Penn Yan Rotary Names Sweet Farm & Sweet Farm Provisions First “Business of the Month”
Penn Yan Rotary is launching Business of the Month, a new program recognizing local businesses that make an impact in our area. The club’s first honoree is Sweet Farm & Sweet Farm Provisions. Sweet Farm is a farm animal sanctuary and regenerative farm in Himrod, and Provisions is its downtown Penn Yan shop. Together they rescue animals, donate fresh produce to neighbors, and support local makers and students.
Penn Yan Rotary is starting a new program, Business of the Month, to recognize businesses in our area making an impact. We’re proud to name Sweet Farm & Sweet Farm Provisions as our first honoree.
Sweet Farm Provisions
107 Main Street, Penn Yan, NY
sweetfarmprovisions.org | sweetfarm.org
Sweet Farm Provisions is a nonprofit retail shop of Sweet Farm Foundation, a 501(c)(3) farm animal sanctuary and regenerative farm at 210 Hall Road in Himrod, NY. The downtown Penn Yan storefront opened in June 2025. Sweet Farm itself has been rescuing animals and growing food for 11 years, first in California, and now in the Finger Lakes after fleeing the climate crisis on the West Coast.
Their Story
Sweet Farm began as a farm animal sanctuary and heirloom vegetable farm. Moving to the Finger Lakes gave the farm reliable water, which let it greatly expand its agriculture program. That program feeds the community, alongside the farm’s work caring for 150 rescued animals and its efforts to help climate-friendly technology startups succeed.
In 2025, the farm brought its mission to downtown Penn Yan with Sweet Farm Provisions, a shop of hand-picked goods for compassionate, sustainable living. Every maker is chosen for being climate-friendly, humane, handmade, and transparent about how their products are made. The shelves rotate regularly based on what customers love, from eco-friendly home goods to the farm’s own produce and flowers, to plant-based cheeses and artisanal foods. Every purchase supports the animals and programs at Sweet Farm.
Making an Impact
- Fresh food for neighbors: Sweet Farm donated 4,600 pounds of fresh, regeneratively grown produce to the community this year. The farm cart at the Main Street store also functions as a garden share where others can share their abundance.
- Store sales that give back: Provisions sales go toward the farm’s nonprofit mission.
- Bringing people to the farm: The farm offers family-friendly events, free regenerative gardening workshops, harvest celebrations, and farm tours where people can meet the rescued animals and learn how they can fight climate change at home.
- Education: Sweet Farm runs workshops for local high school students on food and climate, a 4-H group that teaches kids to care for the planet and its inhabitants, and field trips and volunteer groups of all ages.
- Supporting other rescues: Sweet Farm built the Sanctuary Toolkit, free nonprofit management software open to any nonprofit sanctuary, rescue, or shelter. It has also taken in almost 80 animals from other sanctuaries that were forced to close or downsize since the move to New York.
- Supporting local makers: The shop gives small, ethical makers a place to sell in downtown Penn Yan.
Did You Know?
- This year, the farm grew 85 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and holds wildly popular tasting events each August and September.
- In more than a year at its downtown Penn Yan location, Provisions has been bringing foot traffic to Main Street.
- Sweet Farm is home to 150 rescued animals, with tours open to the public.
Congratulations to Sweet Farm & Sweet Farm Provisions, and thank you for all you do for our community!
Pictured below from left to right: Jeanne Wiltberger, Current President, Rotary Club of Penn Yan, Ray Spencer, Immediate Past President, and Shari Brodmann, Associate Executive Director, Sweet Farm inside Sweet Farm Provisions
