BUILDING THE NEW YORK STATE SEAWEED COMMUNITY

When Wendy & Justin first decided to make an impact on their local community by growing seaweed, they originally had set out to become kelp farmers themselves. As Wendy connected with more and more experts, she heard patterns in their stories—the same uncertainties, obstacles, gaps in communication and knowledge were a common refrain. She realized that she would have greater impact by serving the existing infrastructure already alive and well on Long Island, working to bridge those gaps, connect the dots, and strengthen the pain points that the industry faced. Today, The Moore Family Charitable Foundation supports Lazy Point Farms to help provide the structural, educational, and logistical support necessary to help growers build their own unique kelp programs all across New York State - from the urban waters of NYC to the commercial food-grade waters of Long Island. Since launching Lazy Point Farms as a subsidiary LLC of the Foundation in 2020, Wendy & Justin now work remotely from NYC to help growers achieve their goals. 

This year alone, Lazy Point Farms is partnering with 3 local hatcheries and 13 kelp programs: high school science teachers, garden clubs, urban growers, environmental organizations, and commercial shellfish farmers interested in diversifying their crops. We think kelp is for everyone, and our diverse range of programs we support reflects that.

Kelp farming and its related industries have enormous potential for New York State, both from an ecological perspective and in creating sustainable jobs during uncertain times. 

If you want to learn more about growing kelp, using it, or how you can support the growth of an industry, you've come to the right place!