Porter Farms

Peppers in the field

Location

5020 Edgerton Road, Elba NY 14058

Phone

585 757 6823

Accessible

Yes

E-mail

<csa AT PorterFarms DOT org>

Websites

http://www.PorterFarms.org

http://PorterFarmscsa.blogspot.com

Facebook

Jack Porter founded Porter Farms in 1956; today, it's more than 500 acres, 100 of which are in vegetables, and the whole extended family is involved. You can still find Jack running some of the farm's heavy equipment.

Jack pioneered the organic side of the operation, too; the farm's first organic field was certified in 1990. The transition to organic methods was largely a matter of philosophy — a commitment to grow and distribute "wholesome, fresh, and safe food in a socially and environmentally responsible fashion."

Porter Farms is a highly-diversified farm; we grow grain crops for an organic livestock feedmill in Penn Yan, as well as vegetables that we market through our CSA and, are sold at local stores such as Lori's Natural Foods and The Abundance Co-op, in Rochester; The Lexington Coop, and the Feel-Rite stores on Maple Rd and Transit Rd. in Buffalo. This combination of CSA and local stores is a great combination for keeping local, fresh produce in the area. Those larger supermarkets direct all their produce through the warehouses in Ohio or Pennsylvania before trucking it back here to sell. Our CSA vegetables are distributed the day after they are picked!!! We also sell storage cabbage and onions to Whole Foods which goes to Boston and Manhattan. Rotating all these different crops is a key ingredient in making us successful with our organic practices. As always we will be looking at ways to improve our growing methods, in order to provide you with produce of the best possible quality.

Please keep in mind that the weather plays a huge role in farming. Our goal is to plant a wide variety, and volume, because of our wholesale accounts, of vegetables so if the weather conditions aren't right for some, others may thrive.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Information:

The Community-Supported Agriculture Project started with 100 members in 1996, and now have over 500 member families from Genesee, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, and Wyoming counties.

It is important to remember the meaning of "Community Supported Agriculture" as it relates to the mission of our program here at Porter Farms. CSA members make a commitment to support the farm throughout the season, and assume the costs, risks, and bounty of growing food along with the farmers. Members help pay for seeds, compost, irrigation supplies, equipment maintenance, fuel, labor, etc. In return, the farm provides, to the best of its ability, fresh, healthy, organically grown produce throughout the growing season.

CSA keeps local famers connected with local consumers. Remember, food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,300 miles to get to your dinner table! Your membership in our CSA represents over twenty weeks of fresh, local produce that is a viable alternative to this "long distance" relationship most of us have with our food.

The 2010 price schedule for Porter Farm's CSA is as follows:

$320 If you are picking up your produce at the farm from Buffalo or the local area

$350 If you are getting your produce delivered to sites in the Rochester area.

Comments:

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2008-07-08 15:01:38   We have a share this year with Porter Farms. They have pickup locations all over Monroe county and our pickup location is very close to our home, which is convenient. So far we have had a fantastic experience with Porter Farms. I look forward to signing up with them next season as well. It's great to get organic produce straight from the farm. I also enjoy the surprises involved with having a CSA share, since you never know what may show up in your bag! —KimBee

2008-07-16 10:16:41   First year with our share, and so far the quality has been excellent and plentiful! —BobMarchese

2009-06-29 17:33:00   The 2009 season has started with almost 800 members, according to their 27 June 2009 newsletter. New pick-up sites have been added for the Buffalo and Rochester areas. I am a member and encourage you to join. —Snowbag