New York Organic News Feb 2013
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VOL.31, NO.1 VOL.31, NO.1 • • SPRING 2013 SPRING 2013 New York ORGANIC News New York ORGANIC News YOUR LOCAL FOOD AND FARM CONNECTION YOUR LOCAL FOOD AND FARM CONNECTION Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York
description
Quarterly magazine dedicated to promoting local, organic food and farming.
Transcript of New York Organic News Feb 2013
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New York ORGANIC NewsNew York ORGANIC NewsYOUR LOCAL FOOD AND FARM CONNECTIONYOUR LOCAL FOOD AND FARM CONNECTION
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New YorkNortheast Organic Farming Association of New York
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Turning local food into an employee benefit
Azoti solves the #1 need of growers who
choose to sell directly to customers. Our
unique Employer Connect program
streamlines customer acquisition and
our customer service means retention.
Spend more time growing!
is... for GROWERS
Azoti’s unique Employer Connect
program makes fresh local food a new
employee benefit that increases
wellness participation rates and
outcomes. Our growers deliver on-site
and offer your employees a chance to
connect with them while participating
in the sustainable local food movement.
is... for EMPLOYERS
Azoti makes food subscriptions
convenient, enjoyable and tasty. Azoti
subscribers enjoy convenient pickups as
they leave work, receive text and email
alerts so you remember, flexible
payment options and recipes to
encourage eating at home more often.
is... for EMPLOYEES
Azoti firmly believes strong
communities are built around food.
Food binds us all whether it is a family
meal, celebration or first date.
“Imagine it: Every meal would connect us
to the joy of living and the wonder of
nature. Every meal would be like saying
grace.”- Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma
is... for COMMUNITY
Visit us at www.azoti.com
or call 203-350-EATS (3287)
Wouldn’t it be nice to get a special
delivery at work every week? Have
something to look forward to
besides the weekend? How about
a bounty of fresh-off-the-farm
meat and produce?
At companies such as Grange
Insurance, State Auto and The
Ohio State University, employees
get just that:
workplace
deliveries of
locally grown
food, direct from
the farmers.
Donna Gibson,
Director of
Benefits and HR at
Safelite AutoGlass
told Columbus’s
Business First
(9/14/12) that the
Azoti program is “…generating a
real buzz…One employee said he
can’t wait to come to work on
Wednesdays. The impact on
employee morale is obvious and we
sure like supporting local farmers.”
Azoti works to get buyers that
most individual small growers
cannot. Customers place their
orders online, which allows
growers to forecast demand for
their product, which decreases
costs dramatically. Once the
customer-grower relationship is in
place, Azoti provides productivity
tools to help the growers manage
food subscriptions, customers,
payment processing and billing.
These tools increase customer
retention and grower productivity.
CSAs… A New Employee Benefit
“I’ve been farming for 30 years,” says
Bill VanScoy of Ridgeway, Ohio “and
Azoti Employer Connect allows me to
focus on farming while they take care
of the marketing and IT at a level that I
just don’t have the time or experience
to handle.”
For the employers, their existing
wellness programs are enhanced by
bringing food and
nutrition back into
the equation.
Employees that
purchase the CSAs
(which are delivered
to the worksite for
people to pick-up on
their way home) are
committing to eating
healthier, which
improves overall
wellbeing, ultimately
leading to reduction
of health claims and absenteeism.
Azoti also offers companies
Farm-2-Fork services, where a chef
and/or health coach provide
employees with in-person guidance
regarding food prep and storage,
healthy eating and cooking with
confidence. The Farm-2-Fork Coach
also works with people to gently
nudge them to committing to
healthier behaviors by providing just
the right amount of support and
accountability.
So, if you are a local food producer
looking to increase your profit
margins or an employer looking for
ways to boost the health and
happiness of your employees, Azoti
may be just what you are looking for.
by Katie Wagner ([email protected])
Above: Bill VanScoy delivering produce on-site at an Azoti
Employer Connect Partner
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Director’s OutlookDirector’s OutlookKATE MENDENHALL
Executive Director, NOFA-NY
As we enter spring, we
all begin to prepare for the
upcoming growing season.
Th ere are greenhouses to clean
up for planting and windowsills
to clear to make space for seed trays. We smile as we work, imagining
all the delicious summer fare we’ll soon be eating! If you’re a CSA
farmer, chances are you hosted a table at one of NOFA-NY’s CSA Fairs.
If you’re not a farmer, I encourage you to attend a CSA fair. It’s a great
opportunity to meet local farmers in person and fi nd out more about
what belonging to a CSA is all about. Joining a CSA was one of the
fi rst things I did when I moved to New York state 10 years ago, and it
has been so rewarding for me and my family. Just as being a member
of NOFA-NY and supporting its good work is important to me, being
a shareholder in a CSA farm makes me feel connected to my food in a
very personal way. I still shop at farmers markets (and have my favorite
NOFA vendors), and I still grow veggies in my garden and tend my
three laying hens. But knowing that each week I will receive a bountiful
CSA bag with an ever-changing mix of fruit and vegetables keeps me
especially rooted in the season and connected to the life on the farm. I
feel especially lucky to live in a state where I can buy almost all my food
from local organic growers.
As I eagerly await the coming of spring and the delights of fresh
organic produce, I have been refl ecting on the excellent NOFA-NY
conferences this past winter and all the friendly faces greeted and hugs
shared. I hope many of you were able to attend our winter conference
in Saratoga Springs in January or our recent Organic Dairy and Field
Crop Conference in Auburn. I always fi nd NOFA-NY conferences a
great place to re-energize for the upcoming growing season, and this
year was just as vibrant! Th e education was fantastic (thanks to our
great farmer, gardener, and activist members) and it was wonderful to
connect with those NOFA-NY friends I see only once or twice a year.
Th ese opportunities to come together are what help build our strong
and healthy community. I feel blessed to be a part of an organization
where the members are so committed to building a better future for
our children, creating healthier landscapes, and seeking a sustainable
relationship with planet Earth. While I wish I could be at NOFA-NY
conferences all year long surrounded by all of you—I am able to carry
that sense of community into my kitchen every day when I cook a local
meal for my family from my CSA or farmers market.
Th is spring, bring a friend to a CSA Fair near you! Give us a ring; we
love to hear from you!
New York ORGANIC NewsPublisherNortheast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY)
EditorFern Marshall Bradley
Production DesignerDavid Ford
Communications & Development DirectorTanya Smolinsky
Contributors:Ann Anthony, Fern Marshall Bradley, Nicky Dennis, Elizabeth Henderson, Liz Martin, Kate Mendenhall, Robert Perry, Maryellen Sheehan, Matt Volz, Bethany Wallis, Nancy Weber, Julie White
Advertising & Classifi ed Inquiries:Contact Tanya Smolinsky at [email protected] at 585-271-1979 x502.
Subscriptions:A subscription to New York Organic News is a benefi t of membership in NOFA-NY. For membership information, go to www.nofany.org/join or contact Sara Raymond at [email protected] or at 585-271-1979 ext 512.
Submissions:Our summer issue’s theme will be Farmers Markets and Community Gardens; the fall issue’s theme will be the Locavore Challenge. Send article queries, photos, press releases, letters, and suggestions to Fern Marshall Bradley at [email protected].
New York Organic News is published four times a year by NOFA-NY, 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620. Th e views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NOFA-NY Board of Directors, staff , or membership. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher.
NOFA-NY is a statewide organization leading a growing movement of farmers, consumers, gardeners, and businesses committed to creating a sustainable, local, organic food and farm system that’s good for people and the planet. We provide programs and services that assist farmers, connect consumers with these farmers, and advocate policies that support a sustainable food and farm system.
Th is publication is printed on recycled newsprint.
Rooted in the Season
On the Cover: Benjamin Hambleton, son of head farmer David Hambleton, proudly shows off his
broccoli at a CSA distribution day at Sisters Hill Farm. For a gallery of views of CSAs across
New York State, turn to page 20.
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www.farmshedcny.com
farmshed2.0Search, browse, locate 1,200+ local farms, food producers and farmers markets in Central New York and the Finger Lakes, including all NOFA-NY Certified Organic and Farmers Pledge farms.
Endorsed by NOFA-NY as their official mobile directory
Contents
FEATURES
Want Fresh Local Food? 12Make an investment in a local farm—get a season’s worth of fresh food every week. by Nicky Dennis
Saving Small-Scale Farms 14Th e birth and fl ourishing of the CSA movement in New York state. by Elizabeth Henderson
A Gallery of CSAs Across New York State 20
Celebrating the diversity of New York’s CSA farms
Th ere’s No Right Way 23A CSA farmer’s inside story on how she and her husband shaped a CSA model that meets their needs and goals. by Liz Martin
From Food Deserts to Farm Shares 25NOFA-NY’s Neighborhood Farm Share program supports CSA farms in making healthy food available to people in low-income neighborhoods. by Nicky Dennis
COLUMNS
DIRECTOR’S OUTLOOK 3Rooted in the Season
IN THE KITCHENCooking the CSA Way 5
How a basket of (fresh-picked) produce can inspire you to cook in a new and exciting way. by Julie White
IN THE GARDENSweet Corn, Community Style 6
It may sound corny, but community gardening off ers something for everyone. by Fern Marshall Bradley
THE FARMER’S ROUNDTABLEFrom Pasture Power to Seedling Woes 7
Gear up for spring with the staff at NOFA-NY. by Bethany Wallis, Robert Perry, and Maryellen Sheehan
ON THE FARMChampions at Hearts Hill Farm 10
Kent and Michele Roberts’ home garden morphed into an organic farm that won the prize at the New York State fair. by Nancy Weber
WHY LOCAL ORGANIC 38Living the Good Life
by Matt Volz
DEPARTMENTS
NOFANY NEWS 29
RESTAURANTS 33Aroma Th yme; Candle 79; Fifty South; Th e Restaurant at Elderberry Pond
MEDIA 35Books for springtime inspiration. by Ann Anthony
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When I was a teen, I became
the family food shopper and
cook. Back then, food shopping
meant purchasing fl ank steak,
round steak, tenderloin, ground
chuck, and the occasional pork
chop, along with various canned
vegetables and a few fresh
vegetables and fruits from the
supermarket. In the summer, we
bought fresh local watermelon
and corn on the cob, and some
years my parents ordered a half
cow, butchered, for the chest
freezer. But for the most part,
meat, potatoes, and canned
vegetables from who knows where
were the order of the day.
Th ese days I’m vegetarian
(mostly vegan), and I couldn’t
remember how to cook any of
those meats if I tried. And I
don’t bother with mushy, bland
vegetables from cans. My cooking
has evolved, and the biggest leap
in my ability to deliver tasty and
nutritious meals happened when I
joined a CSA.
Prior to that, I decided what
I wanted to cook, made a list,
and went to the supermarket
to purchase those items. Sure, I
would aim for local and organic
whenever possible, but I had a
predetermined idea of what would
be on my menu for the week.
After joining the CSA, I looked
at what I received in my share
basket, researched those veggies
and how people used them, came
up with recipe ideas, and then
went to the supermarket just
to buy what I needed to fi ll in
the gaps.
It was revelatory. I learned
that vegetables and fruits that
are in season together generally
taste good together. How about
a tomato-watermelon salsa?
Or carrot-beet slaw? I learned
that fresh vegetables need little
preparation to make them taste
amazing. Case in point: Brush
cleaned leeks with a touch of olive
oil. Grill. Savor.
I learned to experiment and
developed a standard soup recipe.
Sauté any combination of onions,
garlic, ginger, and/or peppers. Add
whatever root veggies (potatoes,
carrots, beets, turnips) you have
on hand. Saute those for just a
few minutes. Add water/stock
until it looks soupy, plus dried
herbs of your choice. Cover, bring
to a boil, turn the heat down,
and simmer until tender. Add
whatever fresh herbs, greens, and
tender vegetables you wish (corn,
spinach, tomatoes, green beans).
If you like a chunky soup, you’re
done. If you like a creamy soup,
puree with an immersion blender
and add a bit of milk or cream of
your choice. Add a dash of tamari,
pepper, miso, and/or lemon juice.
Finally, I learned to preserve.
Can’t possibly eat that much kale
in one week? Blanch and freeze
for the winter. Overfl owing with
blueberries? Can some blueberry
syrup for your pancakes. You
get the idea. Get yourself a basic
preserving cookbook and you are
ready to go!
Th ese days, I don’t miss the
mystery meats of my youth. I do,
however, still have a true love for
fresh watermelon and corn on the
cob. Th at’s the perfect summer
meal, right there. Join a CSA and
see what you’ve been missing!
Julie White does her best to balance mind (as a community college educator and researcher), body (with yoga, hiking, running, cycling, skiing, and more), and spirit (through gardening, cooking, and handcraft s). Find her on social media at about.me/julieawhite.
Cooking the CSA Way
In the KitchenIn the KitchenJulie White
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Sweet Corn, Community Style
In the GardenIn the Garden
We have more than enough
garden space at home, but even
so, my husband and I choose
to grow our sweet corn at the
Cambridge Community Garden.
Th ere’s a communal corn plot
about 25 feet wide and 75 feet
long. Each corn gardener is
assigned a slightly raised bed wide
enough to plant two rows.
I like this arrangement because
it’s practical. My two rows produce
enough corn for me and Tom
to enjoy fresh corn throughout
the season, plus some extra to
freeze. Sweet corn produces better
quality ears when it’s planted
en masse, because pollination is
better in a block planting. Each
ear fi lls up completely with plump
kernels. We grow three diff erent
varieties in the community plot,
which helps assure a long, steady
harvest.
Fern Marshall Bradley
Practicality is only part of my
motivation: Being part of the
corn crowd is fun and satisfying,
too. Our garden manager orders
the seed and sets the date for
planting. Th en all the corn
gardeners gather on planting
day to fi nish the last-minute plot
preparation. Next we split up into
teams. Some of us sow the seeds,
others cover the seeds, still others
water or spread mulch in the
pathways. It’s companionable to
talk and laugh as we work. In just
two hours’ time, the entire plot is
planted.
Th en there’s the pleasure
of the garden’s beauty and
community spirit. Arriving at
the garden, you’re welcomed
by an overfl owing border of
dahlias, cleome, blanket fl owers,
nasturtiums… And look there,
cucumber vines and orange and
red cherry tomatoes in the mix
too! Chances are you’ll meet
at least one other gardener
watering, weeding, or harvesting.
Each individual plot displays a
unique personality and layout.
You might happen upon the
garden manager and volunteers
helping children from the
Cambridge public school plant
vegetable seeds and transplants
(the harvest is donated to the
local food pantry). Circular beds
of communal berries enclose
an open lawn area for play. A
picnic table in the shade of a tree
is where we gather for garden
potlucks.
So even if you tend a garden at
home, receive a bountiful bag of
produce from a CSA each week, or
tried gardening once and thought
you didn’t like it, check out your
local community garden. Chances
are you’ll fi nd opportunities to
make new friends, learn about
gardening from experienced
mentors, and enjoy an extra
bonus of a crop you just can’t get
enough of—like fresh-picked
sweet corn.
Community gardening is such
a rewarding experience that we’ve
chosen it for the theme of the
next (Summer 2013) issue of New
York Organic News, in which we’ll
features stories about community
and school gardens and gardeners
around New York state.
Fern Marshall Bradley edits New York Organic News as well as books about organic gardening and farming and sustainable living. When she’s not at the computer or in the garden, she’s oft en out calling contra and community dances or playing music.
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From Pasture
Power to Seedling Woes
Th e Farmer’s RoundtableTh e Farmer’s Roundtable
Pasture PowerLet’s start with Bethany, who has
worked for NOFA-NY since 2006 in
roles ranging from co-manager on
the Dairy Transitions Project to food
coordinator for the Winter Conference,
fi eld day coordinator, and fi le review
specialist for NOFA-NY Certifi ed
Organic LLC.
“Before I worked for
NOFA-NY, I managed
Grindstone Farm, where
Dick de Graff changed
my life by introducing
me to organics. Before
that, I worked alongside
my father on his 50-cow
grazing dairy (obviously
Dad had some infl uence on my life
as well). I am blessed to be married
to a hardworking dairy farmer, so I
still have the chance to farm when I
am not too busy with NOFA or our
growing brood of children!
“I have to come clean, because
I am a terrible liar. Increasing
pasture productivity is not my most
frequently asked question recently;
Bethany Wallis, Robert Perry, and Maryellen Sheehan are NOFA-NY’s
go-to group for answers to farming questions. Each is a farmer in his or
her own right, and each has an area of special interest. Bethany is Dairy
and Livestock Education Coordinator, Robert is Field Crops Coordinator,
Maryellen is Organic Fruit and Vegetable Coordinator. Th is trio enjoys
answering farmer questions at workshops, fi eld days, and conferences and
through e-mail or calls to the NOFA-NY Technical Assistance Help-line
(1-855-2NOFANY).
On a January day with wind chills below zero, they took time to sit down
and talk about questions they hear from farmers who are looking ahead to
spring: increasing pasture productivity, starting seeds, and getting started
with small grain production.
there hasn’t been one specifi c
question I have heard over and over.
But I know that many of us in dairy
are thinking about it as spring is
approaching and stored feed supplies
are diminishing fast. We look to
our pastures as the fi rst reprieve
from the feed crunch we are feeling!
Increasing pasture productivity
means earlier grazing,
higher pasture yields, and
better quality forages.
“I would love to say
that NOFA-NY has the
magic potion for perfect
pasture production, but
with so many variables,
there is no one-size-
fi ts-all answer. It’s
an extremely complex question:
Frost seeding, reseeding, aeration,
amendments, clipping, dragging,
and various grazing strategies all
play a role in the answer. What I can
off er here is some tried-and-true
resources that can help each farmer
determine what is right for his or her
soils, pastures, and animals. Some
fodder for the brain, if you will, to
help keep you warm in March while,
hopefully, there is still a bit of time
for reading by the fi re before we are
all outside pounding fence posts.”
Bethany’s Pasture Reading
List: Start with Chapter 4 of
Th e Organic Dairy Handbook,
published by NOFA-NY. It’s an
information-packed overview of
pasture management. Th inking
About Frost Seeding? by Darrell
Emmick on the website of the
Northeast Organic Dairy Producers
Alliance (nodpa.com) is a terrifi c
guide to that topic. Grazing Basics
Part Two on Sarah Flack’s website
(sarahfl ackconsulting.com) and
the booklet entitled Prescribed
Grazing and Feeding Management
for Lactating Dairy Cows are also
great resources. I recommend Graze
magazine, Stockman Grass Farmer
magazine, and GLCI Grazette. And
there’s a very good comprehensive
grazing management tool online at
thegrasswhisperer.com or cnyrcd.org.
continued on page 8
Bethany Wallis
If you have a question for the NOFA-NY Education Team, call them on the NOFA-NY Technical Assistance Help-line at 1-855-2NOFANY.
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Box 361, 119 Hamilton PlacePenn Yan, NY 14527315-531-1038
Certified Organic Feed, Seed & Livestock ProductsFrom Northeast organic farmers for Northeast organic farmers
www.lakevieworganicgrain.com
Th e Farmer’s RoundtableTh e Farmer’s RoundtableSourcing Seeds
Robert is a fi fth-generation farmer
who has worked in many aspects of
agriculture: milking cows, operating
combines, running
greenhouses, producing maple
syrup, growing certifi ed
organic vegetables, starting
a CSA, and serving on the
NOFA-NY organic standards
board. He has worked for
many years as an organic
inspector for NOFA-NY
Certifi ed Organic, LLC. Small grains
have always been in the rotation, so
having a role in the OREI (Organic
Agriculture Research and Extension
Initiative) Value Added Grains Project,
which is a collaborative eff ort between
Cornell, Greenmarket, NOFA-NY,
OGRIN, PASA, Penn State, and others,
was a great opportunity. Robert fi elds
plenty of questions from farmers who
are thinking about diversifying their
farm business by growing small grains
or starting fresh.
continued from page 7
“Farmers ask me, ‘Where can
I buy seeds? I don’t have any
equipment for grain, and who can
I sell my grain to?’ I tell them that,
frankly, seed sources for heritage
wheat and specialty grains
are limited. Most of these
grains have not been
produced in this region or
anywhere in the United
States in decades. It is
important to source seed
early, even as far as a year
in advance of planting. We
are fortunate to have resources like
Lakeview Organic Grain in Penn
Yan who not only walk the walk as
grain farmers, they can sell you the
seed with advice for planting. Other
opportunities for sourcing seed are
from Elizabeth Dyck at Organic
Growers Research and Information
Network (ogrin.org). Elizabeth
manages a seed-buying club for bulk
purchases, and she is a wealth of
information on grain culture. Other
good seed sources are from other
regional farmers who are producing
grain crops.
“Having the proper equipment for
planting, harvesting, and cleaning
the grain is often the initial barrier
to success. Th rough the OREI
project, NOFA-NY is developing a
model mobile grain system to enable
small farms to try the crop without
the expense of equipment. Books
such as Small-Scale Grain Raising by
Gene Logsdon are a good primer for
the beginner.
“Finding a market is often a
challenge, especially for small and
beginning farmers. Grain quality
testing, storage, transportation,
quality, and the quantity available
for market often restrict the entry-
level grower. Marketing a hundred
bushels may require more work than
selling a thousand. I advise farmers
to attend fi eld days and workshops
and make connections with other
farmers in fi nding opportunities
that would not otherwise be
available. Th e beauty of this organic
community is that knowledge is
often shared, although new markets
may be protected.
“Many of the emerging markets
for grains are for certifi ed organic
crops. Th e wholesale grain market
often demands an audit trail and
verifi cation provided by organic
certifi cation. Some small millers
and malt houses may be open to
a farmer’s word of honor, but end
users of grains and fl our often
demand more documentation.
Fortunately, the staff of NOFA-NY
Certifi ed Organic LLC is a great
source of information for farmers
who want to become certifi ed.”
Robert Perry
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To request a free catalog, visit www.highmowingseeds.com or call 802.472.6174
Just one of over 650 varieties including high-yielding hybrid, unique heirloom
and open-pollinated varieties.
Dario F1 zucchini
Seedling WoesMaryellen switched from working
horses to working with vegetables
when she moved east from Indiana in
1998. She’s grown on organic farms
and managed CSAs around the region
and was thrilled to join the NOFA-NY
team this past year. When not fi elding
calls on fruits and veggies, she works
with her husband on their farm in
central New York.
“One question I hear from many
farmers is ‘Why aren’t my seedling
fl ats germinating evenly (or at all)?’
I can relate—seedling issues are
one of the most frustrating early-
season plant problems. Germination
requires a delicate balance of light
levels, temperature, moisture, and
timing, with some crops a bit pickier
than others. For growers who are
new to starting plants from seed,
I recommend a classic reference:
Nancy Bubel’s Th e Seed Starter’s
Handbook. Most seed companies also
have decent references on the ideal
situation for each crop.
“To ensure good germination,
fi rst make sure you have good, fresh
seed. Some seeds have shorter shelf
lives (like corn, onion, or parsley).
If you are unsure about the viability
of your seed, do a germination test
fi rst! Planting depth also aff ects
germination—some seeds need light
to germinate (like celery or lettuce);
it’s important not to plant them
too deep.
“Th e right soil temperature
is crucial. Some seeds (such as
tomatoes and peppers) like warm
soils, while others (such as lettuce)
prefer cool. It’s a good idea to use a
soil thermometer to measure soil
temperature directly—heating
sources can vary dramatically in
consistency of their heat output.
Th e Farmer’s RoundtableTh e Farmer’s RoundtableAlso, if you start fl ats on benches in
the greenhouse and use untempered
(unheated) well water, actual cell
temperature could be signifi cantly
lower than the air temperature.
Soil moisture ties in with soil
temperature. Heated beds, small-
celled fl ats, and peat pots have
faster evaporation rates
(and hence need more
frequent water) than colder
soils or large, deep-celled
fl ats. Maintaining proper
moisture, regardless of cell
size, is especially critical
for germination.
“Finally, don’t rule
out rodent thievery! After years of
terrible pepper germination in (we
thought) a mouse-free farm, we
busted mice in the act of stealing
pre-germinated seeds—but they
were only taking the largest and
nicest seeds from each fl at!”
Maryellen Sheehan
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On the FarmOn the Farm
Hearts Hill Farm is a romantic
name that refl ects the happy
story of NOFA-NY members Kent
and Michele Roberts, married
now for 37 years and enjoying
great success with the work
they love to do growing fresh
vegetables and herbs. In 1945,
the Roberts’ family bought a 40-
acre farm nestled on Clark Mills
Road in Whitesboro (near Utica)
with the goal of raising chickens.
Th ey eventually expanded their
venture to include vegetables and
strawberries. Now, more than
60 years later, Hearts Hill Farm is
growing award-winning certifi ed
organic garlic and tomatoes in
addition to a wide variety of
vegetables and herbs. Th ey also
have an apiary to complement the
vegetable operation.
Kent inherited the farm when
his father died, and it had been
out of production for years when
Kent and Michele moved to the
farm in 1988. Michele took the
Master Gardeners course from
Cornell Cooperative Extension,
and they decided to put in a
home garden. As is the way with
many gardens, Michele soon
found that the harvest was more
than they could eat and freeze
for themselves. Not wanting to
waste an abundant crop of basil,
Michele stuck some in a bucket
and put it out by the roadside
in front of her house. Passersby
took it all. “Th e next year, people
came knocking at our front door
wanting to know if they had any
more of that great basil,” Michele
said. So, they decided to put out
a couple of buckets and a small
table for their excess vegetables.
“Every year we had to get a bigger
table, and then fi nally we put up
a small stand. We were in the
vegetable business!” Michele says.
Going Organic
One year, Michele received a
Rodale encyclopedia of organic
gardening for a Christmas
present. After reading it, she and
Kent decided to go organic. In
Champions at Hearts Hill Farm
Nancy Weber
To learn more about Hearts Hill Farm, visit their website at www.localharvest.org/hearts-hill-farm-M28401.
Kent Roberts with his prize-winning garlic braid. Photo by Michele Roberts
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(which is just across from the Great Potato Booth and the NOFA-NY exhibit),
guaranteeing plenty of exposure to the hundreds of thousands of yearly
fairgoers. Organic growers receive specifi cally identifi ed ribbons and champion
rosettes. Th e winners also are posted on the Fair’s website for a full year.
Entry forms for the 2013 fair will be available online at www.nysfair.
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the book’s section on growing
garlic, Michele found a listing for
the Garlic Seed Foundation. She
called the Foundation and got
names of several growers. Kent
and Michele ordered their fi rst
ten pounds of German White,
and from there they expanded
to the seven varieties they now
grow. Hearts Hill Farm has been
certifi ed organic by NOFA-NY
Certifi ed Organic, LLC since
2006. Th eirs is the only certifi ed
organic vegetable farm in Oneida
County.
Th e Roberts’ now have a small
farm market too. Th ey also sell
to a couple of health food stores
and restaurants and through their
website. Expanding their crops
for 2013 is the Roberts’ newly
planted blueberry patch.
“We had considered entering
our produce in the New York
State Fair Commercial Vegetable
competition for many years,”
Michele says. “When the
Department of Ag & Markets
and NOFA-NY sent us e-mail
fl yers announcing that the State
Fair was going to have a special
organic division, we thought,
‘Why not!’”
Th e Roberts’ entered their
garlic braid (Czech variety) in
2011 and won fi rst prize and
Organic Grand Champion. In
2012 they entered their garlic
braid and it won Organic Reserve
Champion. Th ey also entered
their cherry tomatoes and they
won fi rst prize and Organic Grand
Champion. Michele says, “We use
our awards not only as marketing
tools to increase sales, but to also
increase awareness of organic
growing.”
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Want Fresh, Local Food? Across New York state this year, NOFA-NY is
excited to help grow New York’s vibrant Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) community through our annual CSA fairs. Th is year, we are off ering nine fairs—more than ever! If you are committ ed to creating a sustainable food system and haven’t joined a CSA yet, we hope you will consider doing so. To fi nd a CSA in your area, visit one of our CSA fairs in your region, or go online to www.localharvest.org.
How does a CSA work?
In late winter or early spring, CSA members
enroll and write a check to cover the cost of a farm
share, which is an entire season’s worth of food.
In the summer and fall, the CSA farm typically
delivers freshly harvested produce once a week to
a designated site where CSA members pick up their
weekly installment of their share. For example,
a pickup site may be a farmers market, a local
community center, or the farm itself.
Nicky Dennis, NOFA-NY CSAs Fair Coordinator
Buy a Share in a Farm
WHAT’S BEHIND THE LABELNOFA-NY Certifi ed Organic
We have verifi ed that no synthetic chemical
fertilizers or pesticides were applied to the
land for at least three years before harvest;
no genetically modifi ed organisms
(GMOs) are used, and sustainable
land management techniques such as
composting and crop rotation are used.
NOFA-NY Farmer’s Pledge
Th e Farmer’s Pledge is a commitment
to a broad set of farming principles
that address labor issues, production
practices, community values, and
marketing. It is a commitment that
farmers can make to their customers and neighbors. It
is not a substitute for organic certifi cation, which is a
service whereby a third party scrutinizes a detailed farm
plan, inspects the farm, and then has the paper records of
the farm reviewed by qualifi ed peers for compliance with
the regulations set forth in the USDA National Organic
Program (NOP).
NOFA-NY Food Justice Pledge
Th e farmer has made a pledge that the
farm will use sustainable growing practices
and fair labor practices, and that the farm
workers will be paid a true living wage.
NOFA-NY Neighborhood Farm Share
Th is pilot program provides residents with limited
incomes in Buff alo and Rochester fi nancial support to
participate in their local CSAs so that they have access to
fresh healthy food.
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What are the benefi ts of joining a CSA?
Obtaining healthy food: Food begins losing
nutritional value the moment it’s picked. Th e
longer it travels and sits on a shelf waiting to be
sold, the less nutritious it is. When you belong
to a CSA, you are getting the most nutritious
food available—food that’s been harvested that
very day.
Deepening your understanding of food
production: Th rough your involvement in a CSA,
you will gain a deeper appreciation of what is
involved in producing the food you eat.
Strengthening your local economy: CSAs keep
money within your community and help area
farmers stay in business, which contributes to
building a strong local economy.
Expanding your community: When you join a
CSA, you are entering a collaborative relationship
with an individual farmer and a group of people
who share your values and ideals when it comes
to food.
Reducing your impact on the Earth: Th e act of
transporting food over long distances contributes
to global warming. When you join a CSA, you are
reducing your negative impact on the earth.
Is joining a CSA right for me?
When thinking about whether or not to join a
CSA, here are a few questions to consider:
Do I like to cook? Does my schedule allow me to make homemade meals most evenings?
Will it be fun to cook vegetables that are new to me?
How will I handle excess produce? Do I have a neighbor, friend, or coworker who would be willing to take excess produce off my hands? Or am I willing to explore new food storage techniques?
Am I willing to accept the unknowns involved in shared risk?
Can I make a weekly commitment to picking up my farm share?
If you answered yes to most of these questions,
then you’ll likely enjoy and appreciate being part of
a CSA.
What happens if there is a poor harvest?
A truly sustainable food system requires that
farmers and consumers alike take a “shared risk”
in food production. After all, farming is a risky
business, because crop yield is dependent on weather
conditions. If a farmer has to assume all the risk,
he or she will be more likely to take “shortcuts”—
like using toxic chemical fertilizers and GMOs—to
remain competitive and productive. CSA members
make a commitment to supporting their farmer
whether or not there is a bountiful harvest, because
CSAs are not just about food; they are also about
supporting a sustainable food system.
How do I fi nd the right CSA for me?
Nothing beats a personal conversation with
the farmer to fi nd out if that farmer’s CSA is a
good match for you. Here are some questions you
might ask:
What makes your CSA unique?
Is your farm certifi ed organic or NOFA-NY Farmer’s Pledge? If not, what chemical pesticides do you use on the produce you include in the share?
What happens to shares that are not picked up?
How long have you been doing a CSA? Why did you start your CSA?
Do you sometimes off er produce grown by other farms, and if so, which farms?
How did last season go?
How many members do you have?
How involved are your members? Do you have potlucks, a newsletter, or farm visits?
Is there a work requirement?
—adapted from www.localharvest.org
Since 2002!Join the growing Registry of Farmers
and Gardeners who annually joinThe Farmer’s Pledge©!
Learn all about The Farmer’s Pledge by visiting: www.nofany.org/farmerspledge.htm
The Farmer's Pledge is a commitment to a broad set of principles that go beyond the National Organic Program
by addressing labor issues, community values and marketing.It is a commitment that either certified organic farmers or
uncertified organic farmers and gardeners can make to theircustomers and neighbors. The Farmer’s Pledge Registry helps
to identify small farmers who have a very strong ecologicalapproach to farming, are treating and paying labor in a
socially responsible way and are working towards once againmaking farming an integral part of communities everywhere.
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Saving Small-Scale Farms
In February 1979, a tractorcade of 6,000 farmers
tied up traffi c in Washington, D.C. to protest farm
policy that ended parity, the pricing system that
had linked farm prices to the costs of other sectors
of the economy. Th e deepening farm crisis of the
1980s accelerated the loss of family-scale farms.
Developers were grabbing up farmland in New
York state at the rate of several acres a day. In face
of the grim reality that small-scale farming could
disappear completely in the Northeast, people who
wanted to farm had to invent creative alternatives,
and that is how Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) was born. In 1987, taking as their model the
Topinambur Cooperative in Zurich, Switzerland, a
core group gathered around farmer Robyn Van En
at Indian Line Farm in Massachusetts. Th ey put out
a proposal to area families asking for payment in
advance for a year’s supply of vegetables—and CSA
was launched.
A long-time CSA farmer leads us through a history of CSA in New York state.
Th e First New York CSAs
With the encouragement and support of a few
members of the Honest Weight Food Co-op in
Albany, Janet Britt started the fi rst CSA project in
New York in 1987. In 1988, Scott Chaskey started
Full Circle Farm with 10 families on Long Island and
then moved to Quail Hill Farm on land protected by
the Peconic Land Trust. At Rose Valley Farm, David
Stern and I found 29 willing households in 1989 and
started the Genesee Valley Organic CSA (GVOCSA).
Th e next year, Robert Perry started SEEDS CSA, and
Melody Newcombe and Mauro Parisi started CSA of
Kingston. In 1991, Biodynamic enthusiasts in New
York City invited Jean-Paul Courtens of Roxbury
Farm to supply them with weekly shares. By 1992,
there were 27 CSAs scattered around the state from
Buff alo to Long Island, ranging in size from three to
250 shares.
Elizabeth Henderson
Pulling weeds, row by row, at the Hudson-Mohawk CSA in Schagticoke, Rennselaer County. Photo by Teri Currie
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For the broader
public, CSA was still
an unknown: farmers
asking consumers to
pay for food in advance
and share the risk with
them was a new concept.
Slowly through the 1990s,
more farms attracted members to CSA projects.
NOFA, the Biodynamic Association, and the
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
sponsored a series of conferences where farmers
and shareholders exchanged experiences through
peer-to-peer sharing, fi guring out together how to
make CSA a model that would work for all parties.
Th e Susquenango Chapter of NOFA-NY held our
fi rst CSA school in 1990 with CSA pioneer Robyn
as keynote speaker. By 1996, Robyn claimed there
were 600 CSAs in the United States. In 1999, 38 New
York CSAs were represented at the Northeast CSA
Conference in the Poconos.
CSA is an attractive model, but while many are
called, few are chosen. Of the sixteen
CSAs listed in a 1993 New York
Directory, nine ceased to exist within
a few years. Many farms tried it out—
but only about half stuck with it.
Hudson-Mohawk CSA
To prepare for her own CSA, Janet
Britt fi rst spent a season with Robyn
at Indian Line Farm. During that
year, Janet had regular meetings with
the Albany people who became her
core group and helped her fi nd land
to rent in Schagticoke. Like Robyn,
Janet wanted to give an active role to
both farm staff and farm customers.
Th e term for this group became “the
core,” although the actual roles performed might
vary from farm to farm. Th e farm owners allowed
Janet to use fi ve acres in exchange for a share in the
vegetables. Farmer Steve Gilman was between farms
of his own and helped her out with equipment. At
Hudson-Mohawk CSA, Janet’s entire harvest went
With the encouragement
and support of a few members of
the Honest Weight Food Co-op in
Albany, Janet Britt started the fi rst
CSA project in New York in 1987.
Janet Britt (at left ), who started the fi rst CSA in New York State in 1987, has retired from farming and is happy that the CSA continues, now under the ownership of Brian and Justine Denison (at right) of Denison Farm. Photos by Meegan Finnegan
to members. She ran
the CSA with one
assistant and some
working members.
Janet eventually
decided to retire from
running the CSA, and
she is pleased that she
was able to help raise
money to place an
easement on the farm
(now belonging to
and run by Brian and
Justine Denison) that
will preserve the land
in perpetuity. A few of
the CSA’s original members still belong!
Genesee Valley / Peacework
Four hours’ drive to the west, the GVOCSA
(recently renamed Peacework Organic CSA)
was a farmer-member cooperative. David and I
worked land that we rented from
Doug Kraai. From the beginning,
we agreed that everyone would
contribute both money and labor,
either as a member of the core
group or helping with harvest and
distribution. To this day, members
drive a full hour from Rochester
for their four-hour work shifts at
the farm. Friends and children are
welcome. Payment is on a sliding
scale and the farm accepts SNAP
(aka food stamp) benefi ts. When
Doug passed away, within 14 months
GVOCSA members contributed
enough money to the Genesee
Land Trust to purchase the farm.
Th e Trust then leased the land back to us. And two
years ago, we successfully completed a transition in
farmers when I retired. Ammie Chickering and Greg
Palmer now run the farm. In 1989, we were the fi rst
CSA within two hundred miles of Rochester. Today,
there are 30 serving the Rochester area.
continued on page 16
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Th e Model Evolves
From the early
days of CSA, whether
to involve members,
and if so, in what way,
has been a hot issue.
At that 1993 CSA
conference, farmers
and shareholders
examined member
participation from
every angle. Half
of the CSAs present had core groups and half did
not, either out of choice or out of hesitation to ask
too much of busy customers. Some off ered work
shares for a reduction in share payment, others
invited volunteers. A few farmers preferred to do
everything themselves. Katy Sweeney of Malven
Hill Farm, in a very rural area, even did home
deliveries. Th is range continues to this day.
Roxbury Farm in the east and Porter Farms
in the west quickly demonstrated how to scale
up CSAs to supply many more members. Today,
Porter has 1,000 and Roxbury has 1,200. Stone
Ledge and Garden of Eve are even larger, and
with 2,000 shares, Golden Earthworm may be
the largest CSA in the state. In only three years,
Corbin Hill Farm, a network of rural farms near
Albany with urban communities, has grown to over
1,000 members in the Bronx and Harlem.
Providing Support for CSAs
Th e CSAs in the New York
metropolitan area have benefi tted
from the support of Just
Food, a not-for-profi t that has
campaigned for local, organic
food since 1995. Th e Just Food
approach to CSA is to help groups
of city residents form core groups
and then match them with farms
within an hour or two of the
city. Th e core volunteers take on
the CSA’s administrative management, signing
up new members, collecting payments, raising
money to subsidize low-income shares, running
the distribution site, and planning community
events. Just Food provides ongoing training for
both core groups and farmers. Th eir website is a
treasure trove of helpful resources including a guide
to setting up and maintaining a core group and
vegetable tip sheets with recipes.
Besides NOFA, several other regional networks
have facilitated the spread of CSAs. In the North
Country, Garden Share
holds workshops
and promotes CSAs
through a dedicated
annual edition of
their newsletter.
Cooperative Extension
supports a coalition
of Ithaca-area CSA
farmers who created
Healthy Food for
All to raise money
to subsidize share
payments for lower-
income families. In the southern Adirondacks,
a group of Extension educators has facilitated
the start of several CSAs that drop off shares at
workplaces.
While CSA has not stopped the
att rition of family farms in New York, it has provided an
inspiring model for the category of farms that is growing—the
smallest farms.
Th e remarkable proliferation of
CSAs underlines the wonderful quality of
the concept—there is no orthodox way of doing it and no
patent on the term.
continued from page 15
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In 2007, NOFA-NY
surveyed 120 CSAs,
interviewing farmers
or core members by
phone. Of the 75 farms
who responded, 69 were
functioning CSAs. Of
those, 25 had fewer than
25 members and three
had over 500. Almost all
off ered mixed vegetable
shares; nearly half
included fruit. Th ere were
51 single-farm CSAs,
and only 7 marketed all
of their harvest through
their CSA. About one-
quarter of the CSAs
reported having a core
group. Seventeen of the farmers had no off -farm
income. (Th e full report is available from NOFA-NY.
Th e growth of CSA has been accelerating. CSA
listings on localharvest.org, the website with the
most complete listing of CSAs nationwide, have
more than tripled in the past fi ve years. In December
2012, localharvest.org showed about 400 listings for
New York state alone. (Th ere is some redundancy in
the list.)
Versatility Leads to Success
Th e remarkable proliferation of CSAs underlines
the wonderful quality of the concept—there is no
orthodox way of doing it and no patent on the term.
As a result, no two are alike. Almost all New York
CSAs claim to grow sustainably, though fewer than
one-third are certifi ed organic. CSAs off er various
share sizes for seasons ranging from 18 weeks to
52: summer, winter, or by the academic calendar.
Diff erent share contents abound—herbs, lacto-
fermented preserves, Asian stir-fry mix, alpaca
fi ber or fi nished clothing, meats fresh or frozen,
eggs, goats’ milk, U-pick berries,
organic wine, micro-brews,
fl owers, bread, and precooked
meals. A few farms even off er to
supply their members’ entire food
needs year-round. As CSAs spread
to every part of the state, there
are more kinds of organizations
sponsoring them: urban gardens,
not-for-profi ts, churches, a
summer camp, and conventional
farms, including dairies seeking
to diversify production.
Th is trio of images from about 1990 shows the early days of the Genesee Valley Organic CSA. Mary Kay McGrath (above) is still a member of the CSA today! Photos by Marilyn Anderson
continued on page 18
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While CSA has not stopped
the attrition of family farms in
New York, it has provided an
inspiring model for the category
of farms that is growing—the
smallest farms. Th e New York
CSAs with the greatest staying
power give us clues to what
will make a truly sustainable
agriculture: solid community or
family support, active members,
preserved land, strong urban-
rural connections, partnership
with support organizations,
biodiverse cropping, and
agroecological growing practices.
Despite the cynical times we
are living through, CSAs in New
York remain true to the original
spirit blazing the path to the
cooperative social relations of
the future.
CSA: A Win-Win SolutionAt the 1993 New York State CSA Gathering in Syracuse, I shared my
thoughts on the signifi cance of CSA as an antidote to the dominant
industrial food system:
“We need to take our work more seriously. We have the chance
to build the food system that will replace the current one. CSA
is an idea—a tremendously fl exible concept for a new consumer-
farmer connection, an alternative system of distribution based
on community values. Th e economics of direct sales make this
a win-win solution for farmers and consumers. Th e farmer gets
a decent price and the consumer pays less, since there is no
middleman. For the farmer, the CSA off ers the possibility of
a broad support group of people who genuinely care about the
farm’s survival and who are willing to share the farmer’s risks.
Consumers have the opportunity to connect with the earth,
know and trust the people who grow their food, and support
the local economy. Th e big question we must answer—will this
be sustainable?”
Th ese were bold words, and you may ask what I had been smoking, but
in 2013, 26 years after the fi rst tiny CSA began in New York, there are over
350 CSAs providing weekly shares to over 25,000 households.
continued from page 17
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A Gallery of CSAs Across New York StateA Gallery of CSAs Across New York State
Members share good food and company at a spring planning meeting and potluck with the multi-farm community at the Full Plate Farm Collective, comprised of Stick and Stone Farm and Remembrance Farm. Courtesy of Full Plate Farm Collective
Keeping it in the family, Emily (Porter)
Swarner with daughter, Natalie,
and niece, Katie Porter (left to right), do some watering in
the greenhouse at Porter Farms, a third-
generation certifi ed organic CSA.
Photo courtesy of the
Daily News (Batavia)
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Apprentices Andrew Buckwalter and Melissa Rosenberg head out to
harvest greens at Sisters Hill Farm, a nonprofi t
farm owned and managed by the Sisters
of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul of New York.
Courtesy of Sisters Hill Farm
St. Lawrence and SUNY Canton college students who take part in monthly potlucks and help out in the fi elds at Litt le Grasse Foodworks receive share off erings in return. Courtesy of Little Grasse Foodworks
A group of shareholders visit Corbin Hill in Schoharie County to see where their food comes from and meet the farmers. Corbin Hill delivers food all the way to the Bronx and Harlem, where they supply fresh food to low-income communities. Photo by Dennis Derryck
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Animals are at the heart of Smoke
Ridge Organics, from raising butt erfl ies to rescuing horses. Th is
multi-commodity CSA incorporates
animal power year-round. Courtesy of
Smoke Ridge Organics
continued from page 21
Benjamin, son of head farmer David Hambleton, proudly shows off his broccoli at distribution day at Sisters Hill Farm. Courtesy of Sisters
Hill Farm
Planting garlic at the Root Down Farm, farmers Erin Blabac and Steven Blabac exemplify the trials and triumphs experienced by new farmers. Courtesy of Root Down Farm
To fi nd out more about these CSAs, contact:
Porter Farms5020 Edgerton Road, Elba, NY 14058(585) 757-6823, [email protected]
Th e Full Plate Farm CollectiveP.O. Box 6898, Ithaca, NY 14851(607) 379-2866, [email protected]
Th e Root Down Farm8386 County Road East Amherst, NY 14051(716) 949-1204, [email protected] www.therootdownfarm.com
Corbin Hill Farm119 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027(718) 578-3610, [email protected]
Little Grasse Foodworks309 Miner Street Road, Canton, NY 13617(315) 379-9176, [email protected] www.littlegrasse.blogspot.com
Sisters Hill Farm127 Sisters Hill Road, Stanfordville, NY 12581(845) 868-7048, [email protected]
Smoke Ridge Organics3804 County Road 40, Bloomfi eld, NY 14469(585) 229-7424, [email protected]
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When we started our CSA ten years
ago, my husband and I followed what
we knew as the standard model. We
packed individual bags of produce for
our CSA members, and they had no
choice in what they received. It didn’t
take us long to realize that packing
shares is for the birds. (Or, at least, for
other farmers who do it more effi ciently
than we do!) We also discovered that
community-supported agriculture is a
diverse concept, and that our CSA did not
have to run exactly like that of the early
trailblazers. We came to understand that
each farm can use this marketing option
to help their business be more profi table,
provide a more stable income, and, most
important, meet the farmers’ goals.
Why We Love CSA
We participated in a market channel
assessment a few years ago that helped
us evaluate which of our marketing
channels (farmers markets, restaurants,
and CSA) were the most effi cient use of
our busy summer time. It showed us that
CSA is the most effi cient way that we sell
produce. Th at’s because we sell the idea
once, and then we reap a commitment
for a whole season of purchases. It’s
much more effi cient than having to fi nd
customers week after week to buy our
kale, celeriac, and whatever else we have
on off er at the time. Plus, once a member
realizes what a good deal the CSA is, they
often join year after year. So that one sale
can provide many years of payback!
Th is advance commitment is one of
the great benefi ts of the CSA model for
farmers. As we begin receiving checks
from our CSA members each winter—
when we haven’t yet planted a single
seed—I marvel at the faith our CSA folks
place in us. It is this guaranteed market
that we most appreciate as farmers
market vendors. Even on a rainy day, our
CSA customers still come! We also really
like to have a group of people who care
about what happens to our little farm.
Liz MartinHow the farmers of Muddy Fingers Farm reduced their stress and improved their CSA by adapting their model to meet their farm goals.
THERE’S THERE’S NO NO
RIGHT RIGHT WAYWAY
In this era of unpredictable weather patterns, it’s nice to know
there are folks who would be willing to help carry the garlic to
higher ground if it were needed!
Tinkering with Our Model
So, how have we changed our CSA model to better meet our
needs? Th e fi rst way that we deviated from what we perceived
as “the way to do CSA” was our pickup location. Our farm is in a
relatively rural spot, and having all of our members drive to the
farm for pickup would be a carbon-heavy option. Many of our
members picked up their weekly share at the farmers market
anyway, so we have made our stands at the Corning, Grove Park
(Elmira), and Watkins Glen farmers markets our offi cial pickup
sites. continued on page 24
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ginger, and Hakurei turnips—that’s OK, too. Now
our CSA pickups are a joy! We’ve realized that our
goal is not to be the food police, forcing people to
try all of the 100 varieties we grow. Of course, we do
encourage people to try some of the oddball things
that we like growing, such as our yard-long noodle
beans, tomatillos, and red-fl eshed potatoes. And
we always include recipes on our newsletter blog at
muddyfi ngersfarm.blogspot.com.
Another thing we really like about our pickup
system is that it allows us to bring in add-ons from
other local farms—locally grown and ground fl our
from Farmer Ground Flour and beans from Cayuga
Pure Organics. As long as we pay less than $3 per
unit, we can easily pop these items into our system.
Th is is a great way to support other local farms and
off er our CSA members more diversity.
When we looked at what our CSA members told
us they liked best about our CSA, we were pleased
to fi nd that we could shape our model both to meet
our goals and make our customers happy. It just
required some refl ection and discussion and creative
thinking. To sum it up in a single sentence, our
advice to CSA farmers is: Hone in on the big-picture
goals, and worry less about the little details like
counting cabbages.
Liz Martin puts fi nishing touches on a Muddy Fingers farm dual-purpose display stand at the Grove Park Farmers Market. Th e stand att racts market customers and also serves as the pickup point for Muddy Fingers CSA members. Photo by David Martin
continued from page 23
Our next signifi cant realization is that we didn’t
have to pack share bags for our members, because
we had all the food laid out for display for market
customers. So our members could pack their own
shares. Th is allowed them to make some choices too:
small potatoes or large, green squash or yellow.
But even after those changes, we still felt that
our CSA was making us stressed out. We were still
spending a lot of emotional energy on minor details
that were not making much diff erence in our CSA
members’ satisfaction, such as realizing at the last
minute on market day, “Oh no, we only have 25
cabbages and we need 30!” And back to the fi eld we
would have to go, even if it made us late for market.
We realized that we needed to make our model
more fl exible so we wouldn’t be locked into tasks
like counting heads of cabbage for every market
trip. It turns out that adding more fl exibility for
ourselves also worked well for our customers. Here’s
what we came up with. We based our share price
on the assumption that each week we will off er our
members between fi ve and eight items from what
we have on display. And we design the size of our
off erings (such as a bunch of kale or a basket of
squash) to have a value of about $3 apiece. Th ere
is some variability; occasionally we off er an item
that’s worth as much $4 or a bit less than $3, but we
feel it all balances out. And our CSA customers love
the fact that they can choose what suits them best.
If they want only the staples that they recognize
from the grocery store, that’s fi ne. If they want all
“weird” stuff —husk cherries, purple carrots, baby Liz Martin and Matt hew Glenn run Muddy Fingers Farm in Hector, on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake.
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On a farm, the
cooperation between
humans, animals, plants,
soil, and water is essential
for the cycles and patterns
of the farm system to
fl ourish. Together, the
health of interrelationships
contributes to the overall
health of the farm
community. Th e same
is true of the broader
community—our society at
large.
In a struggling
community, there is often
a breakdown in these
crucial linkages. Obesity,
hypertension, and diabetes,
caused in part by food
insecurity and insuffi cient
nutrition, are prevalent in
low-income neighborhoods.
However, many low-income
groups do have rich food
cultures and traditions.
Th e industrial food system
has made it diffi cult for
all consumers to have
healthy relationships with
food, but economically
disadvantaged people face
even greater obstacles.
Many live in areas
dubbed as “food deserts,”
characterized by limited
access to transportation,
long distances to grocery
stores, and poverty. Food
deserts exist not only in
urban areas, but also in
rural communities. For
NOFA-NY, food insecurity
hits close to home. Many
areas of our state can be
Nicky Dennis, NOFA-NY Food Justice Assistant
The Neighborhood Farm Share Program allows people in low-income communities in Western New York to share the experience and benefits of belonging to a local CSA.
classifi ed as food deserts. NOFA-NY is
eager to help restore the food health of
communities through the valuable work of
its farmers.
Th e Neighborhood Farm Share Program
NOFA-NY developed the Neighborhood
Farm Share (NFS) Program as a way to
increase access to healthy, fresh, and local
produce for low-income urban and rural
communities in Western New York. Th e
Farm Share program provides a $100
subsidy for qualifi ed
individuals and families
in and around Rochester
and Buff alo to participate
in a local Community
Supported Agriculture
(CSA) or similar-model
farm business. In the
summer of 2012, NOFA-NY
piloted this program with
the participation of three
CSAs. For the upcoming
2013 season, these same
CSAs plus two additional
CSAs will off er subsidized
shares through the
program to 80 individuals
and families.
CSAs in New York have
a history of involvement in
social justice. For example,
Promised Land CSA in
Corfu has donated surplus
crops to “Soup Kitchen in
the City” for 20 years. For
the past 5 years this CSA
has also been involved
with the Massachusetts
Avenue Project (MAP),
which focuses on youth
engagement in food justice
and urban agriculture.
Each year Promised Land
CSA hosts students for a
day on the farm so they
can experience a direct
connection with the
soil and growing crops.
Additionally, Promised
Land provided 10 shares for
the MAP Mobile Market,
which transports healthy
local foods to low-income
neighborhoods in Buff alo.
FROM FOOD DESERTSTO FARMSHARES
continued on page 26
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26
Promised Land is one of the
Buff alo-region CSAs participating
in NOFA-NY’s Farm Share
program in 2013. Promised
Land’s farmer, Dan Oles, says,
“It’s always been my goal to get
the product that we’re producing
to families who can’t aff ord
it. A large percentage of our
shareholders can aff ord to buy
organic food, but people in the
low-income bracket do not have
the ability to source or aff ord
that. If anybody needs good-
quality food, nutrient-dense
food, it’s low-income people.”
Oles also believes the Farm
Share program will benefi t his
CSA. “It’s going to foster making
connections
and building
relationships
with people
we would
not normally
connect with.
It broadens
who we are as a
CSA. Creating
diversity in
the CSA share
box and in
the CSA makes it a richer CSA
for everyone involved.” Oles is
already thinking ahead to the
CSA fall potluck and how to make
sure that all members have a way
to get to the event, even if they
don’t have a car.
2013 Neighborhood Farm Share CSAsIf you’d like to join one of these CSAs,
contact them soon before all shares are
sold out.
Peacework Organic CSA, [email protected](315) 365-3439
Rochester Roots, [email protected](585) 232-1463
Th e Good Food Collective, Rochesterwww.thegoodfoodcollective.comsara@thegoodfoodcollective.com
Promised Land CSA, [email protected](585) 599-3462
Porter Farms, [email protected](585) 757-6823
“If anybody needs good-
quality food, nutrient-dense
food, it’s low-income
people.”
What You Can Do
Every member of NOFA-
NY has the potential to help
the Neighborhood Farm Share
Program succeed. Two simple
ways to help are to: (1) Support
CSAs that participate in the
program; (2) Contribute to a CSA’s
revolving loan fund or attend a
fundraiser that helps subsidize
shares for low-income members.
In 2013, Peacework Organic
CSA / aka GVOCSA (a NOFA-NY
Certifi ed Organic farm), Porter
Farms (a NOFA-NY Certifi ed
Organic farm), the Good Food
Collective, Rochester Roots
(a Farmer’s Pledge farm), and
Promised Land CSA will provide
Neighborhood Farm shares. Th e
program is mutually benefi cial.
It provides food access for food-
insecure individuals, and it
increases share sales for local
CSAs at no additional fi nancial
cost to the farm, because NOFA-
NY pays the subsidized part of
the shares. Emily Porter of Porter
Farms in Elba participated in
the NOFA-NY NFS pilot project
during the summer of 2012.
Porter said, “Being involved in
the Neighborhood Farm Share
program helped us to reach more
people,” and that’s NOFA-NY’s
goal for the program—to help
connect CSA farmers and low
income consumers.
As a participant in the Farm
Share program, Porter Farms
keeps its program simple by
growing certifi ed organic staples,
reaching out to more people, and
making the CSA aff ordable to
those who need it most. Like all
of the CSAs participating in the
NFS program, Porter Farms has
a strong social mission. For the
past 10 years they have donated
surplus food, often over 70
pounds a week, to churches in
Buff alo and Rochester as well as
the YWCA in Batavia. For every
15 participants in the Farm
Share program (or any nonprofi t
program), the farm generously
donates one free share.
NOFA-NY encourages CSAs to
become qualifi ed to accept food
stamps, which also allows NFS
participants to make payments
over time. Th is helps to increase
access for low income individuals.
Funds raised in support of
the Neighborhood Farm Share
Program can be used to create a
revolving loan fund or increase
subsidized CSA shares. Just
Food created the revolving loan
fund concept, which is a pot of
continued from page 25
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At Farm Credit East, we’re proud to work with a rich diversity of agricultural businesses across the Northeast. Our farms span all types of agriculture, farm sizes and marketing approaches. This diversity is at the heart of a vital, strong Northeast agriculture.
We understand the significance of what you do. We share in your hopes and goals. And we want to help you achieve them.
If you operate a farm or other agricultural business of any type or size, Farm Credit East has the products and services to help your business be successful: Loans Financial record-keeping Leases FarmStart for new businesses Payroll Business consulting Tax services
Call your local Farm Credit East office today. 800.562.2235 FarmCreditEast.com
The Heart ofNortheast Agriculture.
money that allows for up-front
payment to farmers for a low-
income member’s share. Th is
individual can pay back into the
loan fund over the season. Th is
helps to alleviate the obstacle
for many low-income people
who do not have large amounts
of money at one time. By the
end of the season, the money is
returned to the fund, and the
CSA can use it again to help next
year’s low-income shareholders.
Canticle Farm CSA in Allegany
and Chelsea CSA both utilize
revolving loan funds.
Th e Farm Share subsidy
contributes up to $100 per share,
but many families may need
more fi nancial support. Without
a subsidy, farm shares may range
from $350 to $800 for the season.
With a Farm Share subsidy,
participants pay $11
to $18 per week or
$225 to $425 for the
season. Th e Good
Food Collective in
Rochester is a multi-
farm business. It
works with 15 to
20 farms, many
certifi ed organic, to
provide members
with weekly shares. Unlike a
traditional CSA, where farmers
sell directly to consumers, the
Good Food Collective functions
as the partnering organization,
aggregating food from farmers
and then selling to consumers.
Th e Good Food Collective is an
inspiration to organizations
seeking to help low-income
community members obtain CSA
shares and a model for how to
take action. It has
raised additional
subsidy funds
through the Good
Night fundraiser,
where members
attended a gathering
featuring local food,
drinks, and music
and raised $2,500 for
additional subsidy
funds. As a result, the NFS
participants who choose the Good
Food Collective will be off ered a
$200 subsidy.
NOFA-NY is proud of the
good work being done by CSAs
and feels strongly that the
Neighborhood Farm Share
program will build upon these
success stories by connecting
those in need with healthy, local
food provided by NOFA-NY CSAs.
Every member of
NOFA-NY has the potential
to help the Neighborhood
Farm Share Program succeed.
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www.horizonorganic.com
Peter Slaunwhite (Northern and Eastern New York) 315-272-3218
Steve Rinehart (Western New York) 917-797-9058
Horizon® is Seeking New Farmer Partners for the #1 Organic Milk Brand*
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Katmoon Hollow Dairy, Delhi, NY
Find us on , and
Two Farms Take the Food Justice Pledge
Fellenz Family Farm and
Mud Creek Farm have offi cially
become the fi rst farms to qualify
for the Food Justice Pledge. Th e
Agricultural Justice Project
(AJP) has created this domestic
fair trade label to reward in
the marketplace sustainable
and organic farms and food
businesses where relationships
are just and equitable. AJP
standards emphasize fair pricing
for farmers’ products that
fully cover production costs,
including fair wages and benefi ts
for farmers and farm workers,
genuine learning opportunities
for interns, and safe working
conditions for everyone one the
farm.
Th e farms have passed
inspections conducted by NOFA-
NY Food Justice Coordinator
Elizabeth Henderson, and
farmers Andy Fellenz of
Fellenz Family Farm and
Erin Bullock of Mud Creek
Farm have agreed to uphold
the standards of the (AJP).
To read the standards, visit
www.agriculturaljusticeproject.org.
For more information on
the Food Justice Pledge, or
if your farm or someone you
know may be interested in
taking the pledge, contact
Elizabeth Henderson at
NOFA-NY NewsHelp promote a sustainable food and farm system in New York state!
Please pass on this issue of New York Organic News to someone you know
who would be interested in learning more about local, organic food and
farming. If you would like more copies of New York Organic News to share
with others, contact Sarah Raymond, our Membership Services Coordinator, at
[email protected] or at 585-271-1979 x512.
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we speak organic
802-223-6049 | Montpelier, Vermontvermontcompost.com
Makers of Living Media for Organic Growers
NOFA-NY NewsTh anking Our Sponsors
Patrons
Th e New World Foundation
USDA Risk Management Agency
USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program
NOFA-NY Programs & Services
Agricultural Justice Project
Beginning Farmer, Apprentice, and Mentorship programs
CSA Fairs
Th e Farmer’s Pledge
Farm to Restaurant Project
Field Days & Workshops
Locavore Challenge
Th e Natural Farmer (published by NOFA)
Neighborhood Farm Share Program
New York Organic NewsOrganic Certifi cation
Organic Dairy and Field Crop Conference
Organic Farming and Gardening Conference
Organic Food GuideTechnical Assistance Helpline
Value Added Grains Project
Platinum
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Edible New York
Farm Family Insurance Companies
Organic Valley
Stonyfi eld Organic
Th e Valley Table
NOFA-NY deeply appreciates the generous support of our Winter Conference Patron and Platinum Sponsors.
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More than 1,000 farmers, gardeners, consumers, activists, and others gathered for the NOFA-NY Winter Conference in Saratoga Springs on January 25 through 27. Here, Edith Gawler, Farmer of the Year Scott Chaskey, Tatiana Stanton, NOFA-NY retiring board member Elizabeth Henderson, and keynote speaker Shinji Hashimoto (left to right) sample beer made with local grains at Th ursday night’s “Taste of Local Grains” welcome reception. Photo by Lorna Reichl
NOFA-NY News
Don’t miss the next issue of New York Organic News:
Farmers Markets & Community Gardens
When you become a
member of NOFA-NY, not only
do you receive a quarterly
subscription to New York Organic News, you join a
growing movement of farmers,
consumers, gardeners, and
businesses committed to
creating a sustainable, local,
organic food and farm system
that’s good for people and
the planet.
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NOFA-NY News
Photo by Elizabeth Henderson
Russell LibbyIn Gratitude for His LifeOur movement for a world of peaceful, family-scale organic
farms and gardens has lost one of our greatest leaders.
On December 10, 2012, Russell Libby, organic farmer and
Executive Director of MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and
Gardeners Association), passed away from cancer at age 56.
Th ere is a painful irony that his death was probably caused
by early exposure to the toxic chemicals he worked so hard to
eliminate from the planet.
Under Russell’s leadership, MOFGA became the fi rst
organic farming association in the country to have its own
farm/conference center, and its membership doubled. Russell
was a gentle, reserved man with a sly sense of humor. An
eloquent public speaker, he never put his ego in the center. As
his close friend and associate Dave Colson put it, “Russell led
from behind.”
Although NOFA and MOFGA are separate organizations,
Russell often attended the annual retreat of the NOFA
Interstate Council, where he shared his successful approaches
to fund-raising and provided sage council in policy work. At
one of our conferences he advocated simply but forcefully
for locally grown, organic foods—“Food with A Face, A
Place, and a Taste.” As a thinker, Russell was exceptionally
gifted at expressing complex ideas in clear, accessible terms.
He encapsulated the cumulative economic value of local
agriculture by asking that every household spend $10 a week
on local products. For New York, this would amount to a
weekly $72 million for the farming and food sector!
NOFA’s policy activists learned a lot from Russell’s
remarkable skill at analyzing regulatory language and
fi nding eff ective ways to sway the outcomes in favor of small-
scale farms and food businesses. Organic produce farmers
have Russell to thank that the Food Safety Modernization
Act (FSMA) of 2010 does not impose one-size-fi ts-all
regulations that could have crushed smaller operations under
burdensome requirements that are appropriate and necessary
only for large-scale food processors. When the Food and Drug
Administration released the 1,200 pages of regulations for
the FSMA a few days after Russell’s death, we could sense
him laughing, urging us to press on in the spirit of justice and
fairness that his life exemplifi ed.
Russell learned from NOFA too. Four years ago he att ended a workshop on farmers writing poetry and took up writing himself. Here is one of his pieces, from the collection Each Day (2011).
In the Night
Oh, that not-quite-crack
as a rib fl exes,
and maybe breaks,
in the night.
Do I get another X-ray
that tells me
what my body
already knows,
or just use each breath
as a reminder of the beauty
of the day?
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Restaurants
Aroma Th yme Bistro165 Canal Street, Ellenville, NY 12428 (845) 647-3000 • www.aromathymebistro.com
In the Catskill Mountain town of Ellenville,
Chef Marcus Guiliano of Aroma Th yme Bistro is
passionate about ingredients. After experiencing
a dramatic change in his own health when he
switched to eating organic food, he began sourcing
free-range, pasture-
raised, and certifi ed
organic meats as well as
organic produce to work
with at Aroma Th yme.
Among the growers
Guiliano works with are
Rusty Plough Farm in
Ellenville and Wild Hive
Farm in Clinton Corners.
He also sources cheese
from many Hudson
Valley cheesemakers.
“Local is phenomenal, and wherever we are sourcing
from we want the farmer to receive the dollar. For
example, the farmer from Bali who produces our
sugar has been in our restaurant,” says Guiliano.
“I want to feel proud about where our money goes.
Our customers respect it too.” Th e wide-ranging
menu includes meat and seafood entries as well as
many vegetarian choices and whole-wheat thin-
crust pizza. Th ere is a full bar, and the bistro off ers
close to 200 diff erent beer choices. Th e restaurant is
certifi ed green by the Green Restaurant Association.
Restaurant hours: Monday–Th ursday, 5–11 p.m.; Friday, 3 p.m.–midnight; Saturday noon–midnight; Sunday, noon–10 p.m.
Fine Dining, Local and OrganicCandle 79154 East 79th Street at Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10021 (212) 537-7179 • www.Candle79.com
Candle 79 is known as New York City’s premiere
vegan oasis, and has twice been named as Zagat’s
number-one vegetarian restaurant. Its sister
restaurant, Candle Café, was the fi rst Certifi ed
Green Restaurant in the city. Candle 79 is an
elegant, two-story restaurant that includes an
organic wine and sake bar. Candle 79 sources
produce from Blooming Hill Farms in Blooming
Grove, Monkshood Nursery in Stuyvesant, and
Mountain Dell Farm in Hancock. Th e restaurant’s
customers seek out Candle 79 because of its long-
standing reputation for serving organic, says
COO Benay Vynerib. “We are in a lot of guide books
for travelers, and I believe it’s the organics that
attract visitors. It’s important. It’s taking care of the
planet, the environment, and the body,” Vynerib
says. Th e menu changes continually to refl ect the
seasons, with selections such as chilled avocado
and cucumber soup with sweet corn and toasted
pumpkin seeds or a pasta dish featuring rigatoni
with baby spinach, broccoli, lobster mushrooms,
corn, cranberry beans, roasted garlic, and an
heirloom tomato-basil sauce.
Restaurant hours: Monday–Saturday, noon–3:30 p.m. and 5:30–10:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon–4 p.m. and 5–10 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Aroma Th yme Bistro
Photo by Mimi Giboin
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Restaurants
Fine Dining, Local and OrganicFift y South2128 Doubleday Avenue, Rt. 50, Ballston Spa, NY 12020(518) 884-2926 • www.fi ftysouth.com
Small and elegant (but kid-friendly too!), Fifty
South in Ballston Spa excels at transforming
wholesome, fresh ingredients into great-tasting
soups, sandwiches, salads, entrees, and desserts.
Owner Kim Klopstock sources ingredients from
local organic, biodynamic, and sustainable growers,
including Kilpatrick Family Farm in Middle
Granville, Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, and
Sheldon Farms in Salem. She uses local organic
produce not only in the restaurant’s off erings, but
also in her catering business, Th e Lily and the Rose.
Delicious food is not all this restaurant has
to off er. You may fi nd a jazz trio playing by the
bar or the members of the restaurant’s book club
meeting to share food and conversation around the
table. “I’m trying to build community,” Klopstock
explains. “As a human being, I’m fairly diverse. I
like to dance, to listen to music.” Klopstock also
sets up special events with an educational theme,
such as a recent local foods dinner at which farmer
Michael Kilpatrick spoke about his experiences as
an apprentice at Joel Salatin’s farm. Klopstock feels
that the education piece helps her customers under
the true value and cost of high-quality food. “You
spend three days as a farmer, and then you tell me
how much a head of lettuce should cost,” she says.
Restaurant hours: Wednesday–Th ursday, 4:30–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 4:30–10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
Th e Restaurant at Elderberry Pond3712 Center Street Road, Auburn, NY 13021315-252-3977 • www.elderberrypond.com/id2.html
Nestled on the grounds of Elderberry Pond
Certifi ed Organic Farm in Auburn, the Restaurant at
Elderberry Pond has as local a supply of organic food
as it gets. “We use our own farm-raised pork, honey,
and about every kind of vegetable we can grow,”
says Merby Lego, who owns and runs the farm
and restaurant along with her husband, Lou. Th e
restaurant also sources some produce from Harvest
Home Organics and certifi ed organic poultry from
Eberly Poultry in Pennsylvania.
Planning a menu around local produce can be a
creative challenge, Lego says. “I can’t plan a month
ahead or put something on the menu for two
months. I empathize with chefs who are trying to
buy local.”
Th e restaurant was built to harmonize with
its farm setting, using local fi eld stone for the
foundation and beams in the dining room salvaged
from local barns. Along with the main dining, there
is seating in a sunroom, and outdoors on the patio
when weather permits.
Restaurant hours: Wednesday through Sunday for both lunch and dinner (mid-March through December)
Photo courtesy of Fifty South
Photo by Lou Lego
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Committed to Organic Growers
Since 1973
Committed to Organic Growers
Since 1973
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Helping farmers for over 66 years.• Pioneers of organic farming products since 1946.• The oldest organic fertilizer manufacturer in the U.S.• Leaders of all natural and organic acceptable livestock supplements,
fertilizers and soil amendments.The Fertrell Company • Bainbridge, Pennsylvania 17502 • 800-347-1566 • www.fertrell.com
Helping farmers for over 66 years.• Pioneers of organic farming products since 1946.• The oldest organic fertilizer manufacturer in the U.S.• Leaders of all natural and organic acceptable livestock supplements,
fertilizers and soil amendments.
Media
Ann Anthony
While you are enjoying the rebirth of springtime, here are some new books, useful websites, and
enjoyable blogs to help you see beyond the mud! Whether you are a homeowner considering digging a
backyard garden or a seasoned organic farmer, you will fi nd resources here to help you plan, implement, and
reap natural, healthy delights.
farmer today. Farm business
basics and the best practices
and creative solutions of
farmers from Vermont
to Montana to Texas and
Long Island all add up to a
realistic, encouraging book.
FOODOPOLY: Th e Battle Over the Future of Food
and Farming in America, by Wenonah Hauter. Th e New Press, 2012
Written by the director of the DC-
based watchdog group Food and
BooksFarms with a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business, by Rebecca Th istlethwaite. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2013
After farming for six
years, Th istlethwaite
spent a year visiting successful small
farms in America. Th is book is the
instructional, inspiring result: a
guide and a glimpse into what it
takes to succeed as a sustainable
covers to be added for all titles
Ideas Ripe for Harvesting
Water Watch, who still lives on her
family’s farm, this book takes a bold
stand against the food
industry conglomerates
and the political system
that enables them. As
Hauter defi nes it, the
“foodopoly—the handful
of corporations that
control our food system
from seeds to dinner
plates.” Not just a rant,
this book is being reviewed as “…a
meticulously researched tour de
continued on page 36
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Media
force” (Publishers Weekly) that “may
be the most important book on
the politics of food ever written
in the US” (Maude Barlow). In her
introduction, Hauter declares that to
solve our food system crisis “is going
to take more than personal
choice and voting with our
forks—it’s going to take old-
fashioned political activism.”
Th e Intelligent Gardener: Growing Nutrient-Dense Food, by Steve Solomon with Erica Reinheimer. New Society Publishers, 2013
Solomon’s goal here is to help
gardeners and farmers achieve
Ideas Ripe for Harvesting
healthy soil that grows
produce full of nutrients,
unlike many veggies the
typical consumer buys today.
“When people apply the
art of balancing minerals
to an existing
garden, they are
often inspired …
in the same way
I was inspired
… to help their whole
neighborhood.” Solomon’s
book is thorough, off ering
science, worksheets,
and prescriptions for
battered, weakened soil.
Recommended by Mother Earth News
as a “Book for Wise Living.”
Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers’ Movement, edited by Zoe Ida Bradbury, et al. Storey Publishing, 2012
Th is collection
of essays from
50 Greenhorns, a
5,000-strong group
of young farmers and activists
committed to a respectful
connection to the earth, off ers many
perspectives and many voices on
the inspiration and perspiration of a
farmer’s life today. Several NOFA-NY
farmers are included. Enjoy an
armchair visit to a friendly farm.
continued from page 35
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Liquid fertilizer for
organic and sustainable
crop production
To buy online or
find a distributor, visit
AGGRAND.COM
AGGRAND FERTILIZER 4-3-3 ORGANIC SERIES
• OMRI Listed
• Fish/kelp fertilizer formulated with soft rock phosphate and sulfate of potash
• Available in 5-gallon pails, 55-gallon drums, or 275-gallon totes
• AGGRAND® products are distributed by independent Dealers
Healthy farming begins
When it comes to feeding your chickens, start with Nature’s Best. Families have been trusting Nature’s Best Organic Feeds with their animals’ health for over 20 years. All of our products contain simple, organic ingredients to ensure your feed is of the highest quality; just the way nature intended. You can feel good knowing that the feed you give your animals is safe and nutritious…it is Nature’s Best.
For more information on our feeds, please call 800-767-4537 or visit organicfeeds.com.
Facebook.com/NaturesBestOrganic
with healthy feed. RECLAMATIONA Tale of Blood, Betrayal, &
Bioregional MeatBy Brad Dingman
www.feralvisions.org
Support local food AND local authors! Available online from Amazon.com
At times humorous, at times controversial, and regularly thought provoking – this is the unique story of an ex-vegan activist turned naturalist hunter with a strong affection for cultural anthropology and all things wild.
R E C L A M A T I O N explores how foraging a n d h o r t i c u l t u r a l cultures throughout human evolution fed their communities in e c o l o g i c a l l y a n d nutritionally healthy ways and contrasts that with the unstable food production strategies of our culture.
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Why Local OrganicWhy Local Organic
Living the Good LifeLiving the Good LifeI studied philosophy in
college and spent a good deal
of my time wrestling with
big questions, such as “What
is the good life?” and “How
do I want to live?” At the
same time, I found myself
working on organic farms
and fi nding in that work a
real sense of satisfaction.
In 2010, I started my own
farm in central New York.
Over the past few years, I’ve
continued to search for the
good life and to fi gure out
just how I want to live. Th is
much is clear: I want to work
with my hands and produce
something that is both
beautiful and necessary. I
want to work with people
whom I care about and
care for the people in my
community. I want to have
a real relationship with
the land, the plants, and
the animals that are the
foundation of my farm.
And I want to fi nish each
day with the knowledge
that I am making a better
life and a better way to
live for myself and for my
community. Th at’s why I am
a local organic farmer.
Matt Volz att ended Middlebury College and has worked on organic farms since 2005. Matt started Greyrock Farm CSA in 2010 and has been swift ly losing his hair ever since. He is a member of the Madison County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Advisory Board and the NOFA-NY Board of Directors.
Matt Volz, Greyrock Farm
Matt Volz with Zeb Photo by Gillian Goldberg
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COLOR AD
COLOR AD
• Available in bulk or pre-packaged in 16 oz. glass jars (cases of 12)
• Certified Organic & Kosher
• No Added Oils
• Made in a Peanut-Free Facility
• No Additives or Preservatives
UnsaltedCashew Butter
Raw Unpasteurized Almond Butter
ChocolateHazelnut Butter
MapleAlmond Butter
UnsaltedAlmond Butter
MapleCashew Butter
MaplePecan Butter
Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Inc.249 Highland Avenue • Rochester • New York 14620-3025
www.nofany.org
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 1396
Rochester, NY
