Farm Fresh
By ANGELA MATUA
@ANGELAMATUA @ANGMAT08
Astoria residents who are looking to stock their
kitchens with fruits, vegetables and other items grown
locally have to look no further than the Hellgate
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
The CSA, which runs out of Astoria First
Presbyterian Church’s Broom Tree Garden at
27-20 Ditmars Blvd., has provided residents
with fresh produce and other pantry items
since 2005. Previously called the Ravenswood
CSA, Americorp volunteer Cara Fraver started
the organization to give city residents access
to organic produce.
The vegetable season runs from June 5
through Dec. 11, while the fruit season runs
from June through November. Members pay in
advance to receive their shares.
According to coordinator Denise Bolognino,
the items come from a variety of farms. Green
Thumb Farm, which is located in Water Mill,
Long Island, supplies the vegetables. The
Raymond Halsey family has been farming the
land since the mid-1600s. The farm is also a
leader in the organic movement, becoming a
certified organic farm in the 1980s.
They grow a large variety of vegetables
including asparagus, carrots, beans, beets,
cucumbers, eggplant, lettuces, onions,
tomatoes and more. Green Thumb Farm also
grows some fruits and flowers. Hellgate CSA
will invite farmers to the church before every
season to meet CSA members.
“It’s important for people to have a
source of food they can feel connected to,”
Bolognino said.
Hepworth Farms, which was established in
1818 in Milton, New York, supplies the CSA
with fruits. According to Bolognino, farmer
Amy Hepworth is a “pioneer in the sustainable
agriculture movement.”
In addition to fruit and vegetable shares,
members can opt in for an herb share, flower
share, plum tomato share and more.
Those looking for meat, poultry and dairy
items can sign up to receive them from Lewis
Waite Farm. The farm, which is located in
Jackson, New York, raises cattle and pigs but
also acts as a retailer to help other local farms
sell their products.
Members will receive pasture-raised meat
and poultry, fresh eggs and bread, grass-fed
butter, yogurt and ice cream, artisan cheese
from sheep, goat or cow’s milk, organic flour,
natural jams and chutneys and more. Nonmembers
can place orders for a la carte items
from the farm.
“People join because they want the food. It
tastes good. It’s healthy,” she said. “But you are
also directly supporting the family farm staying
on the farm. This land is not being developed.
You’re getting to be part of the community
and you are making a real contribution.”
Tortilleria Nix Tamal, a restaurant at 104-
05 47th Ave. in Corona, provides a tortilla
and salsa share. They make tortillas in the
traditional method using ground corn soaked
in lime. Members also receive a salsa roja or
salsa verde with their tortillas each week.
Members must volunteer to work at the
CSA for one or two shifts. Bolognino said the
22 MAY 2018
FOOD + DRINK