Farm-to-Table Series: The Family Tie Project
When I started thinking about wanting to tell land-based businesses’ stories, I thought long and hard about what that meant. Who would I reach out to? What kind of stories would I tell? How would I reach the kinds of businesses and landowners I had in mind? Then I remembered that I’ve built a wide network of people, ranging from the Catskills and Hudson Valley to East Tennessee and beyond.
At the heart of telling these land-based stories, I want to share what is happening in agricultural communities—not just here in East Tennessee, where I live, but also in the Upper Delaware region of New York and Pennsylvania. You might think there aren’t many comparisons between the two regions, but I assure you there are as many similarities as there are differences. To kick off this journey, I am delighted to have interviewed Katie Welsh from The Family Tie Project, located in Callicoon, NY. The Family Tie Project is a hospitality-driven brand dedicated to elevating events and strengthening systems by creating meaningful guest experiences. The name originated from an early family business idea, and the brand is built upon the importance of local roots and family ties.
Katie and I met way back when I owned Chicken Librarian, lived in the Callicoon area, and hosted workshops at The North Branch Inn. Katie is no stranger to the area, having grown up in Callicoon and only leaving to attend college in New England. The pull of rural Catskills life led her back to settle down, marry, and start a family. In the meantime, she worked in event management and corporate trade shows until landing at Foster Supply Hospitality about six years ago.
Katie and I sat down over coffee one afternoon—her in Callicoon, me in Powell, TN. We hadn’t seen each other since my days at The North Branch Inn, but we reminisced about those times and took a moment to catch up (you can watch the full conversation over on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@chicken-librarian). After filling each other in on where we are in life, we dove straight into the importance of the farm-to-table movement and compared notes. Katie has long been a champion of the lifestyle—not only because she grew up in the area, but also because she is intentional about how she feeds her family. It’s easier to do when you have access to farm markets and space to grow a garden, and the Upper Delaware region is known for its farm-to-table communities.
But it goes beyond growing your own food or visiting the local farmers market. It also means surrounding yourself with that lifestyle—something Katie fully embodies. After leaving Foster Supply to focus on raising her growing family—a bittersweet move, as she shared that she misses her extended family there—she started The Family Tie Project. She has worked closely with Shawn Lang from The Farmhouse Project (helping create the original Makers Market). She also produces her own events and is once again spearheading the children’s programming at a new festival in Callicoon with The Farmhouse Project—one that puts farm-to-table living front and center: The Ramp Fest, taking place May 1 & 2.
One of Katie’s specialties—also something near and dear to her—is children’s programming. In her previous role at Foster Supply Hospitality, and even before that, she did extensive leadership work with staff and teams, cultivating skills she now brings to working with children. She finds this—especially at larger festivals—an essential part of what she does. Don’t get her wrong, she loves planning events, but when it comes to incorporating children’s activities into the farm-to-table events she’s helped put on the map, she’s all in.
She’s also excited to announce a new partnership with Smok'd Catskills! Keep an eye out for some exciting collaborations coming this year.
Katie also mentioned that one easy way to begin exploring seasonal eating and the farm-to-table lifestyle is to visit your local farmers market year-round. Talk to the farmers. See what they’re selling. That will give you a clear sense of what’s in season.
We also discussed some of the challenges businesses face in the Upper Delaware region. We both agree it’s a beautiful place to live—part of the Northern Appalachian Mountains—and we love the rural lifestyle, but it isn’t without its challenges, most notably the weather. Summers in the Catskills are an ideal time to visit, with plenty to do. And fall—y’all—it’s the time to be in the mountains. But what happens when winter hits? Road conditions can be tough (although northern regions are used to this and do a great job keeping roads as clear as possible—ask me about living in the South during a snowstorm; it’s a totally different story). One of Katie’s challenges during her time at Foster Supply was finding ways to entice people to visit year-round. It takes creativity to use the weather to your advantage. As she described it during our conversation, “Another challenge is conveying the magic of the area to visitors, especially during the winter and the slow spring season.”
You can follow along with Katie’s journey on her Instagram, Facebook, and her website. She recently reinvented her blog, and one of the many ways she’s sharing current events is through her writing. You might find her take on the local pancake breakfasts—hosted by volunteer fire departments as fundraisers—especially intriguing.
I use the term “land-based business” loosely. To me, it can be anyone connected to the farm-to-table culture. You’ll see that unfold here in Katie’s story, and also as we move forward with others I’ll be sharing. If you know someone who might want to share their story, feel free to reach out at kristin@chickenlibrarian.com.
Bio: Kristin Webber is a farm-to-table lifestyle curator, writer, and founder of The Farmstead by Chicken Librarian and Yarn & Sundries Antiques. Her editorial work explores slow living, seasonal skills, and the people and places shaping food, culture, and community. You can find out more about her work on her website: chickenlibrarian.
