Faculty & Staff Directory

Samantha Graves-Brownell brings her background in journalism to Hoosac's development team. She has worked as managing editor of a weekly news publication, founded an NPO publication, and has written for college-level textbooks, magazines, and newspapers. 

In 2005, after noting an increase in soft-tissue cancers, and specifically an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in young women within her community, Samantha published an essay exposing the link between NHL and the use of organochlorines and organophosphates being used on conventional cherry orchards. Her essay, More than Cherries, received several awards and highlighted the need for a change in farming practices in the region.

One year following the publication of More than Cherries, Samantha was diagnosed with the same form of NHL she had spent the previous two years researching and was moved to seek change in how we think about and grow food.

In 2007, Samantha founded a permaculture demonstration orchard at the historic DeYoung Farmstead owned by the Leelanau Land Conservancy. There she worked with youth and adults and conventional farmers on everything from ecological growing methodologies to food storage and preparation to fiber processing. 

Today, Samantha resides in Hoosick, NY with her family and large, ecologically-integrated garden. She has been cancer-free for more than a decade and is excited to bring her passion for food and history to Hoosac.