The family members of The Forest Road Farm, are committed to the continual legacy of our family farm. We will do this by being good stewards of the land and by providing a sustainable farm that supports our family and our community.
We believe that farming is a way to honor the people who provided us with the opportunity to connect with the land, to produce healthy food, and to provide a livelihood for our family. We are committed to using sustainable farming practices that protect the environment and ensure the long-term viability of our farm.
We are committed to upholding the legacy of our family farm. We know that by working together, we can create a better future for ourselves and our children.
Brief History of Valentine and Anna Kopaskie.
Valentine Kopaskie was born on March 4, 1846, in the Posen region of German-occupied Poland. He was originally named Valentine Koperski, but later signed his name as Walls and his gravestone is Valentine Wallace Kopaskie. We do not know why the name was changed from Koperski to Kopaskie. Little is known of his family in Poland, but based on Valentine’s death certificate, his father’s name was Thomas Koperski and his mother’s name was Mary (last name illegible). His father worked as a coachman for a wealthy family, and Valentine’s brother Joseph married a woman of similar status.
Valentine married Anna Rosalie Novack on November 18, 1870, in the parish of Pawlowo. A search of their names on a Posen marriage database website brought up the names Valentine Koperski and Anna Nowack. Anna was born on July 23, 1851, in Cracow, Poland. Her parents were Joseph Novack and Antonia Zimmer. Valentine and Anna had their first child, Mary Agnes, on November 27, 1871.
Valentine, Anna, and Mary immigrated to America on the ship Saxonia. They left Hamburg, Germany on May 4, 1873, and arrived in New York on June 3, 1873. The passenger list has Anna’s hometown as Nimod, and Valentine’s hometown is not listed. They were processed through Castle Garden (before Ellis Island) and ended up in Plattekill to work on Dr. Howland’s farm. Dr. Howland’s large yellow house still stands at the corner of Plattekill-Ardonia Road and South St. There, they lived for the first few years and where their first son, John, was born.