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The next generation of New Jersey farmers is growing strong!

Christina Couch – Pura Farms
Christina is a first generation farmer and graduate of the 2022 RU Ready to Farm Phase 2 Farm Training Cohort. She is also the first student to access land through the RU Ready to Farm Business Incubator.
Pura Farms is, at the surface, a high-value specialty vegetable and herb operation, but dig a bit deeper and it reveals itself as the anchor of a much larger vision. Christina is building a more collaborative and localized food supply chain in New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic region. As a future aggregator, Pura Farms will bring products together from a myriad of producers to create a more consistent supply of high quality, truly local food for restaurants and the communities they serve.
Let’s connect! Instagram: @purafarmsnj Email: purafarmsnj@gmail.com
Natasha Luccia – La Finquita Farm
Natasha Luccia is the founder and chief of operations at La Finquita, a small-scale farm based in New Jersey. She is a graduate of the 2022 RU Ready to Farm Phase 2 Training Cohort and gained land access through the RU Ready to Farm Business Incubator. Natasha grows and sells a range of specialty crops, with a focus on improving food access in underserved areas.
Natasha Luccia is also actively involved in urban farming initiatives. Beyond her work at La Finquita, she has built, operated, and maintained multiple urban gardens and mini-farms across New Jersey, often in collaboration with community organizations and food access programs. Her contributions range from site planning and infrastructure setup to crop selection, seasonal maintenance, and volunteer coordination. Natasha Luccia supports these projects with a systems-thinking approach and project management experience, helping transform underutilized spaces into productive growing sites. Her work emphasizes community ownership and reinforces the role of urban agriculture in addressing food insecurity.
Let’s connect! Instagram @lafinquitanj


Carl Schneider – Piney’s Family Farm
Carl is a graduate of the 2022 RU Ready to Farm Phase 2 Farm Training Cohort. This year he is farming on land that has been leased to him by one of our program’s partner farms. Carl produces mixed summer vegetables for sale to his local community.
Dan Kupiec and Cattie Yetter
Dan and Cattie are graduates of the 2022 RU Ready to Farm Phase 2 Farm Training Cohort. They are now farming on land owned by themselves and their family. Dan and Cattie produce specialty cut flowers for direct sale to their local customers.
