Growing in Annandale
Bard isn't just a fertile ground for the thoughts of students. For centuries the soil of the Hudson Valley has attracted farmers, from indigenous people to European colonizers, to grow. Agricultural production was a well established vocation by time Bard College was founded in 1860. The story of agriculture in the area is reflective of the growth of the US economy and history; nothing is stagnant. As America shifts and changes, so too have the farms surrounding the intellectual enclave of Annandale-on-Hudson. After a period of decline and disrepair the agricultural tradition of the Hudson Valley is now closer than ever to Bard. From the vibrant farm communities, rooted in the history of the Hudson Valley, to Bard’s own working farm, this history is as important as ever for Bard.