Jean-Paul Courtens

Biographical Information
"Jean-Paul Courtens with his wife Jody Bolluyt and their three children Nicholas, Johannes and Annemarie, live in Kinderhook Columbia County, NY. Jean-Paul and Jody own and operate Roxbury Farm which was founded in 1990. Roxbury Farm is a 310-acre diversified operation producing vegetables, hay, beef, lamb and pork. The farm is in association with 1200 membership families in NYC, Westchester County, Columbia County, and the Capital District. Roxbury Farm, in collaboration with Equity Trust, implemented a model lease to ensure long-term land and housing affordability. Jean-Paul completed four years of training at Warmonderhof in biodynamic agriculture. He currently serves as a trustee of the Columbia Land Conservancy and works in partnership with the Open Space Institute, the Northeast Organic Network, the Cornell Soil Health Team, and the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Jean-Paul and Jody were the 2004 recipients of the Patrick Madden award for outstanding sustainable practices and education."

"Jean-Paul started Roxbury Farm in 1990 in Claverack after starting the vegetable garden at Hawthorne Valley Farm. Jean-Paul attended a 4-year training school for Biodynamic Agriculture in the Netherlands before he emigrated to the United States... Together Jean-Paul and Jody are committed to furthering the practices of sustainable agriculture by educating customers and future farmers.  They also work closely with many other organizations such as Northeast Organic Farming and Gardening Association, the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Assocation, Columbia Land Conservancy, Cornell University, Just Food, Cornell Coopertive Extension, Equity Trust, the Open Space Institute, and the National Park Service at the Martin Van Buren National Historic site to expand the circle of organizations promoting and supporting sustainable agriculture.