Cheryl Rogowski wins award for creative farming

Pine Island woman revitalizes character of family-based agriculture, By Roger Gavan Pine Island — On Monday evening, Sept. 24, life-long Pine Island resident Cheryl Rogowski received the prestigious Pinnacle of Leadership award at a ceremony held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Newburg, NY. The award, now in its third year, is presented to alumni of Leadership Orange who have best demonstrated the goals of 10-month leadership training course, “Leadership Orange,” explained Program Director Richie Lay, “is designed to pull together, train and send out leaders who can give back to the community.” Rogowski is well known for having revitalized the character of family farming as a commercial enterprise and as an engine for community development. She overhauled her family farm, moving away from a single crop, onions, to a variety of produce that would serve the needs of regional and specialty markets. “In addition to diversification,” she said, “I also believe strongly in protecting the environment. And I decided to become a farmer because I believe in finding your passion and living it.” The Rogowski family has been in Pine Island since her great-grandfather moved there in 1880. Her father, Walter, now deceased, purchased the 150-acre farm on Glenwood Road in 1955. He and his wife Lillian operated the farm until 1997. For the past ten years, Cheryl Rogowski has been at the vanguard of creating and participating in Community Supported Agricultural programs (CSAs) in Orange County and in New York City where she targeted special groups including Hispanics, seniors and the poor. It helps that Rogowski is fluent in Spanish. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is system that links a community group together with a nearby farmer in a direct, mutually beneficial partnership. The farm signs up members in the springtime, when seeds are being planted. In return for their weekly labor, if the members are low income, or for a small fee, the community members share in the harvest. Rogowski plays a key role in the New Farmer Development Project that mentors immigrant farmers seeking to establish their own farms. She explained that many immigrant farmers arrive in New York City and have no idea where or how to utilize their agricultural skills. In one of her many other roles, Rogowski serves as a mentor and adviser to the New Farmer Development Project in Manhattan. Through that organization she met Martin Rodriguez, a poor immigrant from Mexico who was interested in operating a farm. “I knew that David and Kathy Gordon had a small farm that they might wish to sell,” said Rogowski. “I put Martin in touch with them. He was able to secure a mortgage and today he and his family are raising chickens and eggs and doing all sorts of good things.” Rogowski also supports literacy programs for migrant workers and public art exhibits in support of local produce. In 2004, she was one of only 23 people and the first farmer in the United States to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the, “Genius Grant.” Rogowski also was honored by the Orange County Legislature with a distinguished Service Award and by Mt. St. Mary College with a Distinguished Alumni award for her efforts in promoting the agricultural industry as a whole. In 2006, she was named a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction. Each year, Rogowski delights guests at the annual, “A Taste of Warwick,” event with culinary skills that have made her catering service a huge success. “I’m inspired by Alice Waters, one of our best known and most influential chefs,” she said. “Waters is not only a champion of using locally-grown and fresh ingredients in her restaurants but by advocating various educational programs including a garden in every schoolyard, she brought agriculture back to the classroom.” Rogowski received her associate science degree from Orange County Community College and went on to earn her bachelor of science degree from Mount St. Mary College. In addition to managing the Rogowski Family Farm since 1997, she was instrumental in launching the Warwick Farmer’s Market in 1993 and established the first low income CSA in New York State in 1998. Rogowski is a graduate of the leadership Orange Class of 1999.