The family farm in America is becoming less and less common, but the Bakker’s continue to live in a tight-knit community tucked along the beautiful rolling hills of Central New York. Although they are retired and cut back on production, the Bakker family continue grow organic feed crops and live the old American dream raising their kids and grandkids.
The Bakker family farm house is touched by the last of the days sun in Stanley, New York, Oct. 23, 2019. The Bakker’s house was built in 1867, and they have lived there since getting married in 1976.
Organic famer Arend Bakker eats lunch while watching football during a break from chores on the family farm in Stanley, New York, Oct. 27, 2019. Arend has owned the farm since 1974, and has built many additions, remodels and out buildings as his organic farm grew.
Arend Bakker studies his crop of organic soy beans to determine if they are dry enough to be harvested Nov. 21, 2019 in Stanly, New York. While organic soy beans are worth more at market than non-organic, the same area yields less per acer due to the absence of chemicals used for rapid growth and weed killer.
Arend Bakker works to unclog his combine harvester after a malfunction on its cutting edge, Nov. 21, 2019 in Stanly, New York. Arend must keep a close eye on the tractor while harvesting to ensure it is picking up as much soybeans as possible.
Arend Bakker comes home to his wife Jackie reading to their grandchildren Logan, 3, and Wyatt Heitmann, 1, Nov. 7, 2019 in Stanly, New York. Jackie earned a masters in reading education and is always looking to find new books to read to her grandkids.
Jackie and Arend Bakker go for a Sunday ride on their International Harvester Farmall antique tractor in Stanley, New York, Oct. 27, 2019. The couple take their custom two-seater tractor to parades and events with their local antique tractor club.
Arend Bakker keeps a close eye on the cutting edge of the tractor as he harvests his last field of organic soybeans Nov. 21, 2019 in Stanly, New York. Working against the clock and the weather, if he doesn’t get the crop off the field now, he may lose it all to due to precipitation.
Soy beans are left to dry out before being harvested in Stanley, New York, Oct. 23, 2019. The Bakker’s farm organic food grade soy beans and spelt.
Arend Bakker looks to see how many soybeans he is losing on the ground as part of testing the tractors harvesting settings, Nov. 21, 2019 in Stanly, New York. Depending on the tractor’s settings, and the soybeans plants moisture content, a fraction of the harvest is lost on the ground.
Arend Bakker harvests his last organic soy bean crop of the season Nov. 21, 2019 in Stanly, New York. The crop was due to come up weeks prior, but due to wet seasonal weather it was unable to be harvested until the ground and soybeans dried.
Arend Bakker gets one of the storage barns ready for winter on the family farm in Stanley, New York, Oct. 27, 2019. Arend Bakker has worked as an organic farmer for most of his life, but has had to scale back his operations as he has gotten older.
