Farm Manager Lissa Goldstein tends the greens at Wild Work
“…every inch of Wild Work Farm says ‘care’ and ‘attention’…
An unsuspecting visitor who wandered into the Ticonderoga Natural Foods Co-op would never know that this local grocery store is only 5 years old. With its well-stocked coolers of local and organic meats, cheeses, dairy products & mushrooms, its bulk herbs, grains, berries & nuts, and its notoriously well-chosen artisanal regional beer, you’d think it had been around for a while.
But being the new kid on the block and the only local grocery store in town has motivated the co-op to constantly improve & find ways to meet customers’ needs. This year, the members asked the co-op to focus on providing consistent, high-quality produce. In response, the store set out to strengthen the relationships it already has with local (within a 50-mile range) produce farmers, identifying each farm’s specialty products to sell. That’s also when the co-op went “Wild…” adding a new small farm from the region to the list of its producers.
Wild Work Farm, nestled in the valley between the High Peaks Wilderness and the Dix Mountain Wilderness, sits on the flood plain just east of the Ausible River. Like the co-op, it is young, just into its 4th season. Farmer - manager Lissa Goldstein met me for a tour of the farm; she’s as comfortable talking mission as she is plucking cucumber beetles from one of her key crops. Wild Work Farms is all about building resilient, healthy rural economies bolstered by agricultural networks, a strong sense of environmental responsibility and community health. It’s a mission that aligns well with the Ti Co-op’s mission.
Lissa and her 4 employees farm 3 acres of land that is a piece of a larger area that her great, great grandfather bought in 1906. When I asked Lissa how the farm got its name, she said “a unique thing about us is that there are these working landscapes amidst a very wild land.” And then with a chuckle, she added “and of course the work is kind of crazy too…so everything’s a bit wild.”
Despite the name, every inch of Wild Work Farm says “care” and “attention to detail,” from the new celery starts neatly in their trays to the field of salad greens, alliums & carrots well fenced to protect them from deer, to the brand-new wash & pack station where produce is cleaned and readied for delivery to customers.
All that care and attention produces beautiful, healthy produce that has been available this year at the Ti Co-op. So far this season, Wild Work has provided the co-op with basil, chives, cilantro and parsley along with shelling peas, chard, lettuce, kohlrabi and Tokyo turnips. Co-op manager Megan Cunningham says sales have been going well.
For myself, I have boosted the yummy factor of my tacos, sandwiches and salads with their arugula, cilantro and party mix of early greens, all of which have lasted at least a week in the fridge.
If your mouth is watering, check out all of the local produce the co-op has to offer from our wonderful local farmers. Fresh veggies from Wild Work Farm, and other local farms are re-stocked and ready for you every Thursday afternoon. Check Instagram and Facebook for updates on what seasonal produce is available.
Learn more at:
Ticonderoganaturalfoodscoop.com
instagram.com/ticonderoganaturalfoodscoop
facebook.com/ticonderogacoop/