The Horstmann Family
Laura Horstmann - Laura is youngest of 6 children. She had a love of animals which prompted her to attend John Bowne High School and major in vocational agriculture. with the hope of becoming a veterinarian. As a high school student she attended to NYC Police horses. In 1983, she graduated from SUNY Cobleskill with a degree in animal husbandry and married her husband Rob. Desiring to become dairy farmers, Rob and Laura for a brief time, lived and worked on a large dairy farm in western New York. At that time, the dairy industry faced a crisis that resulted in a buy out encouraging many farmers to leave the business. For the Horstmann's, this time was not right to get into farming full-time. This lifestyle and experience never left either of them. They both wished that they would have the opportunity and ability to live on a farm again. Three children and life can easily consume you. It would have been easy to allow that to happen but after saving and searching they found a farm that had been with a single family for over 150 years. Located on a dead end road in the foothills of New York's Finger Lakes. The farm was purchased in 2004 and in 2008 the move was complete. Laura runs all day-to-day operations on the farm, overseeing animal care and farm management. Her kind and caring personality can be somewhat misleading as she will be strong and determined in the face of a crisis. Her personality is well suited to the rigors and requirements placed on her by the responsibilities of farm life. She is most comfortable in jeans and boots, even on date night with her husband!
Bob Horstmann - Bob was born to German immigrant parents in Queens, New York. He is the middle child of three. Bobs father was a steam fitter and worked as a commercial boiler/burner technician in New York City. Bob also worked in this trade and is today a partner in the company that his father worked at. His family's love of the outdoors combined with his love for animals led him to want to pursue a career as a large animal veterinarian. Like Laura, Bob attended John Bowne High School in NYC where he spent 4 years participating in FFA and other activities. While at John Bowne, Bob spent 2 summers working on dairy farms in upstate New York. It was during these summers that he nurtured his love for farming and country life. Bob attended Cornell University earning a bachelor degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.
During the next 20 years Bob & Laura had 3 beautiful daughters and lived a comfortable life but they continued to work and save with the dream of farm ownership. That became a reality in 2004 and while Bob still commutes to fulfill his responsibilities in his heating company the farm is never far from his mind. He runs and maintains most of the machinery while helping Laura in the care of the beef herd, the horses, pigs, sheep, geese and chickens that they own. While life can be complicated and hard at times Bob & Laura would not want it any other way. His hope and vision is for a well run farm that prioritizes animal well being and a life style that prioritizes family and values of honesty and hard work.
Jamie Horstmann - Jamie is the oldest of the 3 Horstmann sisters and has completed an associates degree from SUNY Cobleskill and a Bachelors degree from Cornell University as an animal science major with an emphasis in biology and chemistry. Jamie is attending The College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida as she continues to pursue the elusive Horstmann goal of becoming a veterinarian. Jamie was born in Queens, NY and attended grammar school in Putnam county NY where the family lived at the time. When the family moved to the farm in Candor, she was freshman in high school. She played on sports teams and the Envirothon. As a sophomore her team advanced to the National competition in California where they placed 8th. As a senior she participated in the New Visions program at Cornell University, an alternate high school program for students interested in agriculture and environmental science. She has made a full transition from life in the city to the joys of country life!
Jackie Horstmann - Jackie is the middle daughter of the 3 Horstmann sisters. Upon completing High School in her "hometown" of Candor she moved on to KeukaCollege and is currently working towards a degree in education with a specialty in working with special needs children. She has a love of animals and has a personality that allows her to easily convert from farm life to a life off of the farm. She has the unique ability to calm animals and this has helped her become a promising horse person and herdperson if she so chooses. Jackie also loves music and singing and has participated in high school ;productions including the lead in Singing in the Rain, Candor's school musical. She hopes to pursue these interests in college in the next few years and see where life leads her. Jackie is NOT thrilled at the long and challenging winters associated with living in the northeast but always looks at life's challenges optimistically and with a work ethic that has evolved while living on the farm.
Carolynne Horstmann - Carolynne is the youngest of the 3 sisters and has spent her school career in Candor. She is an avid reader and musician. She will often need to be "reminded" of her chores and responsibilities when she is involved in a good book. Carolynne participates in a local swimming club and recently became a certified scuba diver. Her love of the water and aquatic life make her think that she wants to be a marine biologist later in life. It makes dinner decisions harder sometimes as Carolynne will not eat seafood because she says that they are "friends NOT food". Her farm responsibilities have continued to grow from the hay elevator switch operator to more complicated chores like feeding and taking care of the chickens and geese.
Laura Horstmann - Laura is youngest of 6 children. She had a love of animals which prompted her to attend John Bowne High School and major in vocational agriculture. with the hope of becoming a veterinarian. As a high school student she attended to NYC Police horses. In 1983, she graduated from SUNY Cobleskill with a degree in animal husbandry and married her husband Rob. Desiring to become dairy farmers, Rob and Laura for a brief time, lived and worked on a large dairy farm in western New York. At that time, the dairy industry faced a crisis that resulted in a buy out encouraging many farmers to leave the business. For the Horstmann's, this time was not right to get into farming full-time. This lifestyle and experience never left either of them. They both wished that they would have the opportunity and ability to live on a farm again. Three children and life can easily consume you. It would have been easy to allow that to happen but after saving and searching they found a farm that had been with a single family for over 150 years. Located on a dead end road in the foothills of New York's Finger Lakes. The farm was purchased in 2004 and in 2008 the move was complete. Laura runs all day-to-day operations on the farm, overseeing animal care and farm management. Her kind and caring personality can be somewhat misleading as she will be strong and determined in the face of a crisis. Her personality is well suited to the rigors and requirements placed on her by the responsibilities of farm life. She is most comfortable in jeans and boots, even on date night with her husband!
Bob Horstmann - Bob was born to German immigrant parents in Queens, New York. He is the middle child of three. Bobs father was a steam fitter and worked as a commercial boiler/burner technician in New York City. Bob also worked in this trade and is today a partner in the company that his father worked at. His family's love of the outdoors combined with his love for animals led him to want to pursue a career as a large animal veterinarian. Like Laura, Bob attended John Bowne High School in NYC where he spent 4 years participating in FFA and other activities. While at John Bowne, Bob spent 2 summers working on dairy farms in upstate New York. It was during these summers that he nurtured his love for farming and country life. Bob attended Cornell University earning a bachelor degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.
During the next 20 years Bob & Laura had 3 beautiful daughters and lived a comfortable life but they continued to work and save with the dream of farm ownership. That became a reality in 2004 and while Bob still commutes to fulfill his responsibilities in his heating company the farm is never far from his mind. He runs and maintains most of the machinery while helping Laura in the care of the beef herd, the horses, pigs, sheep, geese and chickens that they own. While life can be complicated and hard at times Bob & Laura would not want it any other way. His hope and vision is for a well run farm that prioritizes animal well being and a life style that prioritizes family and values of honesty and hard work.
Jamie Horstmann - Jamie is the oldest of the 3 Horstmann sisters and has completed an associates degree from SUNY Cobleskill and a Bachelors degree from Cornell University as an animal science major with an emphasis in biology and chemistry. Jamie is attending The College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida as she continues to pursue the elusive Horstmann goal of becoming a veterinarian. Jamie was born in Queens, NY and attended grammar school in Putnam county NY where the family lived at the time. When the family moved to the farm in Candor, she was freshman in high school. She played on sports teams and the Envirothon. As a sophomore her team advanced to the National competition in California where they placed 8th. As a senior she participated in the New Visions program at Cornell University, an alternate high school program for students interested in agriculture and environmental science. She has made a full transition from life in the city to the joys of country life!
Jackie Horstmann - Jackie is the middle daughter of the 3 Horstmann sisters. Upon completing High School in her "hometown" of Candor she moved on to KeukaCollege and is currently working towards a degree in education with a specialty in working with special needs children. She has a love of animals and has a personality that allows her to easily convert from farm life to a life off of the farm. She has the unique ability to calm animals and this has helped her become a promising horse person and herdperson if she so chooses. Jackie also loves music and singing and has participated in high school ;productions including the lead in Singing in the Rain, Candor's school musical. She hopes to pursue these interests in college in the next few years and see where life leads her. Jackie is NOT thrilled at the long and challenging winters associated with living in the northeast but always looks at life's challenges optimistically and with a work ethic that has evolved while living on the farm.
Carolynne Horstmann - Carolynne is the youngest of the 3 sisters and has spent her school career in Candor. She is an avid reader and musician. She will often need to be "reminded" of her chores and responsibilities when she is involved in a good book. Carolynne participates in a local swimming club and recently became a certified scuba diver. Her love of the water and aquatic life make her think that she wants to be a marine biologist later in life. It makes dinner decisions harder sometimes as Carolynne will not eat seafood because she says that they are "friends NOT food". Her farm responsibilities have continued to grow from the hay elevator switch operator to more complicated chores like feeding and taking care of the chickens and geese.
