York’s True North Farm and Yoga Seeks Balance in Land and Body

YORK – Three years ago, the idea of a yoga studio in a barn and a saltwater pool raised the dusty eyebrows of York’s farmers. In the familiar hamlets: Retsof, Piffard, Greigsville, Linwood, the norm is more Carhart jackets and work boots than Spandex.

As the community caught on, Molly Cummings and her husband David Rose were able to cultivate their interest in agriculture, fitness and wholesome living into a unique farm and yoga business on their own 42-acre homestead.

“We knew we wanted to plant but had no idea about this,” said Cummings, standing in her airy, turn-of-the-century barn, repurposed as her yoga studio. “When we moved from Brighton, we went around meeting the neighbors, a lot of farmers. Farmers work such long days and are so physical, it really takes a toll. I thought that farmers could use yoga.”

Cummings and Rose had the barn completely rebuilt and repurposed using as much of its original wood as possible. A small studio space in the loft is insulated and heated for four-season use. Cummings studied and became certified to teach yoga. Soon, curious farmers and their families started signing up for classes on top of helping with their roadside farmstand. Over the past two years, she has built and certified a saltwater pool in the backyard to teach yoga to students in water, which is easier on the joints.

“I love the idea of the flexible farmer,” said Cummings. “David works our farm and does yoga. I like to match the lesson to what the students have been doing, whether that’s raking, shoveling, lifting, or riding a tractor. Even a little stretching can go a long way when you work your body that hard every day.”

Rose, who had just come in from working the field, said that the name ‘True North’ was partially inspired by Cummings, and partially by the ending of his favorite book as a kid.

“I called Molly my True North,” said Rose. “It’s about knowing who you are and where you are going. Do you remember the end to Stuart Little? Stuart was looking for Margalo the bird, and he took the road that went north. The last line is something like, ‘He felt that north was the right direction.’ I always liked that the book never told you the end. He just felt he was on the right path.”

Cummings added that students can become as involved as they like in the profound, multi-millennial history that yoga has in cultures across the globe, but that her classes chiefly focus on yoga’s physicality.

“I don’t want to be too…esoteric with the classes,” said Cummings. “Yoga has a 5,000 year history and has a lot to teach about self-knowledge and being on different paths, but I focus on the breathing, the peacefulness, the poses themselves. Buddhist monks created the poses so that they could be still and meditate for eight hours a day.”

Cummings and Rose said that their blossoming farm and studio represent the care and labor of family and many neighbors. Their daughters, Lola, 13, and Lucy, 12, get their hands dirty on the farm. Community members patronize the farm and helped the family grow their roadside farmstand.

Rochester contractor Ken Horan helped Cummings realize her vision of the repurposed barn. The Trading Post in Avon helped her locate two beautiful stained windows for the loft.

“We started with a knowledge base of zero, and I was scared,” said Rose. “But community support made this possible. I think this place really brings people together in a unique way. Where else are you going to see massive, tricked-out F-250’s parked at a yoga studio?”

The studio will celebrate with a ribbon cutting at the farm, 2635 York Road West, on Friday. Classes are $10. For a full list of classes, visit True North Yoga’s website here. For updates from the studio, visit their Facebook page here.

The studio is currently booking classes. To sign up, email molly@truenorthfarmyork.com.