Seeds of Change: Lakeview Organic's Future with Mary-Howell and Klaas Martens
A lot has changed since we harvested our first organic crop of wheat in 1992! Over the years, our farm and feed business, Lakeview Organic Grain, have grown alongside the booming demand for organic food. We’ve navigated significant industry shifts, including the arrival of GMOs and the introduction of the USDA National Organic Program in 2001, which transformed the organic landscape.
Through it all, we’ve gained invaluable insights into agronomics and soil health, partnered on numerous Cornell University research projects, and built lasting friendships. We’ve experienced the ebb and flow of market opportunities and felt the impact of imported organic products.
Today, our family is undergoing a generational transition: one son is taking over the farming operation, another is leading seed sales, and we’re winding down animal feed sales to focus on growing a new family venture—Seneca Grain and Bean, dedicated to food-quality grains.
Join us as we share stories from this incredible journey, reflect on the evolution of organics, and explore where the future of the industry may take us next
Klaas and Mary-Howell Martens farm about 2000 acres of certified organic grain with their sons, Peter and Daniel, in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. Their first certified organic wheat crop was in 1992. As they deliberately concluded the feed business, Lakeview Organic Grain, in 2024, Mary-Howell has returned to her first love. - food- as an educational instructor at New York Kitchen, a public/private facility that promotes New York beverages and agricultural products. Klaas enjoys researching Big Picture products, such as a farm-scale solar micro-grid and a local irrigation district. He is on the American Farmland Trust Board of Directors and several Cornell University advisory boards.
