Nick Voulgaris III never imagined he’d be running a farm. But when Kerber’s Farm, a Huntington shop and farm he cherished as a child, closed its doors and was slated to be developed into condominiums, he didn’t want to let it go.
“The notion of losing a special place like that was troubling to me,” Voulgaris said. In 2012, he took a leap and purchased the historic Kerber’s Farm, which started out as a chicken coop in the 1940s and had grown into a beloved shop known for its baked goods, fresh produce, chickens, and eggs.
Over the decade, Kerber’s Farm has blossomed beyond its roots. In 2023, Voulgaris expanded the shop into Manhattan, selling its widely loved egg biscuit sandwiches and pies in the West Village. And this past February, he entered into a partnership with Suffolk County to manage 20 acres of preserved farmland, a portion of what’s known as the Froehlich Farm Nature Preserve.
The partnership marks another milestone for the company. The agreement gives Kerber’s Farm a 20-year lease to manage the farmland, which was originally set aside by the county in 1991 for agricultural use.
With this new acreage, Voulgaris said they plan to expand their vegetable garden and educational offerings. On their current land in Huntington, they have an efficient ecosystem: the organic vegetables and flowers provide food for honeybees. The vegetables are used in their recipes, while the scraps are given as food to the chickens. The chickens produce eggs, and the bees provide local raw honey.
This ecosystem will be expanded on the new land. Voulgaris said they should begin planting late spring or summer of this year.
The farm isn’t just about growing more food; it’s equally about teaching younger generations where their food comes from, Voulgaris emphasized. “Especially with the younger generation where they’re growing up on iPhones and immersed in technology, they’re not really out getting dirty and having a full understanding of where a tomato comes from or where an egg comes from.”
Today, they have a classroom that seats 32 students and is equipped with cooking tools. They work with local school districts as well as groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to offer field trips for kids.
With the new deal with Suffolk County, Voulgaris said they should be able to accommodate more students, so more kids can get hands-on experience and connect with where their food comes from.
“How do you get them in the field, to get their fingernails dirty, to experience the stimulation of your senses,” he said, “like when you touch a tomato plant and you get that incredible aroma that can’t come through a screen on a phone?”
Kerber’s Farm is at 309 W. Pulaski Rd., Huntington and is open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m..
