Suozzi: It's Earth Day Every Day at Restoration Farm

Healthy Nassau Bears Fruit with 100 Families Participating in Pesticide-Free 'Community Supported Agriculture'

Old Bethpage, NY – In celebration of Earth Day, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi joined volunteers at Restoration Farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration to begin planting next season’s crop – potatoes.  The seven-acre farm at Nassau County's Old Bethpage Village Restoration produces vegetables, flowers, and herbs using sustainable practices without the use of pesticides or chemicals.  Creation of the farm was initiated in 2007 by County Executive Suozzi as part of "Healthy Nassau," Nassau County's campaign to sustain a healthy environment and encourage healthy living.

"On this Earth Day, I am very pleased to congratulate Restoration Farm for growing fresh, locally grown produce for over 100 families right here in a Nassau County park," Suozzi said.  "Not only are they producing nutritious food for the dinner table, they are doing it in a way that protects people and the planet, without the use synthetic and toxic chemicals."  

Restoration Farm is run under permit from the County by farmers Caroline Fanning, Daniel Holmes and a team of hard working volunteers.  "The enthusiasm we've witnessed is amazing; it really shows how much Nassau County has been wanting a farm of its own.  And it'll be great to show people what's actually involved in small-scale farming,” stated Fanning.   

Restoration farm is partially supported by members who pay in advance for weekly shares of fresh produce.  This type of arrangement is called "community supported agriculture," or CSA.  Members share in the farm's inherent risks that some crops may do poorly or fail. This risk sharing allows small farms to thrive in otherwise unfavorable conditions, and it connects consumers more intimately with the source of their food.  Given the alarming disappearance of farmland on Long Island and across the nation, more and more people are abandoning the supermarket and joining CSAs.

As of early April, Restoration Farm has sold out all CSA shares for the 2008 growing season.  About 100 CSA members at Restoration Farm will receive vegetables on-site from June to November. Full shares ($700) are picked up every week and are recommended for families of 4-6. Half shares ($350) are picked up every other week and are recommended for families of 2-3. Members are welcome and encouraged to volunteer at the farm, especially during the Tuesday and Friday morning harvests. Seasonal contributions of 12 hours or more are greatly appreciated. Anyone who missed out on this year's CSA can email info@restorationfarm.com to be placed on the waiting list. 

Operations at the farm adhere to the Farmer's Pledge of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York.  Vegetables being grown this year include arugula, asian greens, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, edamame, eggplant, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, string beans, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash, yellow squash, and zucchini.  To learn more, visit www.restorationfarm.com.  Fresh produce can be purchased at a farm stand starting in June, which will run Saturdays 11:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Old Bethpage Village Restoration parking lot.

About Healthy Nassau

Healthy Nassau, County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi's campaign to make Nassau the healthiest county in the nation, builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits). Along with creating the organic farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration, Healthy Nassau initiatives include providing space for a Farmer’s Market offering fresh, local produce; initiating the “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off Competition for County workers; continuing to preserve the County's remaining open space; seeding $2 million shellfish in Hempstead Harbor; requesting the Health Department to consider banning trans fats and putting calorie counts on menus; and working with other large municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

About Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Old Bethpage Village Restoration provides visitors with a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience a mid-19th-century American village. The 209-acre village includes an assortment of homes, farms, and businesses. Each fall, the village hosts the Long Island Fair, a traditional county agricultural fair that draws tens of thousands of visitors, and through most of the year has a steady series of family-friendly events and exhibits, including old-time baseball tournaments.