Our Story

Hellgate Farm started out in 2011 in a residential backyard in Astoria, Queens. At that time there were no grand plans beyond gardening, but we were growing more than we needed and sold the surplus at a local coffee shop a few blocks away. Two years later our next-door neighbor was inspired to offer us their backyard, doubling the size of the enterprise. The following year we expanded to another backyard a few blocks away and to a commercial rooftop in Long Island City. Over the seasons, we built an amazing network of satellite gardens in Northwest Queens, and the momentum led us to expand to our own beautiful farm in Canaan, New York, in 2021, a decade after that first residential backyard. Over the years, we've turned underutilized spaces and non-agricultural land into lush, productive gardens. We've also run Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, taught skills like gardening and carpentry to the community, started a whole line of small batch products, and provided design, contracting, and consulting services.

Our aim is to transform damaged or unused spaces of thoughtless consumption to places of thoughtful production. It is beautiful to observe how quickly the natural world responds when we simply offer it space to flourish. Just a few planters on a fire escape can become a habitat. Connecting with nature and engaging in the production of our resources are intricate parts of our wellbeing. In the urban environment we must be innovative. We at Hellgate Farm wish to promote resilient living within our community and to provide opportunities for people to connect and learn. We invite you to join us, wherever we can find space to grow together!