Emily Watson

Background

About Emily Watson

I have been a small business owner since 2012 when myself and my husband created Plan Bee Farm Brewery. We currently own a 25-acre historic farm in Poughkeepsie (NY) and operate our apiary, brewery, tasting room, organic & small live stock farm. I wear many hats as accountant, compliance officer, sales rep, marketing director, general manager, assistant brewer, bartender, wedding & event coordinator, beekeeper, farmer, and many, many more. Rehabilitating our 1830's barn into a taproom has given me many skills in the area of carpentry. I operated as our general manager for all our construction phases which has given me knowledge and skills in permitting, public hearings, & construction contracts. Working with our engineers & architects, Town building dept, fire dept, health dept and DEC has given me great incite into the inter workings of regulatory agencies. I grew up in Ohio in an agricultural community and have experience in horticulture. My higher education background is in environmental science and previous employment was focused on environmental nonprofits. I bring that passion to our small business and have made Plan Bee a sustainable, low impact business with the focus of becoming net zero. I currently sit on the advisory board for Weven, and I am a representative on the Customer Service Council for Farm Credit East. I currently am working with Dutchess Land Trust to build environmental education tours on the farm. I also have been working with the Natural Resource Defense Council to protect New York’s water from toxic neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”) to help save pollinators. Starting in 2020, I began focusing on work/personal life balance and improving the mental health of myself and my family. Through my journey working with a therapist and focusing on meditation & mindfulness, I have entered into a new phase of profound creativity and connection to community. Looking forward to the new skills and experiences to come as my exploration continues!