When you are a member of a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), it’s easier than ever to eat local. It’s healthy, supports the local economy, and reduces your carbon footprint. There are a few CSAs around Greenpoint, including this one from Lineage Farm in upstate New York. They offer pickups at the Greenpoint Reformed Church (136 Milton Street) on Saturdays from June through November. And December may seem a little early to start thinking about next summer’s groceries, but for most CSAs the earlier you sign up, the cheaper it is. Lineage Farm is offering $20 off if you sign up by December 15th. Not to mention, early signups help keep the farms running.
Lineage Farm is located in the Hudson Valley, which is a little over 100 miles from Brooklyn. If you’re a current member, you’ve likely met Jon Ronsani who mans the CSA pickup every Saturday, sometimes with his dad Carmine. They’ve been making the trip to Greenpoint the last six seasons to deliver the CSA Shares.
Jen Ronsani, one of the Lineage farmers, says: “It is quite amazing to think that a small farm two and a half hours upstate can find its niche in Greenpoint. We would not be doing this if it were not for the support of the community, both of the CSA members and the Greenpoint Reformed Church, who has let us set up in their backyard for the past five seasons. We love growing food. The CSA allows us to do something we love and share it with people in different communities.”
Jen continues, “We stray a bit from the box type CSA in that we set up like a market and people get to choose what the take home for the week. Believe us, not everyone wants kohlrabi, even once. We also offer a 5, 7, and 10 item share—that is, unless you talk to Carmine. He will tell you to take extra of everything!
All of our produce is grown with the goal of improving the soil and creating healthy nourishing food. We try to keep balance on our farm by not growing all the acreage in annual crops. We have cows, chickens, and sheep—all of whom are outside eating grass and giving us much material to make compost with, which we later put back on the gardens. A diverse, balanced farm is our goal to have healthy soil, and tasty food.”
They are taking reservations for the 20-week 2017 season now, with a $20 discount if you purchase before December 15, 2016. There are three tiers of shares:
The Full Share: 10 vegetable picks per week
The Medium Share: 7 vegetable picks per week
The Small Share: 5 vegetable picks per week
A “pick” is normally 1-2 pounds of whatever veggies they’ve harvested and brought to Greenpoint. For instance in the summer, they offered 1.5 pounds of heirloom tomatoes as one pick (which makes unbelievable gazpacho). They also offered carrot bunches, green peppers, arugula bunches, basil, potatoes, onions, garlic, and the Brooklyn requisite, kale.
All produce is grown at Lineage Farm in the Hudson Valley. They use no GMOs, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. The CSA will begin in June 2017 and go for 20 weeks through November 2017. Sign up online or fill out their Membership Commitment Form here.