New Beginnings Farmstead: A Maple-Sweet Story of Love, Land, and Legacy
In the heart of Kingston, NY, nestled on 130 acres of rolling countryside, New Beginnings Farmstead is more than just a farm—it’s a testament to resilience, family, and a deep-rooted love for the land. Elisa and Egidio Tinti, the passionate duo behind this thriving homestead, didn’t come from farming backgrounds, but that didn’t stop them from literally and figuratively “buying the farm” in 2015.
Today, New Beginnings Farmstead produces award-winning maple syrup and honey, operates as a wedding venue, and even runs a solar farm—all while sharing their journey through a popular YouTube podcast, “The A Team at New Beginnings Farmstead.” But what makes their story even more remarkable? Farming isn’t even their full-time job.
By day, Egidio serves as the Chief of Police for the City of Kingston, and Elisa is the City Clerk. By night (and weekends, and any spare moment they can find), they’re tapping trees, bottling syrup, tending bees, and running a farm that has become a beloved part of the local community.
A Farm Built on Second Chances
For Elisa and Egidio, New Beginnings Farmstead truly lives up to its name.
“We weren’t even looking for a farm,” Elisa admits. “We were looking for a home to start our life together—our second marriage for both of us. But we kept passing this place, and it had been sitting on the market for ten years. One day, we just decided to take a look.”
What they found was a former dairy farm, in need of a lot of work and overtaken by nature. Trees were growing through the barn walls. The house had a small woodstove that was the only heat source. The basement was home to snakes, and bears wandered up to the back door.
“It needed … work,” Egidio says with a laugh. “But Elisa had a vision of what it could be .”
The couple had recently started making maple syrup as a hobby and noticed the abundance of maple trees on the land. That was the spark they needed. On August 15, 2015, they took the plunge and bought the farm.
From Dairy to Maple: A New Beginning
Turning a former dairy farm into a thriving maple syrup operation took grit, patience, and a lot of elbow grease.
“We spent an entire year just updating the house to modern standards ,” Elisa recalls. “And then we got to work reclaiming the land.”
With no farming background, the learning curve was steep. But what Egidio lacked in agricultural experience, he made up for in skill.
“My parents came from Italy by boat,” he explains. “They ran a construction company, and I grew up learning all kinds of trades. That’s what made it possible for us to fix this place up.”
Juggling their demanding city jobs with farm life wasn’t easy, but they made it work. Over time, New Beginnings Farmstead became a fully operational maple syrup and honey farm, and their syrup is no joke—it won First Place at the Ulster County Fair in 2018 (the only year they entered!).
Maple Weekend: A Sticky-Sweet Tradition
One of the biggest draws to New Beginnings Farmstead is New York State’s Maple Weekend, a four-day open house where the public can experience the magic of tree-to-table maple syrup production.
“It’s an amazing event,” says Elisa. “We take people on tours of the sugarbush, show them how to tap a tree, and let them taste our syrup fresh off the evaporator.”
But it’s not just about the syrup—it’s an all-ages experience.
“We set up activities for the kids,” she adds. “They can feed the sheep, decorate maple cookies, play educational games, and, of course, eat fresh hot waffles drizzled with our syrup.”
A Family Farm in Every Sense
One of the things that sets New Beginnings Farmstead apart is that it’s truly a family-run operation.
“Everyone who ‘works’ on the farm is family,” Egidio says. “From tapping trees to being on the podcast—it’s all hands on deck.”
That podcast, by the way, is a must-watch. “The A Team at New Beginnings Farmstead” on YouTube follows their journey, featuring everything from farm projects to personal stories.
“We love sharing what we learn,” Elisa explains. “Small farms are so important to communities, and we try to educate people about that however we can.”
The Challenges and Triumphs of Farming
For Elisa and Egidio, one of the biggest challenges has been starting from scratch.
“We’re not lifelong farmers,” Elisa says. “I was born and raised in Kingston, and Egidio grew up in the Bronx before moving upstate when he was seven. It’s been a huge learning process.”
Balancing their full-time jobs in city government with the demands of farm life has added an extra layer of challenge, but their love for the land and commitment to their farm keeps them going.
“This year marks ten years since we bought the farm,” Egidio reflects. “That’s a huge milestone for us—ten years of work, sweat, tears, love, and laughter. A true labor of love.”
Giving Back to the Community
Beyond farming, New Beginnings Farmstead plays a vital role in the local community.
“We’ve partnered with Cornell Cooperative to offer on-farm classes,” Elisa explains. “We also host Chainsaw Safety Classes through the Game of Logging.”
And for those who love a little competition, the farm runs a monthly maple syrup giveaway—a 12 oz bottle of their pure syrup—for YouTube subscribers.
“To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to our channel,” Elisa says. “It’s our way of giving back and getting people excited about what we do.”
A Call to Action: Support Small Farms
If there’s one thing Elisa and Egidio want people to know, it’s this: Farming is hard work, but it’s vital.
“We really want people to understand how important it is to support small farms,” Egidio says. “Not just ours—all farms. In the U.S., we’re losing agricultural land at an alarming rate. If we want clean, healthy food for future generations, it has to come from farms like ours.”
So, how can you support New Beginnings Farmstead?
Visit them at 2585 Route 209, Kingston, NY Check out their website: www.newbeginningsfarmstead.com
Follow them on social media: New Beginnings Farmstead on Facebook and Instagram
Subscribe to their YouTube podcast: The A Team at New Beginnings Farmstead
And, of course—stop by for Maple Weekend this March and taste that award-winning syrup for yourself. You might just find yourself inspired to start your own “new beginning.”
