encourage agricultural startups to reach out to us to see what resources are available to them as they enter the market.”

While Sonderview is the O’Sullivan’s first farm, they have always been naturally inclined cultivators and grew a nearly farm sized garden at their previous home in Long Island. Farmer Conor O’Sulivan, the family’s youngest son, went to Hunter College. While he received a degree in psychology, his minor in environmental science and love for agriculture took him in a different direction. After graduating, he traveled the world studying ecology and has become focused on the cultivation of native plants.

“I became interested in learning as much as I could about native edibles,” Conor said. “We want to normalize indigenous plants. It’s important to me that we honor the heritage and ecosystem of the land.”

After Conor’s parents, Susan, a former CNN producer and Brian, an NYPD officer, retired from successful careers, the self-professed “old hippies” dreamed of living back in the wilderness. They’d been visited friends in the hinterlands of the Hudson Valley for years and decided that this was where they wanted to spend their next chapter. In 2020 they found a hilly, half-wooded, 56-acre property in Ancramdale with an old house and a barn, where they could work with Conor to start Sonderview on three acres.

Conor’s vision to grow only native species has led him to cultivate small crops of unique varietals, including kale, ground cherries and tomatillos. Much of Sonderview’s early sales have been to The Rolling Grocer in Hudson, where Conor also works. The Rolling Grocer is a unique, experimental community grocery store with prices adjusted to shoppers' income level and family size.

Susan said, even though she spent much of her career covering financial news, when starting the farm she didn’t know much about crafting a business plan, the paperwork involved, or how to access agricultural loans and grants.

After receiving some initial assistance from long-time HVADC collaborators, the Columbia County Economic Development Corporation, and Berkshire Grown, the O’Sullivans learned of the BTA and loan opportunities available through HVADC.

Through the IWW program Susan worked with business advisor Brian Zweig. As is his beloved method, Susan said Zweig did more than make her a business plan, he taught her how to make a business plan, how to track numbers and indicators, how to measure growth and need, make a payroll and so much more.

“Brian helped me so much,” Susan said. “He pushed me to find the right way to figure it out myself. This farm is about having a future, with respect and gratitude for the land.”

While Sonderview is new, Conor is thinking long term. The O’Sullivans are currently planting a six-acre orchard of over 60 native fruit trees and shrubs. The fruit of this labor will not be seen for many years to come but Conor says he’s excited about making a bold, long-term investment and a commitment to naturalistic practices.

To learn more about the BTA available through HVADC’s Incubator Without Walls program, visit https://www.hvadc.org/incubator-without-walls.