Our Projects - Cropsey Community Farm

Project Summary:

·     The Rockland Farm Alliance (RFA), under a licensing agreement with Rockland County and the Town of Clarkstown, is establishing Rockland's first community farm in New City, at the retired Cropsey farm on Little Tor Rd.  It will be called, appropriately, The Cropsey Community Farm.  This project represents an historic intermunicipal collaboration, and is the first tangible step toward developing a local foodshed in Rockland County.

·     The RFA will initially develop 5 acres of this property.  The project will consist of 2 core components: a working, revenue producing farm, and an education/demonstration area.  The working farm will focus crop production to support a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) progam, and will dedicate a small portion of acreage to growing specialty crops for schools.

·     Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a farm model whereby members or "share-holders" of the farm pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary. In return, they receive weekly shares of the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production.

·     The Cropsey Community Farm will strategically partner with the Cornell Cooperative Extension to create an onsite venue for ongoing educational and community mentorship programs relating to organic farming and land-use best practices.

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 We are presently engaged in our first large scale fundraising effort in order to break ground on this project.  While our goal is to develop an economic model that will be self sustaining, start up is capital intensive.  This is Rockland County's first opportunity to begin localizing our food supply, and we hope it is the first of many, but WE CANNOT SUCCEED WITHOUT COMMUNITY SUPPORT.  If you are interested in helping, please consider becoming a member, or a donation toward this project.