Farm

From Farm to Food Pantry

By Amber Michelle

Farming is one of the most important jobs that anyone can have, after all that is what provides all of us with food. Some of the best tasting and nutrient dense produce is that which comes to us directly from small local farms in the Hudson Valley. Many of these farms not only supply us with delicious vegetables, but they give back in a couple of ways as well  — by donating to food pantries and by using regenerative and organic farming methods. These two approaches to farming benefit the land, the environment, plants, animals and humans. There is also a common core belief that access to food is a basic human right and giving excess produce from farm harvests is a way of promoting food justice. Below you will find the stories of two farms that donate to Fred’s Pantry.

Eden Village Camp Farm

Photo courtesy Eden Village Camp

This year marks the eleventh farm season for the Eden Village Camp Farm located in Putnam Valley, New York. And although camp was cancelled for the summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the decision was made to keep the farm running as usual. Generally, the four acres of farmland at the camp are devoted to campers learning the value of connecting to the land and growing their own food, which is then used in the camp’s kitchen. 



Even during the years when campers are present, it is part of the mission of the camp to donate a portion of its produce to the hungry. Based in the Jewish tradition, the camp follows the spiritual laws and values of the practice, one of which is to leave a portion (10 percent) of any harvest for those who are hungry. CHHOP run Fred’s Pantry has been a recipient of 10 percent, or more, of the farm’s bounty since last summer. This year has been a different story. With no campers around to harvest and eat the produce, Eden Village Camp Farm is donating 100 percent of its harvest to Fred’s Pantry.



“Being able to do something positive this summer buoyed the spirits of those of us who work here,” says Andrew Ziv, associate director, Eden Village Camp. The crops were tweaked a bit this year so that the farmers were able to grow more crops and a bigger variety. A two-season farm, they use no greenhouses, but harvest a variety of crops June through October. 



“We grew mustard greens this year and when we showed up at Fred’s Pantry, Arthur Holmes, who runs the pantry, was very excited. He said that it is just what the community wants,” relates Abraham Korman, farm manager. “We’re offloading produce as it is ripening. It is a pleasure to donate produce at the peak of ripeness and it all goes to the pantry.” He also notes that supplying foods that are culturally relevant to a community is part of food justice.



Eden Village Camp Farm recognizes the connection between land and community and uses regenerative farming methods to support the land and give back. The vegetables have more flavor and nutritional density when it comes from regenerative farming, explains Korman. The farmers use no fertilizer, so the produce is smaller and not uniform in size, but packed with nutrients. “With regenerative farming we are giving back to the land, otherwise you are just taking and not keeping the land healthy,” comments Ziv. “Part of our ecosystem is that when challenges come up how do organizations, such as us, flex? Helping is the least we can do in this moment. We are humble and grateful to be helping.”



For more information visit edenvillagecamp.org

Glynwood Farm

Photo, shown below and at top of page, courtesy Glynwood Farm

Optimizing farm operations to be in harmony with the landscape is central to the mission of Glynwood Farm located in Cold Spring, New York. Glynwood is certified organic by the USDA, meaning that they drastically limit their use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and use natural methods of farming whenever possible. Glynwood Farm also implements regenerative farming practices as well such as no, or low tilling of the soil, which promotes carbon sequestration and limits disruption of the soil’s ecosystem. 



This agroecological approach to farming requires a lot of thought and analysis of the land and the role each area plays in the larger system. “We have a lot of deer pressure — they like to eat vegetables,” explains Kate Anstreicher, program coordinator.  “We had to build a deer fence this season, so we considered the whole area during the planning process. We built a fence with twelve-foot cedar posts. Cedar is a very hardy wood that is resistant to decay. But the wood is also attractive to birds. We get a lot of American Kestrels and the posts are an advantageous place  for them to perch and hunt. That helps keep the rodent population in check. Every decision has the greater ecosystem in mind.”



When there is an inherent balance in the soil food tastes better and has more nutritional value says Anstreicher. She also notes that local farms have an opportunity to distribute food when it is really fresh. “There is quite a bit involved in  getting food packaged and distributed to grocery shelves. It can take two to three weeks for produce to get to grocery shelves, after being picked,” notes Anstreicher, who points out that this delay impacts the flavor and quality of the produce. 



Glynwood Farm has been supplying produce and pasture raised meat to local emergency food suppliers for many years and has been donating to Fred’s Pantry since 2014. This season, Glynwood is selling discounted produce boxes outside of Peekskill HRHCare every Thursday as part of a new initiative called CSA is a SNAP. Any leftover produce is donated directly to Fred’s, in addition to the produce harvested for and donated to Fred’s throughout the week. Glynwood is donating 40 percent of its food to emergency feeding programs this season.



For more information visit glynwood.org

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