community farm feeds westchester

Fall Harvest

At the Farm!

This year's fall harvest at the farm is expected to yield plenty of sweet peppers, cherry and regular tomatoes, bok choy, salad greens and Swiss chard.

Committed to honoring the ancient Jewish tradition of regenerative agri culture, Briarcliff Manor’s Congregation Sons of Israel (CSI) established a com munity organic farm seven years ago, successfully bringing together congre gants of all ages.

On any given day, depending on season and weather, you might find a gather ing of nursery school children visiting baby chicks in the recently constructed chicken coop and then, perhaps, collect ing newly laid eggs from mature hens in the old chicken coop. A group of reli gious school students could be observed planting daffodils in the garden, part of a worldwide Daffodil Project in memory of children who died in the Holocaust and in support of all children in humanitarian crises today.

Older and wiser congregants may be busy in the kitchen: washing, weighing, and packaging vegetables and herbs which were harvested earlier in the day by moms, dads, and singles with stron ger backs and hardier knees. Teens interning under the farm manager are learning about planting, nurturing, grow ing crops and understanding where and how the food they eat originates.

Over 3,200 pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs were produced at the farm in 2019. Of these, more than 600 pounds were donated to food banks in neigh boring communities. Thankfully, the good work continues this year. Congregation members are encouraged to work on their own garden beds in ad dition to the farm. Those with stamina join the gardening gurus to assist with weeding and harvesting chores. Flower arranging, assemblage and delivery of food baskets for new synagogue mem bers, new parents, sick congregants and grieving families, as well as the creation of centerpieces for luncheons and parties, are all tasks taken on by the older members.

The farm has become a center of interac tion among the generations, a way for the young, the old and the middles to meet each other as they all work toward a common goal. And what could be more delicious than a meal made up of fresh or ganic fruits, vegetables, eggs and herbs?