Consulting
Each year I get many requests for support as people consider how to best steward land and develop systems to meet their production goals, whether it be to provide for personal and community needs, or as a business enterprise.
Having personally been on the journey of land stewardship, my approach to consulting is to seek solutions at the intersection of your goals and what will support the health of the landscape, along with assessing markets and enterprise budgets if selling products is your goal.
I listen closely in our conversations and try to reflect back what I hear as important. I work to clarify and deepen your goals, and I always advocate for approaches that fit best with the realities of your situation, given what you might have available as far as time, capital, and experience.
I am honest and direct with what I am able to offer, and I will be clear when I don't think I am the best fit for your needs. I do not sell you promises of everything working perfectly, as I believe it's essential to be realistic about the challenges in various systems.
Land Planning
Assess for Purchase
Forest and Pasture Health
Water Management
Agroforestry
Silvopasture Systems
Tree Planting Plans
Installations
Mushroom Cultivation
Outdoor Cultivation
Indoor Cultivation
Markets and Economics
Process
Exploratory Call
All clients start with a call (up to 90-minutes) over ZOOM using Google Earth to look at the site or conditions. The call is followed with a short email summarizing potential next steps and billed for 2.5 hours and payment is requested within one week of providing the summary and invoice.
Before the intake, it's very helpful if you email me a simple boundary map of the site you want to discuss. (or floor plans of a building if relevant)
This quick video shows you how to make and export a file you can email to me:
Projects
Site visits and deeper project work is dependent on my current client load and the time of year. My greatest availability is November through April, since there is less demand on our farm at that time. Any consistent work on a project will be articulated in a scope of work and agreement signed by both parties before work begins.
Much planning and project work can be done virtually using Zoom, Google Earth and other platforms. If a site visit is desired or necessary, availability depends on the time of year and distance of travel. Mileage or other transportation costs, meals, and hourly rates will apply. Because of the needs of my family and farm, distant travel beyond 2-3 hours from my home in Mecklenburg, NY is often more difficult, but possible with adequate advance planning.
Rates
To help meet our goals for equity, we offer tiered pricing based on individual income, or the operating budget of the smaller organization/company. Note that these rates are subject to change depending on the situation. For larger corporate, investor, and research related projects, we typically bill on a case-by-case scenario from $200+/hr depending on the beneficiaries.
While we do not ask for proof - we expect your honesty. Those with more means help us reach and support those with less. We aim to not turn anyone away for a lack of funding and do a limited number of pro bono community projects each year.
We also have solidarity discounts on these rates for individuals and organizations who have been historically marginalized, especially in food and agriculture, including BIPOC and Indigenous, and LGBTQAI+ identified folks. Reach out via email to learn more.
General Terms:
Meetings, calls, email communication are all tracked and billed hourly.
Educational events are typically billed at 2 - 4x the hourly time of the event, to account for preparation time. A scope of work will be developed for anything beyond a one-time presentation.
Projects are estimated in terms of time, materials, and travel costs and provided in a Scope of Work. When the Scope of Work is agreed upon and signed, payment of 10% of the estimate is due to be paid. This serves as a retainer. More than 10% beyond the Scope of Work estimated will require discussion and the Scope of Work will be renegotiated and signed by both parties.
Ready to get in touch?
If you’d like to discuss further or see if there are openings, please feel free to contact Steve at stevegabrielfarmer@gmail.com with “CONSULT REQUEST” in the subject line, or call 607.342.2825
ABOUT ME
Steve Gabriel is an ecologist, farmer, and educator from the Finger Lakes Region (New York) located on the traditional lands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga Nation).
Throughout his career spanning 20 years, Steve has taught thousands of farmers and land stewards about land planning, mushroom growing, and agroforestry. His experience working in academic research and extension, as a teacher and lecturer, and managing several working farm landscapes has built a unique balance of knowledge and practice which he brings to the projects he supports through consults.
With his family, Steve co-stewards Wellspring Forest Farm, which produces mushrooms, pastured lamb maple syrup, elderberry, and an assortment of other homescale products. He previously served for 12 years as Extension Specialist for the Cornell Small Farm Program focused on research and education on agroforestry and mushroom production.
Steve co-authored Farming the Woods with Ken Mudge (2014) and is author of Silvopasture (2019).
He passionately pursues work to reconnect people to the forested landscape and see the value of trees, forests, and fungi as an essential part of a regenerative future.