Saturday, September 19, 2026
3:00PM - 4:00PM
Returning to Our Roots: East Hampton’s New Farms
A panel discussion with beloved local farmers from Amber Waves and Balsam Farms, focused on our agricultural reawakening.
This panel discussion focuses on East Hampton’s new farms, and what’s inspired a new generation of farmers to work East Hampton’s soil. For years the narrative has focused on the forces of development eliminating local farms. This event focuses on what’s inspired a new generation of people to choose to go into farming, and to talk about the history of their farms, along with the challenges they deal with.
The panel will feature Ian Calder-Piedmonte from Balsam Farms and Amanda Merrow from Amber Waves, with Yvette Debow Salsedo from Peconic Land Trust moderating.
Ian Calder-Piedmonte: Ian was born and raised on a farm in Michigan. He studied philosophy at Cornell where he met his future business partner, Alex Balsam. Shortly after college, he moved to East Hampton where he helped Alex build Balsam Farms into a successful vegetable farm and market with deep community connections. Ian was appointed to the Planning Board in 2012 where he served for 12 years. In January of 2024, Ian was appointed to the East Hampton Town Board, and won reelection in 2025.
Amanda Merrow: Amanda Merrow co-founded Amber Waves Farm and helped grow its nonprofit organization into a model for modern sustainable agriculture, centered on new farmer training, soil health, and exceptional food. As a leading regenerative farmer and influential voice in the next generation of agriculturalists, she has been widely recognized in major media and serves on multiple regional boards, championing farmland preservation and community-rooted food systems.