Fresh farm produce available for seniors in Warwick

Warwick - To assist the seniors with some of their food needs, the W. Rogowski Farm is again offering a program called “Senior Share of the Harvest.” Participating seniors purchase a “share” in the farm, which then entitles them to various types of vegetables and herbs as the produce becomes seasonally ready for harvest. The produce is delivered to the Village of Warwick once a week, and the “Senior Share” season runs for 20 weeks from June 17 to Oct. 29, 2006. The cost of a share is $100 that is paid upfront or in two payments of $50. According to Cheryl Rogowski, each week seniors can expect to receive a mix of at least four to five different items. The selection of produce increases as the harvest season progresses. From late summer through late autumn, up to 10 different items may be included in each person’s weekly package such as herbs such as basil, thyme, rosemary and parsley as well as lettuce, green and regular onions, carrots, beets, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, summer and fall squashes, leeks, garlic, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi and turnips. To participate in the “Senior Share of the Harvest,” seniors can contact the W. Rogowski Farm by calling 845-258-4574, or by e-mail at info@rogowskifarm.com. Information and applications are also available at the W. Rogowski Farm stand located at the Warwick Farmers Market on Sundays in the South Street parking lot in downtown Warwick. The W. Rogowski Farm is a family farm in Pine Island which raises more than 250 varieties of produce on 150 acres of Black Dirt farmland. It is a sustainable farm, which means that the least amount of chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers is used. For example, herbs and garlic are grown in fields where no chemicals of any sort have been used in more than 10 years. Another parcel of land recently purchased from a family member has not seen chemicals used on it in more than 20 years. This acreage is home to new herb beds and tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, potatoes and pumpkins. The W. Rogowski Farm is also at the forefront of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) practice in the United States. A CSA farm maintains strong community ties by allowing people to purchase “shares” in the farm. The cost of a share helps to cover a farm’s yearly operating budget, including things such as seed purchases, water costs and equipment maintenance. The program at the Rogowski Farm is now in its sixth year. According to Rogowski, becoming a member of a CSA creates a responsible relationship between people and the food they eat, the land on which it grows and the farmers who grow it.