Brothers' acres go green and aid poor

BY MAUREEN MCGUINNESS

The Holy Cross Brothers are using their acreage at St. Joseph 's Center in Valatie in a unique way in order to be educators in the faith and to exercise a preferential option for the poor: They have started a Community-Supported Garden.

"Our goals are to use the land in an environmentally friendly manner, to promote the sacred and spiritual nature of community-supported gardens as an activity of faith, and to welcome the financially disadvantaged into the community as subsidized shareholders," Brother Alan Gugel, CSC, says in a brochure about the project.

St. Joseph 's Center in Valatie, once part of the formation program for Holy Cross Brothers, now hosts retreats and conferences, and houses older members of the congregation.

Growing project

Kelly O'Hearn and her husband, Paul Hess, are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the farm. Last year, their first on the property, they grew a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, using all-natural, organic methods.

The produce was consumed at St. Joseph 's Center and sold at local farmers' markets. Eight entries from the garden won prizes, including two blue ribbons at the Columbia County Fair.

This year, the farm is selling shares. A share-holder receives a weekly portion of the harvest from the beginning of June through the end of September.

Tasty decision

According to Bill Jordan, a parishioner of Holy Spirit parish in East Greenbush and a member of the farm's organizational team, the benefits of the Community-Supported Garden are many.

First, the system provides farmers with money at the beginning of the growing season, which can help buffer them from some of the financial challenges of farming. "Consumers share the risk with the farmers," he noted.

Another benefit is that the garden connects people to farmers. Rather than going to a supermarket to purchase produce grown and harvested by unknown people, consumers are able to buy directly from the farmers.

Sharing

The farm at St. Joseph 's Center hopes to have 50 shareholders. A single share costs $475.

Last year, Mr. Jordan and his family of five purchased a share that they split with a neighbor. They enjoyed an abundant supply of produce during the growing season.

"It's a lot of food," he said, including heirloom tomatoes, arugula, lettuces, turnips, carrots, potatoes, onions, strawberries, eggplant, peas and beans. "The brothers also wanted corn, so we had corn."

Mr. Jordan is pleased that the farm also helps the less fortunate. "Ten percent of our harvest will go to the poor," he explained. "It will go to food banks or to subsidize shares for the less fortunate."

Protecting land

The garden is returning some of the 400 acres at St. Joseph 's to their original use: From 1957 through 1970, the property was a working farm that supplied food to Holy Cross schools in the Northeast.

While the land has not been farmed for more than 30 years, it is still known for its richness and vitality.

The Brothers have taken other steps to be good stewards of their land. Part was placed in a conservation easement that protects it from future development and ensures its future as farm land.

(An open house will be held Feb. 10, 2-3:30 p.m., at St. Joseph 's Center, 495 Maple Lane North , Valatie. Information will be offered to prospective shareholders. For additional details or to purchase a share, call 784-9481, ext. 211, or email [email protected].)

(02/07/08)