Dear Poughkeepsie Farm Project Community,
Hello! My name is Emily Eder and I am happy to be joining the team here as the new Farm Director. Since moving to the Hudson Valley over six years ago, I have admired PFP’s work. So many inspiring and powerful people have gathered here over the past 22 years to celebrate the land’s capacity to yield nourishment in the form of food, education, community, and mutual aid. They have shared the strong conviction that, on this stolen land that we have the privilege of stewarding, we must put back in what is taken from the soil. We must work together to grow not just food, but a thriving habitat for all living things. We do this work for and with you, our community. Thank you for your support. I am both excited and humbled to be joining the team and look forward to getting to work!
Due to the evolving nature of the pandemic and the needs of the land and the people who work it, there will be some changes to our CSA for 2022. Following the strong advice of our farm crew and outgoing Director, we will be reducing production in 2022. Though it is difficult to slow the momentum that has been built here, momentum that has fed as many people as possible and sustained the farm financially, we must honor lessons learned. This will be a great and necessary opportunity to rest and nourish the soil by increasing cover cropping and allowing some of it to fallow for a season. The farm crew here is going through a lot of transitions and we want our new team to have time to build and grow, collaborate with our peers in the education department, and focus on actualizing our vision of a just and sustainable food system. We will still run a rigorous and productive farming schedule, but more of our energy will go into the long term sustainability of the land, the organization, and the mission.
Additionally, it is with sadness that we must also say goodbye to our Executive Director, Madeline Henriquez, who will unfortunately be leaving the Poughkeepsie Farm Project as of December 3rd, 2021. We are disappointed to lose such a hard-working and visionary leader, but are mobilized to find qualified candidates to fill her large shoes, both in the interim and the long-term. We are proud of the progress we have made with her leadership, and excited to continue that work with new leadership.
We hope that you will join us during this time of transition and opportunity! Now, the information you’ve all been waiting for. Early Bird sign ups open on December 1st and lasts for two weeks. We are reaching out to you, our previous members, before spreading the information widely, so now is a great time to sign up, give your support to PFP when we need it most and pick up a bonus share in January! Here is the information about available shares and changes to our distribution.
Although PFP will not be offering a winter CSA share this season, you can still get PFP produce this winter! We will likely offer a few Winter Boxes on a case by case basis and will spread the word as soon as those dates are on the books. If you want a more consistent share of winter veggies, visit Taliaferrofarmstore.com to learn about their winter CSA, which will include PFP greens from our high tunnels.
Free Choice, Market Style distribution is back! We are happy to announce that, with Covid cases decreasing, we will be able to offer this popular distribution style. At the request of our partners at Vassar, distribution will continue to be held in the same location as the drive through distribution.
Safety is our top priority so we will ask members to wear their masks at distribution no matter your vaccination status. Hand sanitizer and gloves will be available on site.
Work Share is Back! We are excited to welcome interested community members back to the farm to assist our crew in exchange for a reduced price share.
Sliding Scale Pricing will Remain. It is of the utmost importance that our food is available to all interested community members, regardless of income. We recognize that not all people who need access to reduced pricing are able to take the time to work here. Sliding scale pricing, along with our ongoing food access grant writing and support from community foundations, will keep this important part of our community involved.
With production decreasing and the need for food access increasing, this is an especially important time to pay at the higher end of our pricing spectrum if you can.
Price Increase: We will be raising our prices for CSA in 2022 for the first time in three years. This increase in price directly corresponds to rising wages for our crew and the sustainability of the farm’s future.
Community Engagement: As part of PFP’s Strategic Plan, we aim to increase access to this special place on earth. We continue to invite our members to participate in Pick-Your Own crops and will be looking for additional opportunities to open the farm up to our CSA community and beyond. Please feel free to reach out if you have ideas about this.
All Members will be required to create a Shopify account. This will allow for a much more streamlined system. Click here for a tutorial about navigating the Shopify site and please reach hellocsa@farmproject.org with any questions.
Visit our Farm Store to get all of the info about our shares, CSA protocol, volunteer opportunities, etc!
CSA is a very unique model where the community can come together over a shared love of good food and environmental sustainability, lifting each other up in the process. We can’t express how grateful we are to each of you who decide to take part.