Poughkeepsie Farm Project Grows its Leadership Team to Increase Community Food Security

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP) recently promoted staff to leadership roles and brought on new board members to expand upon its mission to ensure food security for thousands of Poughkeepsie area residents. To support its increased efforts to emphasize sustainability and food justice in its programming, PFP created several new leadership positions, diversified its board, and developed a strategic plan to better serve its constituents.

PFP’s impact has grown substantially since 1999 when it began serving 70 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shareholders from three acres of leased farmland on the Vassar College campus. Today, the project functions as a member-supported 15-acre farm in the City of Poughkeepsie that annually serves 7,000 children and adults through in-school and farm-based educational programming. PFP also donates up to 40,000 pounds of food each year to Hudson Valley residents through its Food Share program and provides fresh produce to more than 500 households participating in the farm’s CSA.

Newly-appointed Executive Director, Madeline Henriquez, stated: "I look forward to helping Poughkeepsie Farm Project build a more just and sustainable food system here in the Hudson Valley.” Henriquez brings 17 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector addressing gender-based violence, healthcare reform, infant and maternal health, community, and economic development. In 2016, Henriquez helped launch and manage Earth, Wind & Fuego LLC, a social enterprise cafe and catering company with a mission to train and hire Poughkeepsie residents who face societal, mental, and physical barriers to employment. PFP believes that Henriquez’s expansive experience and community connections will help the organization better serve Poughkeepsie’s food insecure families. According to the US Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey, Poughkeepsie has a poverty rate of more than double the rate found in Dutchess County and more than 23 percent of the city’s households receive food stamps/SNAP benefits compared to 8 percent in the rest of the county.

In addition to Henriquez’s appointment, PFP created new staff positions to uphold its organizational vision. Assuming the new role of Executive Assistant is Lydia Hatfield, longtime farm volunteer and workshare member replacing Kate Dayton, former Office Manager who retired in early 2021. Lauren Kaplan has been appointed to the newly-shaped Farm Communications and CSA Director position. Over her tenure, Kaplan worked her way from Farm Crew Leader to Assistant Farm Manager then to interim Farm Director to assist the organization’s leadership transition. Pat Lang now serves as PFP’s Farm Production Director, replacing Leon Vehaba, who served in that role for last several years. Lang formerly served as Farm Crew Leader for PFP in 2017 before moving temporarily to Wisconsin to start Hexagon Projects Farm. Three new members will be joining Kelsey Ponesse on PFP’s Executive Board: Vice Chair, Evelina Knodel, Treasurer, Jennifer Creedon, and current Board member, Jennifer Killian, who has taken the position of Board Chair. In addition, two new Board members, Willa Zhen and Estafany Umbach have joined PFP. Poughkeepsie Farm Project believes that its growing staff leaders and Board will support its new direction and vision to expand its reach and ensure food security for thousands of people in and around Poughkeepsie.

For more information on Poughkeepsie Farm Project or to inquire about serving on a Committee or the Board, contact Madeline Henriquez, Executive Director at (845) 516-1100 or madeline@farmproject.org.

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New Appointees’ Profiles:

Lydia Hatfield, Executive Assistant

I am thrilled to be moving from volunteer and workshare member with Poughkeepsie Farm Project to employee! I'm coming into this work with a background in design, community wealth building and housing justice, and it feels very right to be integrating that journey with a focus on land and food justice. I am so looking forward to learning from and alongside my amazing colleagues as we grapple with what equity truly looks like in our field and how to advance that in our community. -Lydia Hatfield, Executive Assistant

Madeline Henriquez, Executive Director

In leading Poughkeepsie Farm Project, I bring my experience not just in nonprofit and social entrepreneurship, but also from growing up in public housing with food insecurity. All of this experience informs my leadership: compassionate, inclusive, and efficient. I'm thankful to my known and unknown ancestors who’ve guided me to do this work at PFP, situated on Delaware Nation, Delaware Lenape Tribe and Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican ancestral land. I look forward to continuing the depth and breadth of our impact, increasing access to education and farm fresh food, and towards building a more just and sustainable food system here in the Hudson Valley. -Madeline Henriquez, Executive Director

Lauren Kaplan, Farm Communications & CSA Director

I look forward to combining my seven years farming with an earlier career in communications. It is a privilege and a joy to be part of such a dedicated, heart-forward team that shares my passion for inspiring and cultivating a more environmentally sustainable, inclusive, and just food system -Lauren Kaplan, Farm Communications & CSA Director

Pat Lang, Farm Production Director

I am ultimately responsible for the process that begins with preparation of the land and infrastructure and ends, in part, with hundreds to thousands of people nourished by our Poughkeepsie-grown vegetables. This activity, along with farm-based education and connections with our community, is at the heart of our work -Pat Lang, Farm Production Director

Jennifer Creedon, Board Treasurer

I am excited to leverage my finance and accounting background to help PFP meet its mission, and grateful for the opportunity to work with all the great staff. - Jennifer Creedon, Board Treasurer

Jennifer Killian, Board Chair

I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead PFP’s board and excited to work in partnership with our incredible board, staff, and community members and organizations to meaningfully expand PFP’s work in addressing food access and justice. The COVID pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated food insecurity and we welcome the support of our community as we increase access to PFP’s resources.

Evelina Knodel, Board Vice Chair

Food is a way to share love and communicate meaning with one another. PFP has become a critical part of my life as a source of fresh, local food, community interaction, and connection to the land. It is an honor to be a part of PFP's bright future and to help ensure that it continually expands its role as a valuable Poughkeepsie resource and oasis for the local community. -Evelina Knodel, Board Vice-Chair

Kelsey Ponesse, Board Secretary

I have been involved with the PFP since 2013, where I first started as a CSA member. I now am the Secretary of the Board, Executive Committee member, as well as a long-standing Finance Committee member. What amazes me about the PFP is the reach our farm has across the community - from students in local schools, to City of Poughkeepsie families in need, to our wonderful CSA membership base. There is something for everyone, and what better way to bring our community together than nourishing, sustainable, and local food. -Kelsey Ponesse, Board Secretary

Estefany Umbach, Board Member

Food brings joy and also it is an excellent tool to learn about different cultures and life experiences. I believe through food traditions we can all learn more about immigrants and newcomers in our communities. I represent a Latina woman who believes in a more inclusive and welcoming society! -Estefany Umbach, Board Member

Willa Zhen, Board Member

Poughkeepsie Farm Project is a special place. It's not simply another place to buy fresh food. PFP is a working, sustainable farm. It's a CSA. It's a community hub. PFP provides food education to community members from the young to the young-at-heart. It's a place for local residents to see where their food comes from. PFP is a good neighbor. It partners with community food relief organizations to ensure that the most vulnerable in our community have fresh food as part of their diets. PFP fights for a more just and equitable food system in Poughkeepsie. PFP does so much in so many ways for the people of Poughkeepsie. I'm excited to join PFP as a board member to help continue the work that others before me have started. I care about creating a more inclusive food system so all -- regardless of income, race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality -- can have access to good locally grown food. -Willa Zhen, Board Member

Farewell Dan Guenther

The following is a guest post from Anne Gardon & Carlie Graves, two of PFP's founding members, in honor of Dan Guenther's recent passing.

It is probably safe to say that there would not have been a Poughkeepsie Farm Project without Dan Guenther's cheerful "So, when are we going to start a farm on your side of the river?”

Dan repeated this question most weeks in the summer of 1998 as we picked up our veggies at Phillies Bridge Farm CSA in Gardiner. By then Dan had spent a few years starting up Phillies Bridge and a decade homesteading with his family. His persistence, enthusiasm and inspiration were undeniable! Dan had a vision of the role of CSAs in promoting environmentally sustainable farming and food justice before these became as commonly understood as they are today.

In the late fall of 1998, after touring several possible sites in Dutchess County, Dan decreed that land that had been part of the old farm at Vassar Farm & Ecological Preserve was the best for the varied vegetable farming required for a CSA. Permission to farm was granted by Vassar College in the spring of 1999.

In his ever optimistic and indomitable way, by that time Dan had already set to work converting the old chicken coop to a hoop house and storage area and erecting a deer fence around the field perimeter, commuting over from New Paltz to spend 12-14 hours/day building and farming. He also lent his old red tractor to the enterprise as the community came together to lend capital and sweat equity to the new farm.

At this point Dan was in his mid-50s and outworked the rest of us without breaking a sweat.

Dan loved to teach, and if you were at the farm, you were learning something. PFP quickly made a name for itself, and interns were happy to come. PFP was a welcoming place for the community, although in the beginning it was a matter of treading carefully as Dan tried out different farming techniques such as creating permabeds, which permit foot traffic near but not in the vegetable beds.

Beyond teaching, Dan and the PFP quickly connected with Dutchess Outreach and produce which could be easily used in its Lunch Box program was specially grown.

By the end of the 2001 season it was clear that Dan had done the job he had set out to do three years earlier. The farm and community built around it were growing and thriving, PFP had become a place for many settled in the community as well as for college students to learn and to work, and the fields and hoop house were productive and well cared for. It was time to move on to the next project.

PFP has since become a strong and vital community resource "Linking Food, Farm, and Community" and has thrived for upwards of two decades. Thank you, Farmer Dan. We remember you with enormous respect, gratitude and affection.

Anne & Carlie, together with Mark Cladis and many others, are founding members of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project.

Growers' Row: Snow and Veggies

By Pat Lang, Farm Production Director

Greetings from a chilly, cloudy, and snowy Poughkeepsie Farm Project! As this is my first newsletter note as PFP’s Farm Production Director, allow me to introduce myself to those I have yet to meet and to say hello again to folks in and around Poughkeepsie who knew me as a farm employee from years past (want to know more? Read my introduction on PFP’s blog). A warm hello indeed, and gratitude to all of you who are a part of the PFP community, whatever the capacity.

News from the Farm

Andre plowing the farm drive

The gentle winter weather that accommodated distanced outdoor gatherings was a blessing in December, but it didn't persist through to spring. Aside from sending most of us indoors more often, the snow and cold of February has complicated winter farm harvests and have increased our resource usage as we protect fresh kale, spinach, and lettuces from freezing conditions.

Winter sunset at PFP

The need for attention to detail and overall care for systems on the farm is magnified during a cold and snowy winter: water-carrying pipes and hoses can freeze and burst if not properly drained, storage crops like carrots and beets could be damaged if heat is not [gently] supplied to our coolers, and the beautiful winter greens growing in the tunnels could be compromised if folks on the farm are not attentive to a number of variables associated with the high tunnels. That said, the farm crew has distributed thousands of pounds of PFP-grown food this winter and is poised to continue doing so until field harvests begin! This success during a period of staff transition at PFP is a testament to farm crew members’ skill, patience, and sincere care about our work. Thank you farm team!

Winter Produce Goodness!

Looking to try a new preparation for fresh winter veggies? Whether you are a PFP winter share member or are picking up produce from your favorite market, we’ve got suggestions!

Liv, wholesale coordinator and farm crew member

This month, our new wholesale coordinator, Liv, shares some of her easy and delicious preparations of produce that is available right now. Liv is a new Poughkeepsie resident who joined the farm team at the start of February. She will be managing our sales to restaurants, institutions, and other farms in the area, sales that help make our winter CSA and winter donations possible by supporting year-round employment of farm crew members.

SUPER easy cabbage salad
You will need

• 1 small/medium cabbage head or half of a large head

• 1 lime

• salt & pepper

Enjoy the flavor of red or green cabbage sweetened by winter cold, without much else! Thinly slice red or green cabbage into long, very slender pieces. Add the fresh juice from a whole lime, and toss thoroughly to coat the cabbage. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired. Allow the mixture to sit for several hours to slightly soften the cabbage and for the lime’s tartness to spread.

Curry Carrots
You will need

• medium bundle of carrots (1 to 1.5 pounds)

• 1 to 2 Tbsp coconut oil

• 2 tsp curry powder

• salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place carrots on a baking sheet (slice in half lengthwise if any are especially wide) and toss with oil, curry powder, salt, and pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes or until tender and brown, tossing the carrots once at the halfway point. Perfect complement to a snowy afternoon.

Thanks to Liv for sharing these cooking and preparation tips! I look forward to sharing more vegetable wisdom from PFP’s vegetable growers. If YOU have a favorite recipe or preparation of seasonal veggies that you’d like to share with our community, email me: pat [at] farmproject [dot] org

German transporting potting mix for greenhouse production.

Remembering Dan Guenther

Twenty two years ago, some people got together with a goal of starting a farm in Poughkeepsie. They gathered support from the community, people interested in supporting fresh food grown in their city. They got permission to use 3 acres of land --and an old chicken coop-- at Vassar College. All they needed next was a farmer.

That farmer was Dan Guenther.

On February 1, Dan passed away unexpectedly while shoveling snow at his home in New Paltz. In today’s post, we are taking some time to remember Dan, and to hold some space and gratitude for his legacy.

Dan Guenther, the “Johnny Appleseed of CSAs”, started Poughkeepsie Farm Project in 1999. Prior to starting PFP in 1999, Dan had started Phillies Bridge Farm in New Paltz. It was through Phillies Bridge CSA that he met people who would go on to help start Poughkeepsie Farm Project -- people like Georgette Weir and Carlie Graves.

In this clip from Vassar’s newspaper and magazine archives from April 1999, Dan recalls his early interactions with Georgette, Carlie and others:

"Some of the Vassar people came over and joined |Phillies Bridge|." said Guenther, who is now the grower for the Poughkeepsie Farm Project. "Half in jest, half-seriously. I said that they could join for a year and then start their own, so they did."

Subsequent excerpts from this same archived article shows Dan’s motivation and the enthusiasm that he and founding members shared for the future of PFP:

"The whole project has a lot of different facets, particularly a concern for what we're doing in agriculture in general." said Guenther. "For me, this is a reaction to what is happening to farms nationally and globally: getting bigger and bigger and farther away from the consumer."

Graves, who is a member of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project's core group and heads the project's finance committee, has similar feelings. "I think that it is certainly going to be successful. It is impossible for it not to be," she said. "It is going to be a big hit, and in the future we will probably not have enough shares for people who want them." Graves was a member of the Phillies Bridge farm before the Poughkeepsie Farm Project began.

"We are hoping to have the success Phillies Bridge has had," said Weir. "[Phillies Bridge] now has over 100 members, and I don't see why we can't have that kind of success."

PFP's grew from a 70-member CSA to one with 500+ members today.

Twenty years later, with 15 acres and over 500 members, PFP has surpassed the dreams of its founders -- and continues to grow with the values and vision Dan set out for us.

Georgette Weir, a founding member of PFP, remembers the early days with Dan:

I met Dan in the organizing days of the founding of the PFP. He and a small core group were already making plans and scouting sites for a CSA in the Poughkeepsie area. The concept was new to me, but I was eager to support the group’s efforts.

Dan brought a wide range of skills and talents to the project, as well as intensity, commitment, smarts, boundless energy, and high expectations. What he didn’t already know, he learned. We learned too, with him and from him. From starting seeds to constructing that first greenhouse to harvesting and distributing veggies and growing our community. Dan had what it took to move from plans on paper to plants in the field and vegetables in our baskets. As a founder of four farms (that I know of) I came to think of Dan as a venture agriculturalist. Dan left so much good in his wake. He was one of a kind. Irreplaceable. We are all his beneficiaries.

Wendy and Asher Burkhart-Spiegel, the farmers to whom Dan passed on the PFP reins, remember Dan with these words:

Dan was a visionary, a social person, a builder and a do-er so he was well positioned to be in the role of a "starter of community farms" in the Hudson Valley and he was happily doing so. He enthusiastically oriented us to the workings of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project: the outbuildings and greenhouse they had created out of abandoned farm structures, the farm plans created and equipment procured, and all of the community relationships that had been nurtured to involve a large number of people in the work and bounty of the farm. It clearly gave him great joy to connect people to the land and to each other, and to create better alternatives together at the community level, and to be putting in stepping stones for future farmers, gardeners, eaters, educators and lovers of the Earth who came behind him to continue that work.

We are grateful for his vision, his work, his love of community farming and the example he set for us all to work to make the world a better place.

Phillies Bridge and PFP aren’t Dan’s only success stories -- far from it. In the past twenty years, many young farmers who found their farming feet under the tutelage of Dan Guenther have also gone on to prosper and grow.

Dan’s son Mark Kimball runs Essex Farm with his wife Kristin. Kristin, an author herself, shared some beautiful words in memory of her father-in-law Dan, including these:

“Dan lived his conviction in all parts of his life. He and Ann continually organized, marched, spoke and made art about our collective responsibility to care for the environment and do what we can to stop climate change. He believed that community action was the path to positive change…. Sometimes, for those closest to him, his passion could be maddening, but there’s no doubt he achieved his goal, and nudged the world in a better direction. I’m so grateful to Dan not only for creating and raising my husband but for the work he did in this life, and for what he leaves behind.”

Caroline Fanning, who is now farmer-founder at Restoration Farm on Long Island, started her farming career as an intern at PFP in 2002. Caroline remembers Dan in a recent blog post, which include these words:

“He set an unbelievably high bar for himself and for the people he worked with…. Whatever he asked of others, he was willing to do (or had already done) himself. And no matter how demanding he could be, there was no question it came from a deep well of love.”

Dan’s reach was far and wide; the people and land he touched are better for it; and the mark he left on this earth is soil-deep and sky-high. In celebration of his life and legacy, we at PFP will continue our work: engaging our community in the positive change of climate and food justice, and doing so from a deep well of love.

Further Reading:

https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2021/02/10/remembering-dan-guenther-activist-and-environmentalist/

https://essexfarmcsa.com/dan/

https://www.restorationfarm.com/single-post/farewell-to-a-mentor

Thank you, Chef Dave!

Thank you, Chef Dave!

By Chris Gavin, PFP Educator

This week our community bids farewell to Chef David Dunn, Director of Food Services for the Poughkeepsie City School District, as he moves on to his new leadership role in the Kingston City School District. Chef Dave, as he is affectionately known, has been a fierce advocate for Poughkeepsie youth as he’s worked to ensure that every school-age child has access to nourishing meals. He has been an indispensable ally of Poughkeepsie Farm Project in our work towards building a more just and sustainable local food system. All of us at PFP have deep gratitude for his contributions and collaborations with us, and Chef Dave will be deeply missed even as we wish him well in his next endeavor.

Healthy Local Food

Providing school meals shouldn’t just be about making sure kids get enough calories - the food should also be high quality, nourishing, and healthy. With this belief at the core of his work, Chef Dave has made great strides to improve school meals in Poughkeepsie. With his leadership, the food service department has committed to replacing packaged items with fresh produce whenever possible and is working to build relationships with regional farms so that students are eating local, seasonal, high quality food. Despite it being much easier to order produce from the larger suppliers often preferred by industrial-scale kitchens, Chef Dave has consistently made the effort to purchase local produce, including PFP produce, whenever possible. As part of PFP’s Harvest of the Month program, the food service department highlights a new local and seasonally available vegetable or fruit each month, featuring it on the school menu and serving it to students throughout the month. To promote healthy foods at the high school he even arranged to get a refrigerated vending machine installed so students could access fresh fruits and other healthy snacks during the school day. And to ensure that his staff are knowledgeable about eating and preparing healthy food, each year the entire food service team visits PFP for professional development that includes a farm tour and workshops on culinary skill building and cooking with local produce.

Food Access

Chef Dave has always been committed to improving food access in Poughkeepsie. Some major achievements have included regularly offering free produce at summer meal sites and working to revive the district’s backpack program in which high-need families receive shelf stable and easy to prepare foods to prevent gaps in nutrition over the weekend. In response to the growing food insecurity resulting from the pandemic, Chef Dave quickly pivoted the work of the food service department to ensure students still had access to school meals. Poughkeepsie is a school district where all students are able to receive free breakfast and lunch, and the closure of schools created a huge gap in food access for families who rely on school meals as a major source of nourishment. Within days, Dave and his staff were out in the community making meals available for school age youth at twelve different sites. He even took the extra step to clear out the freezers and refrigerators at the schools and give out the food to anyone at meal sites who needed it. In addition to offering weekday meals during the academic year, he was also able to provide meals throughout the summer and continue the backpack program for high-need families. And because he was concerned about students’ ability to access food over the winter holiday, the food service team went beyond expectations by providing holiday food boxes for high-need families and offering an additional four days of meals while schools were on break. Through all of these efforts, Chef Dave has shown his commitment to ensuring that the children of Poughkeepsie have reliable access to free and nutritious food.

Commitment to Education

Through his collaborations with PFP, Dave has shown that not only is he a chef and an advocate for food access but he also has the heart of an educator. For many years, he has played an active role with our teen after school program at Poughkeepsie High School. In addition to generously opening his kitchen to our staff and students, he regularly collaborated on developing curriculum and teaching workshops on culinary skill building. Chef Dave has also partnered with our team to enhance the healthy food offerings and learning opportunities available at school meal sites. For nearly a year PFP educators have been distributing free produce at school meal sites along with recipe ideas and storage tips to help families feel more confident preparing the food. We have also been using school meal sites as a hub for our programming as we distribute materials such as meal prep kits, gardening projects, and school supplies directly into the hands of Poughkeepsie families.

From all of us at Poughkeepsie Farm Project, a heartfelt thank you to Chef Dave Dunn for years of collaboration and support. Your leadership has established a strong foundation for your successor to build on and we look forward to our continued relationship with the district’s food service department. Our community is stronger, healthier, and better nourished because of your dedication, and we will continue your legacy by working to provide healthy nourishing food to the youth of Poughkeepsie.

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Prepare Beet Thoran with SonyaJoy

Beets are the October Harvest of the Month at PFP!

Make this simple, kid-friendly root vegetable stir fry with a kick of flavor from aromatic Indian curry powder. Before you start cooking, take a mindful moment to breathe and center. Learn about the journey curry took around the world. Finally dive in to prepare and taste test the dish.

Kids love getting their fingers pink from shredding the sweet beets. Be sure to protect your clothes from staining while you cook!

Jump to the end of the video for the complete recipe. Visit our website for more distance learning videos and seasonal recipes.

Companion Video
Learn About Global Beets: https://youtu.be/Wtv8CVVtRxc

Follow us on Social Media
http://instagram.com/poughkeepsiefarm...
http://facebook.com/farmproject
http://twitter.com/farmproject

Get our Educator Newsletter or Monthly Newsletter: http://farmproject.org/home#list-sign-up
Beet Harvest of the Month resource page: http://farmproject.org/beets
More Online Learning with PFP: http://farmproject.org/digital-online...
Donate to support our work: http://farmproject.org/give

Credits:
Close-up Cooking Video by Rob Kissner
Post-Production Editing by Forge Media
Intro Music: “Upbeat Funk Commercial” by GuitarsState
Mindful Moment Music: “Sweet Gentle Piano” by water_lily
Main Music: “Kids Background” by PeacockMusic

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Prepara Thoran Indu de Remolacha con Lala M.

La cosecha del mes de octubre en Poughkeepsie son las remolachas!

Haga este sencillo salteado de tubérculos para niñes con un toque de sabor del aromático curry indio en polvo. Antes de comenzar a cocinar, tómese un momento consciente para respirar y centrarse. Aprenda sobre el viaje que hizo el curry alrededor del mundo. Finalmente sumérgete para preparar y probar el plato. Esta receta es una versión adaptada de un plato tradicional, simplificado para cocinar con niñes. Para un auténtico thoran de remolacha, pruebe la receta tradicional de Onam Sadya de Kerala, India.

A les niñes les encanta enrojecerse los dedos al triturar las remolachas dulces. ¡Asegúrate de proteger la ropa de las manchas mientras cocinas!

Salte al final del video para ver la receta completa. Visite nuestro sitio web para ver más videos de aprendizaje a distancia y recetas de temporada.

Video complementario
Más información sobre las remolachas globales con PFP

Auténtica remolacha de Kerala Thoran de Onam Sadya
https://www.cookingandme.com/2013/02/13/kerala-beetroot-thoran-recipe-onam/

Página de la cosecha de remolacha del mes
https://www.farmproject.org/beets

Más aprendizaje en línea con Poughkeepsie Farm Project
https://www.farmproject.org/digital-online-learning

Créditos:
Primer plano de video de cocina de Rob Kissner
Edición de posproducción por Forge Media
Música de introducción: "Upbeat Funk Commercial" de GuitarsState
* detalles de la licencia
Mindful Moment Music: "Sweet Gentle Piano" de water_lily
* detalles de la licencia
Música principal: "Kids Background" de PeacockMusic

Learn About Global Beets with PFP

Join Kathryn and the team at Poughkeepsie Farm Project to learn about beet recipes around the world, beet plant parts and more. Then learn about curry dishes around the world, including an Indian beet dish that includes curry spice, Beet Thoran!

The word of the day is microgreens! We will even show you how to grow your own beet microgreens at home or in your classroom.

Relax and get centered with a mindful moment of deep breathing, and a nature moment in the discovery garden where we see how our plants get pollinated.

Companion Videos:
Cook Beet Thoran- English: https://youtu.be/VLoxMAKMuHk
Cook Beet Thoran - Spanish: coming soon!

Follow us on Social Media
http://instagram.com/poughkeepsiefarmproject/
http://facebook.com/farmproject
http://twitter.com/farmproject

Get our Educator Newsletter or Monthly Newsletter: http://farmproject.org/home#list-sign-up
Beets Harvest of the Month page: https://www.farmproject.org/beets
More Online Learning with PFP: http://farmproject.org/digital-online-learning
Donate to support our work: http://farmproject.org/give

Credits:
Post-Production Editing by Forge Media
Intro Music: “Upbeat Funk Commercial” by GuitarsState
Mindful Moment Music: “Sweet Gentle Piano” by water_lily
Main Music: “Kids Background” by PeacockMusic

National CSA Week: Interview with a Farmer

February 21-28 is National CSA Week. In celebration of this historic event, aspiring young CSA member Ms. MJ Righter (above, photographed with a kohlrabi) sat down with CSA Director Lauren Kaplan for this hard-hitting interview.

So Lauren, National CSA Week: Tell us about that.

Well MJ, I’m so glad you asked! It’s a week when CSA farmers across the nation are gearing up to --

Wait a minute: CSA? What’s that?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Simply put, it’s a way for consumers to purchase food directly from a farm.

Did PFP make that up?

Nope - CSA has a history much longer than PFP! While the term CSA originated in the 1980’s from Germany and Switzerland, the practice itself has diverse origins.

Around the same time that the European CSA model was making its way to Massachusetts, Dr. Booker T. Whatley -- an Alabama-born advocate of regenerative farming and direct marketing -- created the Clientele Membership Club. In this model, a membership fee allowed the more urban community -- “city folk, mostly” -- to participate in a Pick-Your-Own (or PYO) share of the farm’s harvest. A few decades earlier in the 1960’s, the Japanese model Teikei involved consumers organizing to purchase food directly from the farm.

All of these models shared similar goals: to invite consumers to have a more direct connection with their food source, and to allow the farm to plan to grow for an established, committed market.

In 1999, Poughkeepsie Farm Project joined the long line of farmers committed to growing food not for distributors or processors, but for the consumers themselves.

Sounds interesting. But why buy a CSA share?

There are lots of good reasons to buy a CSA share -- or to have your parents get one for you!.

A CSA provides consumers with food that is fresher and more cost-effective than grocery-store produce, which is usually bred for shelf-stability, not flavor. It also provides the farm with capital up-front (when it’s necessary to purchase seeds or animal feed, and to pay for labor), invites connection with fellow members and with farmers, and keeps open green space in the community, which can improve air and water quality.

At PFP, our CSA share also includes pick-your-own (PYO) crops like strawberries, herbs, flowers, and cherry tomatoes. Some weeks, PYO crops can nearly double the size of the share! PYO is easily the favorite part of CSA for many of our members, who really enjoy walking around the farm, seeing the crops grow and the pollinators hard at work.

Why now? Summer is so far away!

It’s true, our main-season CSA doesn’t begin until June -- but we start seeding those crops in March! So on National CSA Week, farms across the country will be signing up people who want to eat more fresh, local produce. By mid-March, we’ll be up to our elbows in greenhouse soil, seeding and watering our June and July crops.

As a thank-you for signing up early and helping us plan, everyone who purchases a share between Feb 21-28 is invited to pick up a mini-share of vegetables at our next Winter CSA on Saturday March 6. This will include some fresh greens as well as some rainbow carrots, watermelon radishes… maybe one of those kohlrabi, like the one by your head.

I like kohlrabi - highly recommended for teething.

Yeah, having teeth helps with kohlrabi. They’re pretty crunchy.

Right. So: How does the CSA work?

First, you get to make some choices.

You choose a Full Season Share (23 weeks from June - November) or a Fall-only Share (10 weeks September - November). You can also choose to add a May Share (2 weeks at the end of May).

You choose the size share you want: either a whole share (10 units) or half share (5 units). A “unit” could be 3 lbs tomatoes, 2 lbs carrots or cucumbers, 1 head of lettuce, 1 bunch kale or beets, etc.

You may also choose to add on a…

• Fruit Share (15 weeks July - November): fruit from our friends at Glorie Farm

• Egg Share (23 weeks June - November): eggs from our friends at Old Ford Farm

You choose which day of the week you want to pick up your produce. Pick up your share weekly on either Tuesday 3-6:30pm or Saturday 8:30am-12pm.

Finally, when your first pickup arrives...

You pick up your share. Currently, our CSA is using a contactless, drive-through model to keep our members and farmers safe in these challenging times. Pre-packed boxes, along with a choice offering, will be available for pickup weekly at the farm. All shares include a variety of seasonal produce, usually including some greens (ie: arugula, cabbage, kale, lettuce etc), some alliums (ie: garlic, onions, scallions etc), and whatever else is in season (ie: cucumber, tomato, eggplant, potatoes, carrots, beets, etc).

You pick-your-own (bonus!) produce. In addition to everything that we harvest for you, members are invited to pick your own berries, cherry tomatoes, peppers, green beans, flowers, herbs and more -- all to encourage members to experience the beauty and magic of the farm and to dig in to this land.

OK Lauren, I think that just about covers it… But what if I still have questions?

Stop by Winter CSA on Saturday, February 20 to ask me about CSA! Email hellocsa@farmproject.org to let us know you’re coming, or to reach out with any questions. You can also visit pfpfarmstore.com to browse your options.

Introducing PFP's New Farm Production Director, Pat Lang

Greetings PFP community! I am writing to share an enthusiastic hello and to introduce myself as PFP’s Farm Production Director. Many of you likely recognize me from years past: my journey over the last 8 years involved an entry into food growing as a summer intern in 2013, followed by 3 full seasons as farm apprentice, wholesale coordinator, and farm crew leader, all here in Poughkeepsie. During those years my energy and passion for the work was fueled by collaboration and cooperation between the indefatigable PFP staff team and community members, and by the countless interactions and sharings revolving around good food and an appreciation for the land and community.

I introduce myself as Pat, and I’ve also gone by Patrick in the past. Either of these is completely fine, as are numerous nicknames I’ve been gifted. I grew up in and am still very fond of Great Barrington, MA, and my connection with Poughkeepsie included 4 years at Vassar and, later, the almost 4 years of food growing at PFP. Following this, from 2017 until this past fall, my partner, Nick, and I started and ran a small market farm in western Wisconsin, near Nick’s family (hexagonprojectsfarm.com). Our work over 3 years, beginning with a hay field and some pole buildings, formed a profitable working farm offering sustainably grown plants and produce from May to November. We are currently transitioning the farm to another couple of beginning farmers we were fortunate to connect with.

Our small farm depended on human power for cultivation: relying on hand tools such as broad forks and wheel hoes, we did not have a truck or tractor. PFP’s production relies on tractors and other equipment, but it is no doubt human powered, from CSA enrollment to seed sowing, harvest, and donation. As I see it, one of my most crucial responsibilities as Farm Production Director is supporting our strong energetic team and cultivating not only vegetables but a welcoming environment in which learning, growth, and cooperation are central (and also lots of vegetables).

Rejoining the PFP team, I reflect on the many individuals who have left a mark on the organization. Leon, notably, departs leaving huge boots to fill (figuratively), having expanded and enhanced production (with the help of a strong team of growers and supportive staff) to serve more CSA members in more ways, and having trained many farmers, including myself. The whole PFP team, especially in a challenging 2020 season, has worked tirelessly, adapting and sustaining their commitment to the community. As a new leader at PFP and as someone who has been personally impacted by PFP’s work, I approach this year and this new chapter with a sense of responsibility, energy, and excitement.

There are so many ways in which PFP community members engage with our organization, and I thank each of you for being a part of the past, present, and future of Poughkeepsie Farm Project, working toward a just and sustainable food system in our region and beyond.

Cook Soup Joumou with SonyaJoy

Cook Soup Joumou with SonyaJoy

Español abajo

Celebrate delicious local squash in a flavorful soup from Haiti. Learn how to make this simple recipe for Soup Joumou - Haitian Independence soup. Cook along with SonyaJoy as you dice, sauté and season your way to a dish that the whole family will enjoy. This video will describe where kids can safely get involved with cooking. This recipe was adapted from a traditional recipe, changed to make it easier to include children in cooking. For a traditional Soup Joumou, try the mouth-watering recipe from our friends at Soul Fire Farm.

Jump to the end of the video for the complete recipe. Visit our website for more distance learning videos and seasonal recipes.

Companion Video
Learn About Squash of the Americas with PFP

Soul Fire Farm’s Vegetarian Soup Joumou

https://www.soulfirefarm.org/soup-joumou/

Follow us on Social Media
http://instagram.com/poughkeepsiefarm...
http://facebook.com/farmproject
http://twitter.com/farmproject

Get our Educator Newsletter or Monthly Newsletter: http://farmproject.org/home#list-sign-up
Squash Harvest of the Month resource page: http://farmproject.org/winter-squash
Resources for Educators on Squash: http://bit.ly/squashresources
More Online Learning with PFP: http://farmproject.org/digital-online...
Donate to support our work: http://farmproject.org/give

Credits:
Close-up Cooking Video by Rob Kissner
Post-Production Editing by Forge Media
Intro Music: “Upbeat Funk Commercial” by GuitarsState
Mindful Moment Music: “Sweet Gentle Piano” by water_lily

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Cocina Sopa Joumou con Lala M.

Cocina Sopa Joumou con Lala M

Celebra la deliciosa calabaza local en una sabrosa sopa de Haití. Aprende a preparar esta sencilla receta de sopa Joumou: sopa de la independencia de Haití. Cocina junto con Lala Montoya, mientras cortas, salteas y sazonas hasta obtener un plato que disfrutará toda la familia. Este video describe dónde les niñes pueden participar de manera segura en la cocina. Salta al final del video para ver la receta completa. Visita nuestre sitio web para ver más vídeos de aprendizaje a distancia y recetas de temporada.

Video complementario Aprenda sobre Calabazas of the Americas con PFP: https://youtu.be/G33spjeDaLs

Síguenes en las redes sociales:

http://instagram.com/poughkeepsiefarm...

http://facebook.com/farmproject

http://twitter.com/farmproject

Obtenga nuestre boletín informativo para educadores o boletín informativo mensual: http://farmproject.org/home#list-sign-up

Página de recursos de la cosecha de calabaza del mes: http://farmproject.org/winter-squash

Recursos para educadores sobre la calabaza o calabacines: http://bit.ly/squashresources

Más aprendizaje en línea con PFP: http://farmproject.org/digital-online...

Done para apoyar nuestre trabajo: http://farmproject.org/give

Créditos: Video de cocina de primer plano por Rob Kissner

Edición de postproducción por Forge Media

Música de introducción: "Upbeat Funk Commercial" de Guitars

State Música de Momento contemplativo: "Sweet Gentle Piano" de water_lily

Musica principal: “Kids Background” de PeacockMusic