Caleb Beecher has been a big help in the yard and on tree plantings – and we mean big: at 6’5”, Caleb is skilled on the basketball court but also, he confesses, hits his head on things a lot!  A descendant of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the poet John Beecher, Caleb has both creative genes and a style all his own. He has studied film directing, writing and acting, is an artist specializing in abstract acrylics, and has more recently discovered a passion for photography.  This fall, Caleb will venture to Ireland to work on an organic farm. 

Annie Carlson is Phantom’s resident thespian, an actor with Minnesota farming roots. She and husband Joe (also a Phantom staffer) recently relocated to the Hudson Valley, where the peace and space would allow Annie to actively engage in playwriting and expand her food-growing efforts beyond windowsills and a Brooklyn fire escape.  As a member of the cast of characters at Phantom, you will find her offering customer service and tending all things annual, while her dog Buddy plays a supporting role.

While working in the film industry, Joe Cook took advantage of a well-equipped shop to ply carpentry skills learned from his dad, and his “inner cabinetmaker” began to emerge.  He now spends weekdays crafting cedar furniture (riding his fixed-gear bike to work), and Sundays in the Phantom yard or on plantings.  Joe’s creativity is expressed in other ways as well, having taught himself to play the guitar so that he could serenade Annie after their wedding.  His few moments of free time find him on Facebook, at his secret swimming hole, and making beautiful wooden bicycle handlebars.

Dave DeCotiis is part troubadour, part philosopher, tree planter extraordinaire and an integral part of our yard team. With a degree in philosophy, Dave's mind was so caught up in the abstract that he felt disassociated from the environment. Since coming to Phantom he has reconnected with nature, and has felt continually challenged to broaden his knowledge.  An accomplished musician, Dave brings his expressive guitar playing to Sasha & the Vocal Soul, a popular Hudson Valley band.

Kathy Dunn has been gardening professionally for ten years.  With particular expertise in shade gardening, she brings humor and knowledge to the perennial yard.  Her true love is reserved for animals, especially the 4 cats, 2 dogs, fish, husband and children who share her home.  Having traveled and lived abroad in Germany, Kathy has found her way back to her native Hudson Valley (where she can be seen riding with her husband on their Harley!) 

Lily Guerin is a recent graduate of Red Hook High, with a passion for drawing, painting and the movies.  An artistic spirit who is always creating, Lily also has a practical side: in college, she plans to study set design, which she sees as an ideal way to combine her talents and interests with a career.  Until the day you see her name rolling in the movie credits, you may encounter Lily at the register or in the Phantom yard.  When not making quick work of watering and customer service, Lily spends time riding her bike, going to concerts with friends, and enjoying her two cats, Basie and Augusta.

Abbey Hart  With a personality as sunny as her native St. Croix, Abbey brings her good cheer to Phantom, and is a wealth of knowledge about tropical plants.  She is a recent graduate of Bard College where she studied international politics and honed her language skills by traveling to Spain, Italy, Germany and Portugal.  Abbey has danced, both ballet and modern, and her favorite color is green – perfect for a forward-thinking political scientist!

Julianne Klasen-Daoud, (a.k.a. “Juj”) has been part of the Phantom family since we opened in 1993.  Currently serving as manager of annuals, she ensures that you can choose from a wonderful selection of plants to delight the eye and the palate.  Juj loves music, travel and, of course, gardening -- though she finds that she has little time for it now that she and husband Aiman are raising a little sprout of their own, their beautiful son Zeneldine.

Norbert Lazar, the Phantom Gardener, has been a pioneer of organic gardening since long before its current buzz.  He was "green" before "green" was cool!  The store turned 17 in the spring of 2010, continuing to offer a wide selection of plant material not commonly available, and a rare spirit and dedication to organic gardening.  norb.phantom@gmail.com

Pam Neimeth is co-owner of Phantom and wife of “The Phantom Gardener”, managing all aspects of human resources.  A therapist for over 25 years with a focus on the mind-body connection, she is also a certified wellness coach, and mother of the lovely Kylie and Cass – both of whom are, in their own ways, involved in aspects of sustainable farming.  Pam is currently training to compete in her first Ironman in the fall, which consists of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of bicycling, and 26.2 miles of running.  Pam is living testimony to the vegan/organic lifestyle!

Cass Neimeth-Lazar, has an insightful and creative spirit.  Currently in college, she spends her free time with her horse, Nessie, or playing softball and basketball.  You will see Cass working the Phantom front counter or helping customers in the store when she is on break from school.

Luanne Panarotti is a religion major who has spent her career in various "green" pursuits: from artisanal cheese buying to promoting earth-friendly products for museum stores to teaching kids about stream health.  At Phantom, she handles advertising, workshops and web site updates, and schedules plantings and maintenance.  In her free moments, she enjoys writing, cryptic crosswords and time with her family, dog and seven cats, and will begin her (better late than never) seminary studies this fall.

Gaye Parise brings a wealth of experience, a tasteful eye and a dignified dog to her job as pottery buyer for Phantom.   Previously a proprietor of two stores of her own, Gaye infused those shops with a sense of whimsy, style and sustainability – qualities that you now see reflected in the eye-catching pottery, furniture and statuary at Phantom.  When not seeking artful finds for Phantom, Gaye is gardener for a few select clients, proud mother of Nick, and delighted adoptive mother of Frank, a Bracco Italiano (see below).

Ursula Schaad, Phantom’s friendly and efficient "go to" person, works behind the scenes as master of accounts receivable and payable.  She is a dedicated mother of handsome Colby, who learned to ride his bicycle on Phantom’s seven acres. Ursula grew up on her grandparents nursery and, as often as she can, gets outside to skillfully tend her own gardens.

Sybille Schubert will proudly share the story of growing up on her grandparents’ nursery, where the harvest fed her entire family. That deep understanding of earth to table inspired her to earn a degree in culinary arts at the CIA. Still active in the culinary realm, Sybille is also a manager/buyer at Phantom, maintaining an inventory of organic pesticides & fertilizers, tools & accessories. Her passions for both gardening and cooking follow her home, where she tends herbs, vegetables & ornamentals as well as a healthy collection of houseplants. Just ask Goody!

Sara Perzley is the soft-spoken wealth of knowledge and helpfulness in Phantom’s perennial yard.  While an undergraduate English major (“What could be better than having it be your job to read novels and poetry??”), Sara found her love of gardening beginning to emerge; she will soon begin studies in horticulture at Temple University.  An avid outdoorswoman, Sarah has kayaked in Israel (where she found that the Jordan River was more of a creek…) and spends much of her free time hiking with her dog Franny, who knows the words “sit”, “treat” and “Mohonk”!

Ronnie Severino   This Brooklyn native moved to the Hudson Valley 10 years ago to train as a tri-athlete, using scenic locations such as Mount Mohonk for his grueling workouts.  Ronnie loves the physicality of working with plants and just being outside.  He and his devoted Australian shepherd, Macca (short for Maccheroni!), work on the Phantom Gardeners maintenance crew or in the Phantom yard.

Cassandra Tice has been working at Phantom since she was in 10th grade, and also is employed by a wedding designer to assist with floral arrangements.  Her fine sense of aesthetics has served her well in both of these jobs, and will do so in the future when she graduates from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a degree in interior design (potential employers take note!).  When not working – which is rarity – Cassandra can be found at rock concerts, or the Hudson River with her black lab, Ella.

This is Abbey Velie’s first “real” job – and we are so delighted that it’s with us!  A rising high school junior, Abbey is a formidable force on her school’s softball and volleyball teams, and is a team player at Phantom as well, cheerfully filling in wherever she is needed in the store or yard.  Like the rest of the Phantom staff, Abbey is an animal lover, with two dogs (Eli and Izzy) and two cats (Lucy and Cotton).

Upbeat is Debbie Walters’ middle name!  Her positive attitude served her well in her career as an R.N., and now brightens the yard at Phantom.  Delighted to be surrounded by plants as our perennial buyer, Debbie then goes home to work with her husband on their ever-evolving edible landscape.  She also is introducing her 5-year-old grandson to the wonders of gardening; he recently told his dad that “you have to plant carrots in soft soil 'cause the seeds are really small and the little sprouts have to push up through the earth.”  We’ve signed him up to work the yard during the 2023 season…

Appollo  Chief Executive, Front Counter Sales

Dahlia  Delivery Sidekick and Official Cat Food Tester

IN MEMORIAM

Leopold Bloom  Phantom Elder Statesman