Board of Directors
Don Cirillo
Don Cirillo has been gardening at EECO Farm for almost 20 years. He and his wife Carole started with one garden (#42) just for growing vegetables and then added another one (#50) for perennials and cutting flowers a few years later. He has been on the EECO Farm Board since 2007 and became the Chair back in 2017.
Palmer Smith
Palmer has been an EECO Farm Board Member since 2017. He is responsible for Membership of the Community Gardens, as well as the Enterprise Farmer zone. Being a steward of EECO Farms 42 acres of preserved land is of paramount importance to him. A 30 plus year veteran International Equity Trader, Palmer spent the bulk of his career at Morgan Stanley. An avid surfer since his youth, he continues to take advantage of the local breaks regularly. Palmer, and his wife Liadain, have 2 gardens at EECO Farm, and enjoy growing a variety of vegetables, flowers and berries. He is a graduate of East Hampton High School and Syracuse University.
John Whelan
John Whelan grew up in East Hampton on a small farm in the Northwest Woods area. He has lived here all his life aside from his years away at college in graduate school. John has always enjoyed gardening and continues at EECO Farm with two gardens. As a Board Member, John empties the weed trailer and supplies compost from the compost area. He especially enjoys the camaraderie and friendships with fellow Board Members and the EECO Farm gardens.
Matt Quirk
I got my start in agriculture at 14, working for a family friend who owned a garden center and nursery. I immediately fell in love with plants, being outdoors, and watching things grow. I stayed there until college, and after graduating I went on to work for a family in Mecox who farmed about 100 acres. We raised pork and chickens, grew a wide range of vegetables, and ran an 8-acre corn maze and pumpkin patch each fall. Ten years later, I became the Farm Director at Share the Harvest Farm, where I’m now heading into my fourth season. We farm six acres at EECO Farm and donate the majority of our produce to local food pantries and shelters. I feel incredibly fortunate not only to do what I love, but to do it on preserved town land—growing food for a community I’m grateful to be part of.
Alex Balsam
