At West Harlem farm share, locals swap health tips

Even on a rainy day, Mildred Greene is willing to make the trek to 132nd and Amsterdam for what she calls West Harlem’s best produce.

“It’s as fresh as it gets,” said Greene, a North Carolina native and West Harlem resident. “A whole different taste from the veggies I’ve bought in the past, and I’m a country girl.”

Greene is a member of the West Harlem farm share, a program that began selling fresh fruits and vegetables from upstate New York farms out of a local Democratic Party office this June. In a neighborhood that has typically been underserved by traditional grocery stores, the farm share has proved surprisingly popular.

At the official opening this past June, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said, “Harlem Farm Share is a milestone in our efforts to remake food deserts into oases… With Harlem Farm Share, we’re bringing fresh food to the community—and new hope to its residents.”

The share is part of a citywide farm share network with over 18 locations and 1,100 participants, handled by Corbin Hill Road Farm, but it is the first to be endorsed by the Manhattan borough president’s office. In the last few months, Corbin Hill coordinator Sabrina Wilensky says the West Harlem share has seen some of the greatest growth of all of their locations, with about 40 current members.

Unlike other programs, the West Harlem farm share allows members to pay each week rather than a lump sum up front, which can be off-putting to low-income residents. The share also has a donation fund to support people who can’t pay the full fee.

This week’s portion contained bell peppers, carrots, kale, apples, cantaloupe, and corn, among other fruits and vegetables. Members can sign up for a small, medium, or large share—or portion—for between $5 and $20 a week. But, according to site leader Christine Johnson, “It’s really cheap for what you get.”

Farm share ambassador Millicent Reddick says she is optimistic that the program’s numbers will grow, especially since the organizers are reaching out to local day care centers and community organizations. She said the program’s success has stemmed from attracting a wide variety of people, from the health-conscious to avid meat eaters.

While Greene regularly uses her portion to make fruit juices and smoothies, newcomers like West Harlem residents Joe Pena and Marchal Ragin say they are still adjusting to a healthier lifestyle.

“This isn’t the kind of thing I eat regularly,” said Pena, gesturing at bushels of kale and chard. “A lot of this stuff, I don’t even know what to do with it. When I go to the supermarket, I grab meat.”
He added that he’s trying to learn new ways to cook and boasted to volunteers about his eggplant Parmesan.

Both men found the farm share by chance but said that it has become a positive, easy way to grab fresh food.

“I was in the barbershop and saw a bunch of people and thought I’d check it out,” Ragin said. “It’s very convenient, coming here … you look forward to it.”

For Wilensky, reaching people like Pena and Ragin is what makes the farm share and community health education so important, particularly in a neighborhood lacking in sources for fresh produce and with high obesity rates.

“They’re not just in it for the food,” she said. “Eating better helps every part of your life, your body, while building a sense of community around a healthy lifestyle.”

Melissa von Mayrhauser contributed reporting.

abby.mitchell@columbiaspectator.com