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In the latest Hudson Valley Word of Mouth segment, Julia Joern visits Lime Kiln Farm in West Coxsackie. For the past 30 years, Brent Zimmerman and Alessandro Voglino have been on a mission to do their part to save old farms, beginning in Tuscany and now here in the northern Hudson Valley.

Located on over 400 acres made up of a mix of pasture and woods, Lime Kiln Farm is a place of history and beauty. An 18th century historic stone house lives in harmony with early 1800s classic American red and white barns that have been painstakingly and carefully restored, landing them on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. It’s also home to 315 sheep, 700 chickens, 5 cats, 3 dogs, and their farm store, which offers fresh chicken, grass-fed lamb, eggs, and much more.

Zimmerman shares his personal story, from growing up on a dairy farm in Michigan to moving to Voglino’s native Italy over three decades ago, before ending up here in the Hudson Valley in 2014. Their farming adventure started when they initially acquired and restored a place high up in the mountains of Tuscany (which they still own) and began running an agritourism-type of bed-and-breakfast. That eventually led to purchasing a neighboring dairy farm and starting a cheese-making business. They also remain passionate about making olive oil — pressing olives from their 475 olive trees back in Italy — which is currently available in their local farm store.

Lime Kiln Farm can also be found at the Coxsackie Farmers Market and Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market.