80 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • APRIL 19, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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This organization in Astoria provides residents
with farm-fresh produce and organic items
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @angelamatua
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).
Th e 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.
Th e 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 Th umb Farm, which
is located in Water Mill, Long Island, supplies
the vegetables. Th e Raymond Halsey
family has been farming the land since the
mid-1600s. Th e farm is also a leader in the
organic movement, becoming a certifi ed
organic farm in the 1980s.
Th ey grow a large variety of vegetables
including asparagus, carrots, beans,
beets, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuces,
onions, tomatoes and more. Green
Photo courtesy of Hellgate CSA
Hellgate CSA provides fresh produce and other food items to Astoria
residents.
Th umb Farm also grows some fruits and
fl owers. 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, fl ower share,
plum tomato share and
more.
Those looking for
meat, poultry and dairy
items can sign up to
receive them from Lewis
Waite Farm. Th e 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 cows’ milk, organic fl our, natural jams
and chutneys and more. Non-members
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. Th is
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. Th ey 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 shift s. Bolognino said
the organization could not survive without
the volunteers, who help set up when
the deliveries come in on Tuesdays.
“Th ese are all people in your community,
possibly your neighbor,” she said.
“You’re spending three hours with your
neighbors helping to make this happen
and you’re getting to know people.”
Hellgate CSA off ers subsidized shares
and a payment plan for members in an
eff ort to make sure their system is equitable,
she said. Any left over shares are
donated to Hour Children, a food pantry
in Long Island City.
Th e deadline to apply for a membership
is mid-May and those who are interested
can sign up on the wait list here. Once
chosen, you will receive an email confi
rming your membership. Shares can be
picked up every Tuesday at Astoria First
Presbyterian Church.
Long Island City is the newest home of
internationally renowned Powerhouse Gym
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @angelamatua
Powerhouse Gym, a chain with locations
around the world, offi cially opened
a location in Long Island City, expanding
its footprint in the borough.
Th e gym opened on April 9 at
30-30 Northern Blvd., an eight-story,
213,00-square-foot building that used to
be home to an envelope company. Th e
fi rst Powerhouse Gym was founded in
1975 by brothers William and Norman
Dabish in Michigan.
In 1984, the company began licensing
its name and now has locations in 39
states and 17 countries. Famous athletes
have trained at Powerhouse Gym including
boxer Tommy Hearns and celebrities
such as Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Cameron Diaz, John Travolta, Jerome
“Th e Bus” Bettis, Alex Rodriguez, Mike
Tyson and Dwayne “Th e Rock” Johnson.
Th e fi tness chain has also expanded its
brand to include merchandise, a magazine
and a television show.
It occupies 10,323 square feet of space
on the ground fl oor and will employee
20 people. Alma Realty purchased
the former Apple Tag & Label building
in 2016 and re-named it the Apple
Building. Alma Realty is planning to lease
the remaining space to tech, media and
other creative companies.
“As we have done throughout our existence,
Alma Realty is betting on the future
of Queens and of a neighborhood where
we live and work,” said Efstathios Valiotis,
principal of the realty fi rm. “Powerhouse
Gym is such an exciting addition to this
community and a vital amenity for our
tenants and people throughout the entire
area. We welcome them and look forward
to serving the neighborhood for years to
come.”
Th e gym is off ering 50 percent off membership
discounts to the fi rst 500 customers.
Photo courtesy of Powerhouse Gym
Powerhouse Gym opened a location in Long Island City on April 9.
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