The extraordinary career of Abra Morawiec (’09) is strictly for the birds—literally.
In fall 2015, this energetic Weissman School of Arts and Sciences alumna became New York’s first organic quail farmer, founding “Feisty Acres Farms” in North Fork, Long Island. Her venture has gained national acclaim and is one of only two organic quail farms in the country.
But Morawiec did not exactly grow up with a green thumb. Although her family often kept a modest stock of chickens and ducks, she never dreamed she would one day be a professional farmer.
“We enjoyed fresh eggs for breakfast,” she recalls. “But as a profession, farming certainly wasn’t on my radar.”
After her Baruch graduation, Morawiec served in the Peace Corps, a lifelong dream that allowed her to work as an agriculture extension agent in Mali. The experience would profoundly shape her future.
“It was difficult not to be involved in agriculture while in Mali,” she says, “Over there, if you don’t farm, you don’t eat.”
Soon enough, Morawiec had learned from the locals how to plant, weed, and harvest crops.
“I was afforded the opportunity to see firsthand how directly connected we are to the land and the whims of nature,” she explains. “It was very humbling.”
When she moved back to Brooklyn, Morawiec worked briefly for Americorps, managing an urban farm and pantry in Bedford Stuyvesant. She made some connections within the industry and landed an apprenticeship at two Long Island organic farms, inspiring her to eventually rent land and create “Feisty Acres Farms.”
Cornering the market on a unique fowl — organic game birds, known as ‘coturnix’ — proved a savvy business move.
“In order to survive out here as a farmer, you have to set yourself apart,” she says, “and allow the quality and integrity of your product to speak for itself.”
“Feisty Acres” is conveniently located between New York City and the Hamptons, enabling Morawiec to sell eggs and poultry to a wealth of restaurants and individual customers alike.
And through it all, she cites her Baruch education as one of the cornerstones of her blossoming career. An English major and French minor, Morawiec still keeps in touch with a handful of her former professors.
“They were always so supportive and enthusiastic of my desire to serve, and I still chat with a few of them from time to time on Facebook,” Morawiec says.
“Even after all these years, Baruch is still cheering me on.”
—Gregory M. Leporati