Documentary
The last farm in new york city
Watch the entire documentary.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
Or watch the individual chapters below.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 1.
The Last Farm in New York City
This chapter introduces you to the Decker Farm, where Augustine currently grows the produce that he sells at the St. George Greenmarket on Saturday mornings. Then we meet Tim Anagnostis, who operated the entire eleven acre Decker Farm from 1959 through 2000.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 2.
Greenhouse and Cold Frames
In this chapter we meet Tim in his greenhouse and see what happens when it collapses under the weight of the snow. Our friend, Farmer Markus, from Germany, gives us a brief overview of how a farmer uses greenhouses and cold frames.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 3.
Manure, Fertilizer and Spray
This video shows clips of Tim answering my persistent questions about fertilizer and insecticide. My mother and aunt (Tim’s nieces), and my father (Tim’s nephew-in-law), discuss Tim’s hard work on the farm, how often he shoveled the manure, and how he would fall asleep when he visited them after work in the 1960s.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 4.
Field Work and Marbles
This video brings us around the farm and into the fields. We meet historians Cheryl Criaris-Bontales and Janet Medoro as they share their memories of Tim Anagnostis and Staten Island family farming. Hear the story about how marbles wound up in the fields.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 5.
Sales and Langston Hughes
In this video, historians Cheryl Criaris-Bontales and Janet Medoro discuss Cheryl’s road side tomato stand in the early 1960s. Hear about Langston Hughes’ season on Staten Island in the 1920s at the Criaris family farm. Hear farm jokes from Tim when a friendly customer comes to pick his own.
(Video captions available in English and Spanish.)
CHAPTER 6.
Farming Then and Now
In this video, historians Carlotta DeFillo and Janet Medoro discuss salt hay and hay barracks, two items that were essential to farmers of the past. Then Janet joins history writer Cheryl Criaris-Bontales to discuss farming life as it existed on Staten Island until the mid-twentieth-century. Later, farmers Markus and Augustine bring us a glimpse of urban farming as it is today.
Meet the People in the Documentary
These are some of the people who appear in the documentary.
Tim Anagnostis
Born in 1917, Tim grew up on his father Basil’s farm on Merrill Avenue, Staten Island. Tim was the only “natural born” farmer of his ten siblings, with the others leaving farming for better prospects as soon as they could. In those days, Staten Island was still largely rural, and farming, although already in decline, was still common. Eventually, the Anagnostis family farm, like most other farmland, was sold and redeveloped.
After his family sold the farm, Tim spent time delivering coal, then eventually found a warehouse job at P&G. But in 1959, he heard about a parcel of farmland that he was available to rent – eleven acres – from the Staten Island Historic Society. Tim worked the historic “Decker Farm” for 41 years, part-time at first, then full-time after his retirement from P&G. He kept at it, seven days a week, year round, until his death in the year 2000. All winter long he hauled manure, prepared the land and made repairs. During growing season, he sold his produce to “Top Tomato” and other independent grocery stores and vegetable stands.
Helen Anagnostis
Helen (Aunt Honey), is Tim’s wife. Although she wouldn’t admit it, Aunt Honey readily packed and hauled crates, showed up when Tim needed her to set out plants for transplanting, rode the tractor, made lunch and was a fantastic all around farm hand.
Agripina Juarez
Agripina helps Augustine work the Decker Farm. She is now growing every special thing that she used to have in her hometown of Oaxaca, Mexico. She’s proud of what she grows, and she shares.
Augustine Juarez
Augustine answered the call to attend Cornell University’s new farmer training program and now works a small section of the farm part-time while maintaining a full time job at Snug Harbor. He sells his vegetables seasonally at the St. George Greenmarket on Saturday morning. Look for the “Staten Island Family Farm” where you’ll find the best chili peppers, tomatillos, maize, squash and other specialties.
Jimmy Anagnostis
Tim’s cousin Jimmy helped with everything – designing and building the greenhouse, making specialty tools, and keeping the tractors rolling. He lived near the Decker Farm, and was frequently visiting and picking vegetables.
Mary Vaccaro
Tim’s grandniece, Mary, video taped Tim working at the farm in the early 1990s. Mary helped out occasionally, and learned things along the way.
Chrissy
It was Chrissy’s idea to buy the video camera, and she held it at least fifty percent of the time in the old footage that you see here. Chrissy enjoyed clowning around on the farm and keeping up with Tim’s jokes.
William Vaccaro
Tim’s nephew through marriage. “Tim was a hard working, good man and he did a lot for my wife and my wife’s sister when they were younger. He was the only one who took them places. I appreciate that.”
Helen Vaccaro
Tim’s niece. “Tim was very generous and kind to us. He and Aunt Helen made us feel special when we were young girls.”
Mary Kusas
Tim’s niece. “Uncle Tim and Aunt Helen were wonderful to us growing up.”
Cheryl Criaris-Bontales
Local history writer and grand niece of Tim Anagnostis, Cheryl grew up on a small truck farm that was once part of the original Anagnostis family farm on Merrill Avenue. Cheryl has written and contributed to numerous articles on Staten Island’s Greek community and farming history.
Carlotta DeFillo
Archivist and Historian at Historic Richmond Town, Carlotta has devoted herself to organizing the Historic Society’s collection and to sharing Staten Island’s history with others. In addition to maintaining the archives, Carlotta enjoys demonstrating cooking methods of the 18th and 19th Centuries at Historic Richmond Town. Local researchers revere Carlotta and appreciate her insight, wide breadth of knowledge, and especially the passion and charm she brings to all subjects of Staten Island history.
Janet Necker Medoro
Local history writer, Janet Medoro, is the author of “Our Staten Island.” With a lifelong passion for Staten Island history, Janet fondly remembers that as a young girl, her father brought her to the Decker Farm to visit his co-worker at the P&G factory, Tim Anagnostis. Janet gives lively local history presentations throughout Staten Island.
Markus
Markus is a farmer and agriculturalist who comes from a multi-generational family of farmers in Germany. While he no longer farms in Germany, he is an avid agriculturalist in New York City, where he volunteers as a licensed tree pruner, a licensed food pantry worker, and a gardener in New York City Parks. He also gives gardening presentations to school children.
Mike
Mike is a friendly customer who often visited the farm to pick his own. He was there at the right time to get the best zuccini and pumpkin flowers.
Chrissy
Chrissy and Tim share the same birthday!
About this Documentary
This documentary consists of old and new footage.
I shot the old footage of Tim Anagnostis working the Decker Farm in 1992-1994. There you will see farming techniques that were once prevalent on local small family farms.
I shot the new videos in 2021 and 2022. This footage introduces us to Augustine and Agripina – the current part-time farmers of the Decker farm – as well as to Tim’s relatives and farm history enthusiasts who bring to life memories of family farming as it once was in New York City.
Enjoy!
Mary Vaccaro
Grand Niece of Tim Anagnostis