PITNEY MEADOWS COMMUNITY FARM INC
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Mission Statement
Pitney Meadows Community Farm is dedicated to celebrating and exploring agricultural education, healthy food production and recreation on our preserved working farm. We are creating a unique new asset for the Saratoga community designed to take advantage of the farm’s ample acreage and unique location within the city limits, and ensuring a key land asset remains part of the agricultural system. We are the “Farm in the City”. Our vision is to operate a farm using organic and sustainable practices to grow food for our community and reduce food insecurity. We hope to blend the best traditional agricultural practices with progressive strategies to improve yield, conserve water and improve soil fertility. We are growing and distributing fresh, natural produce to food pantries, schools, and both wholesale and retail customers in the community. We also operate a more than 100-bed community garden that enables members to be successful in growing their own food and flowers. The Farm also offers educational programs to both children and adults, teaching agriculture, conservation, nutrition and sustainability. Recreational programs are offered year-round, welcoming the community to participate in a wide variety of experiences on the farm, from scavenger hunts to the annual Fairy Fest.
About This Cause
In 2002, 74 percent of Saratoga Springs voters looked to the future of their community and voted to establish a five million dollar Open Space Bond Fund. The Fund was to be used by the City of Saratoga Springs to protect its most prized open spaces from development. A clear priority with widespread support for protection was the Pitney Farm, a 166-acre parcel that supported one of the last remaining active farms within the City. The property had been used for agriculture since it was purchased by Jonathan Pitney in 1862. His descendants and owners until 2015 – William, Kathy and Judith Pitney – sought to preserve the essential nature of the farm for the community, despite lucrative offers to sell the property for development. Thanks to the wisdom of the voters and the generosity of the Pitney family, the community is now assured that the Pitney Farm will be preserved in perpetuity for farming and education. The vision of the partnership between the City and the Pitney family is embodied in a conservation easement made possible by a $1.13 million investment from the Open Space Fund. Fulfilling this vision is the mission of the Pitney Meadows Community Farm, Inc. (PMCF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2016. As a well-known and cherished farm landscape, with its cluster of rustic gray barns and large open farm field, Pitney Meadows Community Farm has a unique opportunity to reconnect the city with its agricultural heritage. Our goal is to demonstrate that farmland conservation projects strengthen our local economy, increase our food supply, reduce carbon pollution, and ultimately, improve our quality of life. We are committed to empowering community members to grow their own fresh produce and to educating children of all ages about the vital importance of regenerative agriculture, healthy food and good nutrition. We also aim to support the development of new farm enterprises and encourage the growth of a strong local food system in our community. Moreover, PMCF seeks to promote access to and awareness of the unique community resource it can offer through recreational opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities. In 2018, PMCF completed its first strategic plan – one that takes advantage of the farm’s unique location, is mindful of the significant contribution made by the City’s citizens, and aims to provide a unique, new asset for the Saratoga community. The full vision will take several years to implement, but PMCF has already made a significant start. The loan utilized to finalize the land purchase has been fully repaid. Community gardens, now in their third year, are flourishing. Farm production began in 2017, and has expanded each year thereafter. Unused agricultural fields are planted in pasture grass, and the production areas have fall cover crops, to build healthy and productive soil and prevent erosion. In 2019, with grants from NY State and the Charles Wood Foundation, PMCF installed a “Giving Garden” dedicated to contributing fresh produce to local food pantries. We partnered with the Saratoga-Wilton Elks to expand our reach and impact. Our 2019 goal was to contribute 1,000 pounds, but we far exceeded that by donating over 6,000 pounds of fresh produce to the FCC, Saratoga Community Health Center, EOC Soup Kitchen, Wilton Food Pantry, St. Clements, and the Saratoga Racetrack BackStretch Workers Association. In 2020, we expect to increase our contributions to 15,000 pounds. In 2019, a Farm-to-School grant bought Saratoga schools together with PMCF and the Cornell Cooperative Extension to expand the capacity of fresh produce making its way to students' plates. The grant also funded an expansion of educational resources and opportunities to teach students about the importance of buying and eating local food. PMCF is deeply grateful to our visionary local government leaders and all of our many donors, volunteers, and partners who helped complete these initial steps. Further, we welcome all those who will join us in the future as we realize our shared vision for our “Farm in the City”.