Innovations At Westchester Land Trust Earn 'Community Growers Grant'

BEDFORD HILLS, NY — Two local programs that are tackling food security issues and helping to preserve the environment just got a big boost from the state.

Westchester Land Trust (WLT) announced that it was just awarded a $16,840 grant from the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) as part of the Community Growers Grant Program. The funds will support WLT's small-acre food pantry farm garden at its Sugar Hill Farm headquarters in Bedford Hills, as well as the organization's food justice efforts.

"Food insecurity impacts many people in our community and the need for fresh, nutritious food is greater than ever," Westchester Land Trust VP Kara Whelan said. "This grant will help us grow veggies, fruits, and herbs for our neighbors in need, improve access to agricultural lands for local farms, and give volunteers hands-on experience with sustainable farming techniques."

SEE:

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• Westchester Land Trust Awarded Funds To Protect Glenwood Lake
  
• 27 Acres Of Bedford Land Protected By Westchester Land Trust

WLT has partnered with local food banks for a decade to grow and distribute an average of 8,000 servings of fresh produce annually to local families in need in Westchester, according to the organization. The land trust works with the Community Center of Northern Westchester (CCNW) as its distribution partner and Allison Turcan contracts with WLT to manage its small-acre farm. Turcan is supported by WLT staff and bi-weekly teams of local volunteers who help plant, weed, harvest and weigh the food grown at Sugar Hill Farm. They then deliver it to CCNW, which serves over 10,000 low income, food-insecure individuals a year, including over 3,000 children.

The new grant will allow WLT to expand the growing capacity of the gardens at Sugar Hill Farm and meet the increased need for produce. It will also allow the WLT to offer greater food variety and reduce the production cost per serving. With an emphasis on food justice and sovereignty, WLT’s team said it works closely with CCNW to identify the crops and produce favored by the families receiving the food to ensure that those in need are part of the process of selecting the foods they prefer.

"Growing food is one of the best ways we can support our local community," said Allison Turcan, founder of DIG Farm and manager of WLT’s Sugar Hill Farm. "This season is already off to a great start and we’re glad to see so many new and returning volunteers show up each week to help out and learn about sustainable farming techniques."

In addition to the farm garden, WLT works to protect farmland from the risk of development, with approximately 20 percent of the nearly 9,000 acres that WLT has preserved being agricultural lands. WLT works with local farmers and landowners to facilitate farmland match opportunities and is also exploring ways to put land into production for urban and non-traditional farms.

WLT welcomes volunteers of all ages and abilities to get their hands dirty at Sugar Hill Farm during Tuesday and Thursday garden sessions that run April through October. Pre-registration is required and can be done on the WLT website.

"We appreciate New York State AGM for supporting Westchester Land Trust’s community-led work to help build a stronger, more sustainable, and more equitable food system," said Whelan. "We look forward to listening to the needs of our community and stepping up in new and expanded ways."

About Westchester Land Trust
Westchester Land Trust works with public and private partners to preserve land in perpetuity and to enhance the natural resources in Westchester and eastern Putnam counties—a densely populated region under persistent threat from the pressures of development. Founded in 1988, WLT has preserved 9,000 acres of open space. More than 1,000 acres of land are owned by the organization which are free and open to the public year-round. WLT was one of the first land trusts in the nation to receive accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. More information can be found here.