The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer, so this year, Buy Madison County is taking time to shine the spotlight on the essential roles women play in agriculture.
We start our highlight with Tessa Curtis, who owns and runs the newly opened The Corner Lot Farm Store on Bradley Brook Road in Eaton, NY.
Tessa is a wife, a mom of three, a life-long resident of Madison County, and a farmer. The Corner Lot Farm Store opened on May 1, 2026, as a passion project of Tessa’s. She and her husband grew up in Eaton and together run Hollow Center Farms in Munnsville, NY. They knew that the Eaton community was in need of local fresh food, and through this farm store, they are able to provide that.
“For me, it is really important to know what is in your food,” says Tessa. “Out here in Eaton, you have to go all the way to Cazenovia, or Oneida, or Hamilton for groceries. That is great if you are coming from that way, but if you don’t, you don’t have another option. Here at the Corner Lot, you know we raised the meat, the eggs, and we have a local milk and produce supply. We know who grew it, and we can bring it to you.”
Tessa wasn’t always a farmer. She says she did not find the passion until later on when she started growing a hobby garden for her family. That turned into a thirst for answers so she enrolled at SUNY Morrisville to major in horticulture. Now she is combining her passion and education to give back to her community.
So how does she do it all? With the strength of her family. Tessa will be the first person to tell you that when she had this idea, her husband was her biggest supporter, “Go for it,” he told her. Tessa’s family is so supportive of her business and is always by her side. On any given day at The Corner Lot, you can find Tessa’s parents, her husband, her kids, or her in-laws all there helping out. They even all rallied together to help build the greenhouses and The Corner Lot Farm Store.
“She needed all hands-on deck to build the big greenhouses,” said Megan Matthews, Tessa’s sister. “It was an awesome opportunity for our whole family to come together. It is really nice, because in this modern day and age, I feel like I only see my family through phone calls or catching up. We don’t have as many opportunities to just do something together. The kids were playing with all of the animals. The adults were catching up while we were putting up these greenhouses. It’s fun because I get to drive by the farm or The Corner Lot Farm Store, and I know the story about how these structures went up.”
At The Corner Lot Farm Store, you can find everything you need for dinner: fresh beef raised on Hollow Center Farms, eggs from Hollow Center Farms, farm fresh produce, plants, flowers, maple syrup, and baked goods on Saturdays. There is more to come as the growing season gets underway. To find out the hours and more, visit The Corner Lot Farm Store on Facebook and Instagram, or simply stop by.
Tessa says that The Corner Lot Farm Store is supposed to be about the community. “I want people in the community to know that you are welcome here. It is meant to be a fun place, a fun community spot, a fun family spot.”
The Corner Lot Farm Store is at 2732 Bradley Brook Road, Eaton, NY.
Are you a woman farmer? Do you know a woman farmer and you want to tell her story?
Check out this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MCWomenFarmers.