Photo credit: Trixie’s List
Trixie’s List visited June Farms, a 120 acre farm about forty-five minutes from Hudson, New York. June Farms is an event space and subject of a new Amazon Original Series, previewing Monday, November 17th. Trixie’s List caught up with Matt Baumgartner, and asked a few questions:
Photo Credit: Trixie’s List
Trixie’s List: Tell our readers in Columbia County a little about yourself and June Farms. How long have you been in the area and how did June Farms come about?
Matt Baumgartner: Life on June Farms is pretty idyllic! The focus of the farm is the animals and making sure they are happy and healthy. The foundation of our business at June Farms is families and friends showing up to walk the 120-acre property, meeting all of our animals, and then having a cocktail and a bite to eat. We also offer cabin stays, and boutique weddings, both of which have surged in popularity over the last few years.
Since 1997, I have been a restauranteur in the upstate New York area, having had 15 bars and restaurants in cities like Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Syracuse. In 2015, I decided that I wanted to move out into the country. I thought it would be fun to raise beef and pork for the restaurants that I had, creating a seasonal farm-to-table menu. However, after one year of “harvesting” the animals, I realized that I grew too attached to the cows and the pigs, and that I could no longer operate the farm in that way. So we decided to turn the pig barn into a bar and invite guests out for a drink and to visit with the animals, and people really seemed to enjoy that! And that is what we have been doing!
Trixie’s List: June Farms is about an hour from the City of Hudson. Do you recommend June Farms as a day trip? What is there to do? For families? Couples? Singles?
Matt Baumgartner: It actually only takes about 30 minutes to get to Hudson from June Farms, we send guests to Hudson all the time! It is a wonderful day trip. In fact, I often recommend that people take the Amtrak train, it is only a 20 minute ride along the beautiful Hudson River, is very affordable, and the Amtrak train station is only five minutes away from June Farms.
In addition to a simple walk around the farm, we also offer guided activities, such as goat yoga, cow brushing, and an informational guided tour of June Farms in a golf cart. We also recommend having food and drinks in the beautiful June Farms Pony Bar. It is a wonderful place to meet new people, especially the other Cabin Guests who are staying on property.
Trixie’s List: Does June Farms host special events?
Matt Baumgartner: We hold many special events of all sizes! Although weddings are probably what we are most known for, we often also hold many corporate retreats, birthday parties, baby showers, you name it!
Trixie’s List: With all the wedding venues in the area, why June Farms?
Matt Baumgartner: I would say the one thing that differentiates June Farms from other wedding venues, is the farm itself! Because it is an actual working gentleman’s farm, the wedding Guests have the unique opportunity to celebrate the couple but also enjoy their own time on a beautiful farm petting the horses and the cows. Everyone feels like a child again at June Farms.
It is really wonderful to see how the combination of the farm animals, some fresh air, and one of our Free Range Margaritas can make someone so happy!
June Farms is a magical paradise located on 120 acres in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley. Matt Baumgartner, an accomplished but demanding entrepreneur, runs the farm, restaurant/bar and events space with the help of a team of well-intentioned 20-somethings who aren’t always on the same page as their detail-obsessed boss.
The farm plays nightly host to eccentric locals, well-heeled travelers, the occasional celebrity, and high-end wedding parties who visit the farm from all over to experience nature, wildly unique accommodations, cows, cocktails and incredible service. It is an unforgettable mixture of design and nature that transports visitors to another world.
Managing the chaos of intricate events, demanding guests, unpredictable weather, vendor mishaps, unrealistic expectations, employee shenanigans, and a property full of animals, Matt has his hands full 24/7. The summer months are the busiest time of year at June Farms and with each passing week of wedding season, the team must navigate a new host of challenges with sophistication and poise.
Matt is driven to make the farm the premier event space in the valley by adding cabins, new wedding sites, and top notch service, a goal that is constantly stressing him and his staff.
Despite the pressure and non-stop mayhem, Matt and his team have a genuine love for one another. Matt thinks of the farm as his legacy and his employees as his “chosen family”, but, as with any family, emotions often run high and egos get bruised. At the end of the day, however, success is best shared with the ones you love.