No reap till Brooklyn...
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For most of my life, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant (better known as Bed-Stuy) had a terrible reputation. The mean streets on which Mike Tyson became, well, Mike Tyson, Bed-Stuy had indeed seen better days.
As a resident of Astoria, Queens, I am very familiar with the down side of gentrification. However, it's not all bad. Despite having to manage an influx of Yuppie entitlement, we urban greenies also get health food stores, more vegan options in restaurants, yoga classes, and community supported agriculture (CSA). In Bed-Stuy, this means a Farm Share dedicated to bringing "fresh, locally-grown vegetables to the community at an affordable price through a mutually beneficial partnership between residents looking for quality produce and local farmers and farmers of color." Here's the official scoop:
"Farm Share members join by buying a 'share' in the farm in the late winter or early spring, providing upfront money that will allow the farmer to purchase seeds, hire labor and get the season started without having to take out high interest loans. As a 'shareholder' in the farm, a member receives a weekly share of the harvest from June to October (about 20-22 weeks)."
Why join the Bed-Stuy Farm Share? A few reasons:
- fresh, organic produce at a fraction of the price
- convenient pick-up of a week's worth of the veggies
- support environmentally-friendly agriculture
- support small, local business
- connect with your neighbors
- discover new foods and preparation methods
