#farmerfridays: Green Dragon Farm
At Seven Valleys Health Coalition, we sure got that FRI-NALLY feeling--anyone else out there feeling the same?
As you head into two days of hoops (Go SU!) and sunshine (fingers crossed!), we wanted to make sure you kicked off your weekend right with this interview on how the Seib family is growing the good at Green Dragon Farm. Keep scrolling down to soak in some local produce perfection...
SVHC: How long have you been growing in Cortland County?
GDF: We have been growing food for our own family since we moved to Cortland County 15 years ago. We sold or traded our produce on a very small scale with friends and neighbors almost from the beginning. However, we officially began marketing and selling our produce (including vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, berries, and cut flowers) in 2013, at the Homer Farmers' Market.
SVHC: Growing food cannot be an easy task to take on, why engage this type of lifestyle?
GDF: In our family, we are really obsessed with good produce. Our kids get incredibly excited about harvesting the first lettuce of the season, the first peas, the first tomatoes, the spring shiitake mushrooms, etc. While we do purchase some fruits and vegetables during the winter months, it is almost never as fresh and good as what we produce in our own fields. Over the years we have gotten very good at producing high quality vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms. We love being able to provide our customers with the same high-quality produce we have come to expect on our own table. Continuing to learn and become better and more efficient at producing these vegetables and fruits on our farm is incredibly rewarding and satisfying. We have so far kept our operation quite small to allow us to focus on
increasing efficiency and maintaining high-quality.
SVHC: What kinds of produce does Green Dragon Farm grow?
GDF: We currently grow a variety of vegetables and berries for our CSA customers, and shiitake mushrooms and a few specialty fruits (currants and gooseberries especially) for restaurant and individual purchase. We are hoping to build a market for our cut flowers, as well.
SVHC: What has been your biggest joy as a local grower?
GDF: Providing high-quality, extremely fresh produce to our customers has been, and continues to be, very satisfying. We have had so many amazing and wonderful customers over the years, and we truly love being able to provide them with good food for their families.
SVHC: What has been your greatest challenge as a local grower?
GDF: Our greatest challenge has been finding a business model that makes economic sense for our family. This is probably the most common challenge among other farmers, large or small, as well. It is a challenge to make any money in farming, and always has been. To be a successful small farmer (ie, turn a profit), not only do you have to be able to produce high-quality food, but you also have to do all of the things that a small business owner usually does, including marketing, accounting, and short and long-range financial planning. In our case, we have a full-time outside income, which means that farming is not our primary means of supporting our family. This takes some of the pressure off financially, although it definitely adds to the time challenges of farming and raising a family with young children!
SVHC: If you could tell your community one thing, what would it be?
GDF: If we could share one thought with our community, it would be to know and appreciate where your food comes from. Whether you purchase from a local farmer or buy food at a large grocery store, a lot of work went into producing that food. Appreciating all that it takes to get food to a consumer goes a long way towards building respect for good food and for the farmers that produce it. And good food is such an important part of life!
SVHC: How can the community purchase your produce or connect with you?
GDF: This year we are continuing to offer our weekly CSA shares for pickup on our farm or deliver to the Cortland area. We have just a couple of slots left for customers to our CSA! (You can take a look at the flyer below for a bit more information on our CSA.) We are also offering direct purchase of shiitake mushrooms to restaurants and individuals and hope to find a sales venue for our cut flowers and floral arrangements. We are taking the year off from doing a farmer’s market to be able to commit adequate time to our other ventures. We can be contacted on Facebook, email, or via telephone at (607) 849-4420.
