Who we are and what we are doing —

The Melrose house was established in 1961, in Brewster, New York, about an hour northeast of New York City.  In 2004, we began to pursue our interest in sustainable living by starting Bluestone Farm and Living Arts Center. Grown organically, the produce we cultivate and store (by drying, lactofermenting, and freezing) feeds us throughout the year. Over the last five years, the farm has come to include beekeeping, duck and chicken flocks, cows, maple syrup and honey production, and wine-making among other activities.

Living alongside Sisters Carol Bernice, Catherine Grace, Emmanuel, and Heléna Marie are four Resident Companions: The Rev. Suzanne Guthrie, her husband Bill Consiglio, Jody Ballew, and The Rev. Matthew Wright. 

For a more complete listing of our crops and products, visit our LocalHarvest listing.

Why we do this work —

Together, we are engaged in weaving together our worship and our work, inspired by the writings of the late Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, Ellen Davis, and Cynthia Bourgeault, among others. (Learn more about the "new cosmology" and the spirituality of farming.)

Consider joining us as a guest or Summer Companion —

Sited high in the woods of Putnam County NY, the convent and the farm are a beautiful setting in which to make a working retreat, or simply to visit.

Our accommodations are comprised of guest rooms in the Longhouse, which are complemented by a full kitchen and a sitting room. Guests may join the Sisters for worship in our small, rustic chapel, and for our corporate meals.

You may also wish to consider joining us during the active growing season as a Summer Companion.

View photos and updates about our life on the farm on our facebook page.