Meet the generational farmers who operate our farm
About
Amy Hopkins is a fifth-generation farmer and President of the American Center for Farming Heritage. After a distinguished career in national security and the defense and aerospace industry, Amy returned home to Lewes, Delaware in 2025 to continue the Hopkins family’s longstanding farming legacy.
Raised on Green Acres Farm and a graduate of Cape Henlopen High School, Amy’s roots in farming run deep. In 2022, she and her family were honored by Southern Delaware Tourism as the Heritage and History Award recipients for their commitment to preserving Delaware’s farming legacy and providing immersive community experiences through public outreach initiatives.
Amy founded the American Center for Farming Heritage to connect people with the story of the American farm family, to foster a deeper understanding of where our food comes from, and to inspire future generations through experiential learning. The Center plans to build a multi-species Livestock Learning Center featuring educational exhibits, heritage livestock, and seasonal programming designed to engage children, families, and visitors from across the country.
5th Generation Farmer
Amy Hopkins
Prior to her return to Delaware, Amy held senior leadership roles at several National Defense and Aerospace companies, notably, Boeing Defense, and Northrop Grumman. She also served as a strategic advisor to the National Defense Strategy Commission.
Amy began her career in public service, first with the staff of Senator William V. Roth Jr. and later in the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), where she deployed globally in support of military operations. She went on to serve as Special Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later as a Professional Staff Member for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Her civil service awards include the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, and the Civilian Combat Support Medal.
In addition to her nonprofit work, Amy oversees operations across several family-owned entities including Green Acres Farm, Lyons LLC, and Hopkins Henlopen Homestead.
Michael Hopkins proudly represents the sixth generation of the Hopkins family to live and work on their historic farm in Lewes, Delaware. A 2015 graduate of Cape Henlopen High School, Michael was captain of the State Champion Lacrosse Team, demonstrating leadership, commitment, and a strong connection to his community.
He went on to earn a degree in Agribusiness Management from Virginia Tech in 2019, blending his deep agricultural roots with modern business insight. Today, Michael is the owner and operator of Hopkins Farm Creamery, where he continues the legacy of his late father, Walter “Burli” Hopkins Jr., crafting fresh, locally made ice cream enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year.
Michael Hopkins
6th Generation Farmer
In addition to managing the Creamery and contributing to broader farm operations, Michael is helping shape the next generation of agricultural innovation at Hopkins Farm. His recent journey into fatherhood marks a new chapter: with the arrival of his son Wes Hopkins, the seventh generation has officially begun its story on the farm.
When he's not tending to the farm or greeting guests at the Creamery, you can usually find Michael surfing the waves at Rehoboth or Dewey Beach, or enjoying a round of golf with friends. He brings a balance of tradition, energy, and vision to Hopkins Farm and is a vital part of its future.
A dedicated community leader, Walt has served on the board of MidAtlantic Farm Credit. He is active in numerous agricultural and civic organizations—including the Delaware Farm Bureau, Land O’Lakes Cooperative, Holstein Association—and holds roles in Jefferson Lodge No. 15 A.F. & A.M. as well as Coolspring Presbyterian Church. He previously chaired the Cape Henlopen School District Board of Education.
For many years, Walt partnered with the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Sussex County 4-H, and Master Gardener volunteers to host school tours at Green Acres Farm, educating young students about farming and agriculture—reflecting his family’s longstanding commitment to agricultural outreach and public education. Walt is looking forward to restarting those school tours in conjunction with the launch of the American Center for Farming Heritage.
Beyond farming, Walt has guided his family’s transition toward conservation. Following the retirement of the dairy herd in 2022, he supported the sale of a 52-acre parcel known as Hopkins Preserve to Sussex County Land Trust to ensure open-space preservation and public access to nature trails and wildlife habitat.
4th Generation Farmer
Walter C. “Walt” Hopkins
Walter C. Hopkins is a fourth-generation steward of Green Acres Farm, located just west of Lewes. Honored as the 1990 Master Farmer of Delaware and Pennsylvania and with the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service to Delaware Agriculture in January 2013, he was praised by the state’s Secretary of Agriculture for his exceptional leadership, economic contributions, and innovation.
Born into a long line of Hopkins farmers, Walt represents the continuity of a family legacy dating to 1867, when his forebear William Hopkins purchased the farmland. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in agricultural engineering and served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam before returning to lead the family farm.
Under his leadership, Green Acres maintained a herd of approximately 600 milking cows, producing over 12 million pounds of milk annually at its peak. Walt played a pivotal role in expanding the farm’s offerings, collaborating with his late son, Walter “Burli” Hopkins Jr., to launch the on-farm Hopkins Farm Creamery in 2008, a beloved community ice-cream destination which his grandson, Michael Hopkins owns and operates today.
Ingrid is a native of Lewes and graduated from Cape Henlopen High School. She received her degrees in Equestrian Science and Veterinary Nursing. After more than 2 decades of Veterinary Nursing and training horses, she returned to the Hopkins Farm to create a business of her own.
She renovated the original 1837 Hopkins farmhouse to become The Covered Bridge Inn, B&B. As the company grew, she shifted her business focus towards weddings, renovated 3 barns on the Hopkins farm, and now operates Hopkins Heartland, a farm wedding venue with two reception spaces and accommodations for 16 guests for wedding weekends!
The wedding business is the perfect fit for the historic farm structures and preserved farmland. Ingrid was the 2022 Women In Business keynote speaker and continues to inspire women to challenge themselves to try new things! Now, alongside her sister Amy, she continues to grow in the agritourism business with the Hopkins Farm experience.
Ingrid HOpkins
We are the children of the children of farmers. We are stewards of the land, the keepers fo the harvest and our connection to this place is sacred. Our predecessors worked with dedication and determination to preserve land, provide for their families, cooperate with the communities and educate the next generation about how to carry on this cherished way of life.
We do this to not only honor the generations that came before us, but for every single farmer and agriculturalist that has worked, sacrificed and educated others in an attempt to slow the progress of the vanishing family farm.
