#farmerfridays: Shared Roots Farm
Happy #farmerfridays, dear folks!
This week we are excited to introduce you to Shared Roots Farm run by Bret, Stephanie, and their two lovely children, Hazel and Sydney. Here's their rooty scoop!
SVHC: How long have you been producing or growing in Cortland County?
SRF: We bought our farm in Cortland County and started growing in 2014, moving our farm from Pennsylvania (not far from Binghamton) where we had been farming since 2010.
SVHC: Growing food or producing food products cannot be an easy task to take on, why engage this type of lifestyle?
SRF: We fell in love with farming after interning on a small organic farm in Kentucky in 2007. The rewarding hard work, community building, and more connected lifestyle were very attractive to us. It's our hope that our work helps leave a lighter footprint on the earth both for us as well as our customers and CSA members while simultaneously enjoying delicious and nutritious food.
SVHC: What products or goods do you make or grow?
SRF: We grow diverse, organic vegetables and produce, as well as make our own garlic powder and hot sauce.
SVHC: What has been your biggest joy as a local grower?
SRF: The biggest joy is hearing customer testimonials about their joy of eating delicious produce and supporting a local business, their improved health/diet, and the fun they have learning how to use (and love!) new veggies.
SVHC: What has been your greatest challenge as a local grower?
SRF: One of our greatest challenges is the rockiness of our soil, which makes cultivation/weeding difficult and is hard on our equipment. The unpredictability of our current weather climate is also a major challenge.
SVHC: If you could tell your community one thing, what would it be?
SRF: When you support local, your money stays local and goes further than if you spend your money elsewhere. Not only are you supporting us, but we, in turn, support other local businesses as well.
SVHC: How can the community purchase your goods or connect with you?
SRF: We offer summer and winter CSA's for on-farm pickup and delivered to Cortland. New this year we'll have a farmstand right here on the farm and we're also at the Broome Regional Farmers Market in Binghamton every Saturday.
If you'd like to know more about how to get your hands on some of Shared Root's lovely produce (and don't' forget hot sauce or garlic powder!) you can visit their website here. Also, show Shared Roots Farm some love by liking their Facebook page or following their Instagram feed---talk about some gorgeous veggie love!