Get to Know Stephen Searl of Sylvester Manor

Whether you like music, history, Shakespeare, fresh vegetables and prepared food or just taking a walk along a trail, Sylvester Manor’s nearly 300 acres has something for every taste. The grounds and 5 miles of walking trails are open April through October and the farm and farmstand re-open in May.

“Twelve generations of the Nathaniel Sylvester family lived on the property until 2006, when they [started the process to turn it into a not-for-profit],” says Searl. Sylvester Manor has been a not-for-profit for the past 15 years. Searl, a member of the Wickham Fruit Farm family, has been executive director for the past eight years.  A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, he has a Master of Science from the University of Vermont in natural resource planning. He has held positions at multiple conservation organizations on Long Island, including the Peconic Land Trust and the North Shore Land Alliance. “At one time, the Sylvester family owned the entire island, around eight thousand acres.”

Sylvester Manor was a provisioning plantation, meaning it grew food and provided supplies that were shipped down to the family sugar cane plantation in Barbados. This was a common practice because the plantation owners didn’t want to use valuable land in the Caribbean growing food for the enslaved workers. It was Eben Ostby, a direct descendent of Nathaniel Sylvester, the 17th century plantation owner, who made the decision to share the farm with the public. He made the decision to do so along with his nephew, Bennett Konesni, to transform the property into a place that would be inviting and educational.

“Bennett took an apprenticeship at Quail Hill Farm to prepare him for what they wanted to do at Sylvester Manor,” explains Searl, who lives in Jamesport with his three sons. He has nearly 25 years of experience in not-for-profit management, board governance, fundraising, historic preservation, land and natural resource conservation, program development and community outreach. “In addition to the Manor House and an education center, we have the working farm, a CSA, farmstand and exhibition space.”

As one of the largest parcels of land on Shelter Island, the generosity of the family was worth millions.

“We want to utilize the property in three ways,” Searl says. “Our mission is to ‘Preserve, Cultivate and Share’ Sylvester Manor.”

The house was built in 1737, and the last major renovation was in 1908. They are planning a massive, $13 million renovation of the house that will include new heating, electrical, fire suppression, as well as building a cultural center, offices and exhibition space for the thousands of pieces of history currently stored on the property. Work is expected to start by the end of 2026, and they’ve raised more than $8 million toward the project.

“The family members were pack rats and kept everything, books, dishes, receipts, everything,” Searl says. The grounds also include a 19th century windmill and an Afro-Indigenous burial ground. “We are in the process of cataloging and inventorying the entire collection. There are tens of thousands of documents, including all kind of correspondence.”

But Searl doesn’t want you to wait until the renovations are done. They are most active starting in April, when visitors can walk the grounds and attend events at Sylvester Manor.

“Eben and Bennett wanted to give back to the community,” Searl explains. Sylvester Manor has a working relationship with such universities as NYU, UMass Boston and Bard College. They also work with institutions in Amsterdam, Great Britian and Barbados.

Sylvester Manor is serving the community in a range of ways. In addition to a 10-acre CSA, the farmstand sells vegetables, eggs, farm-raised pork and prepared food.

The Manor also provides educational programs for up to 80 children a day during the summer.

They’ll also be involved in the 250th anniversary of the United States. Many don’t know that Sylvester Manor played a role in the Revolutionary War and was occupied by the British for a period of time.

“Most of what we offer is primarily during the summer,” Searl says. “But we have educational programs and activities all year long. For the past two years we’ve hosted a sculpture exhibition featuring twenty-two East End artists. I think what is surprising for most people is the depth of our programming.”

This includes concerts and Shakespeare performances on the grounds, allowing guests to experience the Manor as would have the family. You can enjoy a picnic on the grounds, stop to enjoy live music or theater or just walk and contemplate. They also have plans to continue their music and cultural offerings with the backdrop of lush grounds.

Sylvester Manor has a relationship with the Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation in Southold. Last year, Sylvester Manor donated $50,000 worth of food to the food pantry. There also are volunteer opportunities which allow visitors to learn while they lend a helping hand.

“Our goal is to be public facing,” says Searl, of Sylvester Manor, which is the largest farm on Shelter Island and has both a national and international presence.

For more information, visit sylvestermanor.org.

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.