James Cropsey, one of the most prominent figures in Rockland County agriculture and an indefatigable civic leader, passed away on July 21 at the age of 94.
Cropsey was born at Nyack Hospital on March 11, 1929, the only child of Wallace and Winifred Cropsey. He studied agriculture at Cornell University, graduating in 1950. He served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1953 and took over the operations of his family”™s 25-acre farm in New City in 1954.
The Blauvelt-Cropsey Farm is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in New York State, dating back to 1769; Cropsey”™s grandfather Andrew bought it in 1890. Cropsey and his wife Pat sold the farm in 2006 to Rockland County and the Town of Clarkstown for $6.5 million.
The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. Today, the farm is operated by Rockland Farm Alliance, which hosts a farmers’ market and summer camp.
Within his community, Cropsey served as president of the New City Rotary and the New City Chamber of Commerce. He was also an active member of the Rockland County Farm Bureau and the Historical Society of Rockland County.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day praised Cropsey’s legacy, calling him “one of the special ones. He was a believer in this county and conducted himself accordingly. He should always be remembered as the de facto father of open space, given his insistence on the preservation of the Cropsey Farm for future generations and his contributions will not soon be forgotten.”
Photo: James and Patricia Cropsey at the 2019 ribbon cutting of restoration of the 18th century Cropsey Barn. Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Rockland County.
