Kerber's Farm: A Brief History
1800s
By the mid 19th century, most of Long Island had become farmland, growing a variety of monoculture crops inculding corn, pumpkins, strawberries, potatos and cauliflower. Froelich & Wicks Farms, located across the street from present-day Kerber's Farm, was no exception and had acres upon acres of potato crops covering it's fields.
1941
Kerber's Farm was established by Paul Kerber, who taught agriculture at Farmingdale College. The property was first established as a poultry farm, and Mr. Kerber later added a farm stand and pie shop at the foot of the property. The farm was always known for its fine baked goods, chickens, eggs, ice cream and fresh produce.
1991
Suffolk County acquired the 312 acre Froelich Farm / Wick's Farm preserve under the promise to forever preserve the acerage for agricultural use. Since then, it has been under the stewardship of the Friends of Huntington Farmland who have created a small community garden, fruit tree grove, butterfly garden and short hiking trails throughout the property.
2013
By 2013 Kerber's Farm had fallen into a state of disrepair and was slated for development like many of the adjacent farms. The farm was saved when it was purchased by Nick Voulgaris III who used to frequent the store as a child with his family. Nick was passionate about continuing the Kerber’s legacy and has worked to restore the farm to it's former glory.
2021
Kerber's Farm opened its first farm school! The Kerber's Farm School teaches children the importance of sustainability, organic farming and healthy eating habits. It also helps children learn about the carbon footprints of their food choices and the importance of buying local.
2024
The Kerber's Farm School entered into a 20 year agreement with Suffolk County to expand its educational initiatives. The school will use 20 acres of farmland from Froelic Farm Nature Preserve to continue teaching children about farming and helping them understand how our food is grown and where it comes from. The farm will have various fruit and vegetable gardens, assorted livestock including laying hens, sheep and beehives and as an ode to Froelic Farm's history, feilds of potatoes. Kerbers farm will also provide increased access to the walking trails throughout the expanse of Froelic Farm's Preserve.