Specialty Plant Nursery & Educational Center

Midsummer Farm has been in the business of growing organically, biodynamically, and sustainably since 2005. We currently grow a huge assortment of plants and seedlings - over 1,000 species and varieties which we sell at our Annual Plant Sales.

We also offer a wide array of workshops and courses in herbalism, permaculture, homesteading, cooking, crafting, and more!

Barbara and Mark Laino are the founders and the stewards of Midsummer Farm. We are a small, artisanal, family run and owned farm located in beautiful Warwick, NY.

About Barbara Taylor-Laino

Barbara Taylor-Laino is co-owner and co-founder of Midsummer Farm in Warwick, NY. She is a full-time farmer and the primary instructor/teacher at Midsummer Farm.

Barbara's passion for flavor and quality of food was the inspiration for her to change career paths from publishing and dive deeply into farming. With her husband Mark, Midsummer Farm was created, and an intense journey of learning commenced as they pursued the artisanal organic farm concept.

She has grown and sold everything from certified organic vegetables through a CSA program, to animal welfare approved eggs and chickens, to herbs, cut flowers, and plants. As time went on and the farm evolved, she has focused her attention on one of her first loves in life - which is teaching. Midsummer Farm has a wide array of awesome and intense courses and workshops on topics that she has both a huge passion for as well as huge experience in. The goal of the workshops and courses is to provide students with the info she wished she had when she started out many years ago. The growing style is all about nutrient density, clean/safe food, herbal alternatives, and respectful growing practices.

Although she continues to maintain the diverse artisanal homestead and demonstration gardens, Barbara has concentrated her focus on developing Midsummer Farm into a nursery business. Her love and obsession for growing and propagating plants has led to Midsummer Farm's Giant Annual Spring Plant Sale. And the nursery now offers over 1000 different species and varieties of plants. Each year, more get added... She now grows and sells tons of native perennials, berries, trees, heirloom vegetable seedlings, and over 500 types of medicinal and culinary herbs.

Barbara has written a book on Making Homemade Pet Food and is currently working on two others. She does other writing as well on subjects and for companies which she feels passionate about. Besides teaching, she views writing as a way to share and inspire and empower people to grow nutrient dense and healthy food in their backyards and make good use of herbs to brighten and rejuvenate their lives.

Please visit Barbara's Blog Page for tons of great articles and recipes and free information on a wide variety of subjects near and dear to us. She looks forward to meeting you and connecting and sharing.

Mindful Agriculture & Horticulture

Midsummer Farm was created out of a passion for good food, fresh flavors, and artisanal ingredients. We consider ourselves a garden farm, an artisanal homestead, as well as a teaching farm. We want to fully experience the growing of food and want the process itself to be artful.

Our farm works in cooperation with nature by not only supporting but also revitalizing the health of the Earth. Everything we produce is grown in an atmosphere of environmental responsibility as well as a love for life and nature.

Teaching

We were propelled into teaching as we have met so many like-minded people who were seeking knowledge. We offer both workshops and intensive courses on a range of topics, from how to get more beans into your diet, to using herbs in daily life, to building a homestead in your backyard, to a fully endorsed Permaculture Design Certification Program.

All of our classes are built out of our own experiences over the years and are intrinsically sustainable and dedicated to organic decision-making and lifestyle choices. Our primary instructor is Barbara Laino, who has been teaching in one form or another for more than 35 years.

We Look Forward to Hearing From You!

Our goal is to provide our customers with strong and productive plants as well as great learning opportunities for creating their own sanctuaries of food and energy in their backyards and gardens and farms. To learn more, contact us today.