Meet Our Founders

Katie Baldwin

Katie was born in Pasadena, CA and spent her early years in a small rural town outside of San Antonio, TX. She graduated with a BA in International Relations from the University of Southern California and worked at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the Council on Foreign Relations in Manhattan. The decision make a career shift away from foreign policy and towards exploring food from the ground up began with the book This Common Ground. This life changing book led her on a path to discovering food production on multiple farms in Southern California and unearthing a love of farming after a season’s long apprenticeship with Scott Chaskey at Quail Hill Farm. Here she met her business partner (and best friend!), Amanda, and the two decided to go into business together and start their own farm (originally thought of a pizza farm), Amber Waves, in 2009. More than a decade of working with the land and feeding a community has created a deep appreciation and connection to Amagansett where she lives with her husband Dan and daughters Beatrice and Estelle.

Amanda Merrow

Amanda was raised in Shaftsbury, VT and derives her inspiration and love of working outdoors from her childhood days roaming and exploring her family’s 100 acre retired dairy farm. A graduate of Hamilton College with a BA in Economics and Environmental Studies, Amanda took her love of numbers and nature and created a modern farm business, Amber Waves Farm, that focuses on new farmer training, soil health, and delicious food. Founding Amber Waves Farm with her business partner, Katie, has been a wild and joyous ride with long days, thrills, spills, and lots of laughs. As a preeminent organic farmer and voice of the next generation of sustainable agriculturalists, Amanda has been recognized for her work with the land and community in numerous publications and media outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on the Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa. Amanda serves on the Board of Directors of Peconic Land Trust as well as the East Hampton Community Preservation Fund Advisory Committee, East Hampton Agricultural Advisory Board, and the Amagansett Citizens Advisory Committee.  She is a former board member of Long Island Farm Bureau.