From Our Family To Yours
Bell & Walhalla is a family farm partnership between Bellinger Family Farm & Walhalla Farm. Both began as dairy farms in the 40’s. When the dairy market crashed during the farm crisis of the late 70’s, both family farms went out of business and began to fall into disrepair. As neighbors, Todd Bell & Basil Kreimendahl have worked together and continue to restore both farms.
The Bellinger Family Farm has been in Todd’s family for generations. Currently, the farm grows mostly organic hay on over 200 acres that have never been sprayed. As our farm partnership grows, The Bellinger Family Farm will provide our livestock with healthy nutritious grazing.
For 2025, Bell & Walhalla has partnered with another family farm Sap Bush Hollow, our neighbors in Schoharie County. When Jim and Adele Hayes bought the farm in 1979, the United States was deep into the farm crisis. Jim worked as a professor of animal science at nearby SUNY Cobleskill, Adele worked in rural development for the county, and the couple wanted a place where their children could run free, where they could keep their flock of sheep.
“We're still growing. We're still dreaming. We're still roaming the pastures, slipping away to our favorite swimming holes, and hiking through the woods in fresh winter snows, all while caring for the land and livestock. This is our dream for now, and for the future. “
The future of farming at that time was grim. The mantra was to get big or get out, the push was on to plow ground that should never be plowed, to spray away vegetation that was holding the soil, to allow chemicals and machinery to destroy Mother Nature. The Hayes family resisted the national pressure. Often regarded as "the crazy farm family up in the hills," they experimented with organic and sustainable farming practices. They fenced their pastures, practiced rotational grazing, experimented and multi-species grazing, and began diversifying and direct marketing with the help of their daughter, Shannon.
Walhalla Farm grows organic vegetables, mushrooms and fruit. As well as, free-range eggs and poultry. We harvest and boil our own maple syrup and pick our own flowers. Ely Kreimendahl bakes breads and jams. Basil and his wife work both in Brooklyn and at Walhalla. They have two kids who attend PS130.
Basil Kreimendahl and Jackson Charboneau run Walhalla Farm’s organic vegetable production & CSA shares.
A dream between two neighbors - to restore our family farms and pass down something better to our kids has led to the Bell’s & Kreimendahl’s forming a partnership that brings the rich food diversity of Schoharie County to NYC. Bell & Walhalla Farm is committed to bringing our CSA members only the best products.
