A greener onion

Agricultural tourism is rapidly expanding in the highly fertile "Black Dirt" region of New York's Orange County, an hour's drive from Manhattan. Known historically for its onion farms, the area now is a center for entrepreneurial, small-scale farmers who are growing a wide array of organic vegetables and hosting events and programs to attract tourists from throughout the metropolitan region.

Claire Lindsay '16 is joining them. Having grown up in the area and spent two summers working for one of the most successful of this new breed of farm, she's launching The Green Onion LLC to provide "a shared experience of food, the arts and learning while fostering a sustainable ecosystem of people and land."

Lindsay is one of seven finalists competing in Skidmore's Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition (presentations start at 5 p.m. in the upstairs conference rooms in Murray-Aikins Dining Hall) and says she'll apply any prize money toward renovating a retail and event space that she's leasing with her sister Hillary on a 280-acre former onion farm. Her Green Onion will provide a year-round market for farms throughout the region, including five adjacent farms that are leasing their land from a group of social entrepreneurs committed to providing sustainable farmlands.

Independent business advisor Christine Juneau '82, P'18, who has been mentoring Lindsay on her plan and final pitch, is impressed by the property's location and by her mentee's "desire to make her business happen." Juneau says, "Claire is making constant progress in negotiating lease terms, lining up vendors and other nuts and bolts of the startup. And we've made a lot of progress in developing her revenue model and defining how the business can realistically work."

Mentoring for the third time in the Freirich contest, Juneau says curiosity and the opportunity to help students develop their ideas and solve problems are what keep her coming back. "It's fascinating to see the range of creative ideas the students develop," she says. "Every plan has its obstacles and weaknesses in the first round of the competition, and it's fun to help them think through possible solutions. I encourage them to understand that presenting clear financials is not an evil necessity, but a succinct way to present their thinking."

As an American studies major who has taken no business courses, Lindsay says Juneau has been "helping me develop ideas on how to make the business successful and further reach out to the community surrounding The Green Onion. Participating in the competition has been a supportive learning experience."