KK Haspel, 63, a pioneer in biodynamic farming on the North Fork, passed away after an undisclosed illness Saturday, leaving a rich legacy. See full obituary.
Close family friend Paula DiDonato, owner of The Giving Room, sent a message out to Haspel’s friends and loved ones on Sunday.
“Yesterday, our dear friend and inspiration left this earth. KK Haspel was a visionary and a warrior for good. She was a driving force in the creation and development of the Giving Room. She was our teacher and our friend…KK will continue to inspire us to live a meaningful life. Last evening, she appeared to us in the sky as a set of double rainbows.”
Haspel, with her husband Ira, owned The Farm on Main Road in Southold, “a family-owned and operated organic farm using biodynamic practices. Our plantings are grown entirely from seed. By using raised beds and no till methods we maintain and sustain good soil structure. We fertilize naturally using biodynamic compost made on site, recycling all of nature’s offerings,” a description states on The Farm’s website.
Biodynamic farming centers on utilizing natural resources rather than chemicals and pesticides.
“KK taught me about bio-dynamic farming and how to juice and prepare food in a more organic manner. Throughout the year I would walk the fields, harvesting produce and creating gorgeous juices and meals that were vibrant and healing,” DiDonato, who owns the Giving Room with her partner Judy Teevo, wrote. “My favorite summer memory is of collecting big baskets of veggies, running home to juice then and running back to the farm for a break of juice and salad. My life was changing.”
A few days before Haspel died, DiDonato wrote about her dear friend’s life. “Last week, I was sitting with KK and she told me about a dream she had. She said that she was concerned about children going to school hungry. I was not surprised to hear this, as KK dedicates her time to creating school gardens and helping those in need. KK’s dream is to create the ‘Young Gardeners Club’. The club is designed to engage children before the school day begins to teach them about farming. During the instruction we will offer fresh organic juices. We will feed the children and ‘plant the seeds’ of our future farmers. I love the idea,” DiDonato said. “Ira and KK Haspel are my teachers. They walk me through life’s challenges and gifts.They teach all us how to be better stewards of our land – and of each other. I want to call out their example and say ‘thank you’ for all you have given to me and our community. May I continue to learn from your example and live up to your expectations. I am eternally grateful to you.”
Services have not yet been finalized; a celebration of Haspel’s life will follow in the coming weeks, DiDonato said.
