When it comes to dining locally, locating a one-stop-shop can make all the difference. For those who live in southern cities, that one-stop-shop might be Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm. Eat Local WNY needs to motivate and motivate Western New Yorkers to seek out more local food sources, and Thorpe’s OrganicFamily Farm is helping to spread that message and supply locally grown organic food to our community. When Gayle and Mike Thorpe married in 1981, they knew they wanted to go into farming. None of them grew up in agriculture, however, their 4H roots and years of rural training put them on the same path. They started on rented farmland in Springville, New York, before moving to their current location in East Aurora, New York; First they rented land to the aunt and spouse. Gayle’s uncle before, in spite of everything, bought it for her.
Although they are now known as Thorpe’s Organic Family Farm, things did not start that way. Initially, Gayle and Mike were traditional farmers. After taking categories and learning more about the chemicals used in traditional farming methods, they start to feel a little uncomfortable. Not only were they worried about how drinking those chemicals would affect their clients, but they were also worried about how to manage each day and raise their 6 children with each other. In 1999, they became a 100 percent organic farm and never looked back.
You see consumers coming to your booth every day. How do you feel if you give them something that might be questionable or that you have doubts about?Gayle said.
For the Thorpe family, developing and consuming organic food makes more sense. “It’s not designed to require all those insecticides and herbicides,” said Naomi Thorpe, a vegetable manager and daughter of Gayle and Mike. “It makes perfect sense that you need to buy biologics because that’s how this crop is designed to grow. “
When it comes to eating locally grown produce, other people can feel the difference. Consumers report that locally grown produce tastes better, bringing a richer flavor and unbeatable freshness to the palate. Commercial products found in most grocery stores are picked early and artificially ripened. after storage. However, locally grown and sold produce is harvested in its adulthood after developing naturally and then sold within days of harvest.
The choice of food produced also contributes to the economy more directly. By buying food directly from local farms or farm stores, you’re financially supporting those businesses, but you’re also supporting their contribution to our economy. Local farms and businesses employ their friends, neighbors, and other members of their community.
Ensuring that our local food resources remain colorful and strong is also insurance for the future. As our world becomes unpredictable due to primary weather events, unforeseen shipping and freight delays, and potentially more global disruptions like the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, having a reliable food source that doesn’t rely on domestic or foreign origin chains ensures that Western New York remains powered. Formation
For those looking for more local farms and eating more locally grown food, whether for health, taste, or economic reasons, locating a local farm like Thorpe is a fantastic way to start. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how much fun the experience is.
“People can come and see the farm, see the animals and how the plants are grown. They can reach out to farmers and get to know them,” Gayle said when asked why other people eat locally grown food.
“You can contact your local farmer, you can ask them how they grow their [crops], what they use as fertilizer or if they use insecticides or herbicides,” Naomi said when asked the same question. “You can delve deeper into that, rather than going to the supermarket, where you just have to rely on the label. ” At Thorpe Family Organic Farm and many other farms in our region, visitors will see acres of farmland, active greenhouses , horses and chickens. , cows and, of course, farmers. They can have beautiful fields of flowers and vegetables, or offer blueberries and strawberries for picking, when they are in season, which is a great way to get the whole family involved. in the local food economy.
Their farm stand, Thorpe’s Organic Market, is packed with grown and produced produce, from fruits, vegetables, legumes, herbs, and flowers picked in the morning to delicious pastries and meals prepared in the on-site kitchen. They will also offer a variety of local and organic products from other suppliers, such as Savage Wheat granola bars, farm-raised flour, grass-fed meat and dairy, local organic eggs, and more.
Thorpe’s Organic Market is open Monday through Saturday and is on their farm on Route 78 (Strykersville Road) in East Aurora.
In addition to on-site farm shops, many farms, including Thorpe’s, offer CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) schemes to their customers. When you participate in a CSA, you get a “share” of the harvest each week, developing season (about 20 weeks, in WNY). CSAs are purchased in advance, allowing farmers to plan the right amount of crops and ensure a steady flow of fresh, ripe produce for you and your family.
Local delivery facilities like FreshFix are also a wonderful way to consume more local produce. Thorpe’s, along with many other farms in Western New York, are partnering with FreshFix to offer others another convenient way to eat local produce without having to travel to a farm.
To contribute to local food, Eat Local WNY is asking others to participate in the Eat Local WNY FoodPledge. This pledge is a commitment to yourself to spend at least 10% of your food budget or, if you already shop, get your local food budget up to 10%. Eat Local WNY will provide features to keep track of your purchases and send you encouragement, tips, and suggestions on tactics for accessing and enjoying local features.
Visit eatlocalwny. org to learn more about the initiative, hear more stories like Thorpe’s, and find out how you can expand a healthy and thriving food community at WNY.
This series is from Eat Local WNY.
Eat Local WNY is an initiative to increase local food intake in WNY. We believe that food connects a network and that all members of that network play a role in ensuring that we have a healthy and sustainable food system. Producers grow and harvest their produce, while also being smart stewards of the land. Producers source ingredients from local manufacturers and create food products that we all need to eat. And consumers help manufacturers by buying their products at farmers’ markets, farm stands, through CSA or FreshFix, a local food delivery service. When we all do our part, our network thrives. Because when we shop locally, we all grow locally. mangerlocalwny. org
The initiative is supported by FreshFix and the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions with investment from the USDA.
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