Empty Pockets Ranch

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Empty Pockets Ranch is a veteran family-owned farm in Cobleskill offering farm products, tours, special events, U-pick flowers, and seasonal activities.

Our Story

Empty Pockets Ranch started in 2016 with a handful of dairy sheep and 24 chickens. What began as a dream of family homesteading quickly morphed into a full-time business and lifestyle.

Lori hails from Long Island's farm country, the North Fork. She has always had a deep love of all things agricultural - from constantly drawing pictures of farms and livestock as a young child, to beginning a career in veterinary science. She worked as a veterinary assistant for several years before moving to Columbia County in 2009 looking for a change - she wanted to purchase a farm, move towards self-sufficiency and live her values of sustainability and animal welfare. Lori returned to school at SUNY Cobleskill in 2012, pursuing a degree in Agricultural Business Management. Lori’s advisor, Jason Evans, was instrumental in Lori’s desire to move to Schoharie County, and gave her the right push to start a full-time farm business.  

Josh was born and raised in Columbia County, NY. After high school, Josh spent a decade serving in the Army, including several tours of Iraq. Although Columbia County is heavily immersed in agriculture, Josh had no direct connection to farming. He met Lori in 2013 and she introduced him to horses, goats, chickens, and growing vegetables. Josh also attended SUNY Cobleskill, majoring in Ag Engineering and attending the John Deere program. Even though it's not what he grew up with, Josh found farming and animal husbandry quite cathartic, and together they decided to purchase a historic farmstead in Lawyersville.  

In the early years of Empty Pockets Ranch, we developed our signature sheep milk soaps, offered eggs to friends and neighbors, rescued four standardbred horses from an auction house, and attended the occasional local craft fairs. 

When Covid-19 came and changed the world, we knew the farm needed to change too, whether we were ready or not. In 2020, we opened an on-farm store to the public for the first time to give our community access to farm fresh products when they needed it the most. We hand-planted 5 acres of sunflowers and a pumpkin patch for u-pick, and started making take and bake pot pies. We knew there was no going back!