This week on the FarmHouse, a podcast by Lancaster Farming, we’re joined by Katie Speicher, the assistant farm manager for Poughkeepsie Farm Project, a nonprofit seeking to foster an inclusive environment for its community while improving food access and education.
PFP began as a sustainable produce farming operation in 1999. Since then it has grown from 3 to 12 acres with an over 300-member-strong CSA.
In addition to its CSA, PFP sells to local restaurants, hosts educational programming, maintains community gardens and donates around 40,000 pounds of sustainably grown produce each year to area food banks.
A highlight of PFP’s operations is its community harvests — gleaning events open to the public. During these events, community members are invited to assist with the season’s harvest, taking home as much produce as they need. Any remaining food is then donated to local food access partners, ensuring nothing goes to waste.
According to Speicher, these community harvests are strong examples of the farm’s dedication to inclusivity.
“It’s great because there’s people of different cultures who recognize certain foods that we grow and are so excited,” Speicher says. “We had bok choy that was flowering and we had some folks of Asian descent come and they are actually so excited to get the flowers. People who aren’t familiar with that don’t know how to use it. So it’s great to see all the parts of our plants being eaten and used.”
Speicher had always been interested in working outside, but it wasn’t until she began volunteering on vegetable farms that she realized she had a passion for agriculture.
“I was like, oh, this is a really great way to spend time outdoors, get connected with my food. And I just really took an interest in it,” says Speicher.
Before coming to work at PFP, Speicher spent time in Senegal, where she volunteered with the Peace Corps. While there, she worked with farmers to grow tree seedlings that could be incorporated into their farms, either as natural fencing or as crops, such as cashews and mangos.
She’s happy to have landed at PFP, though, and feels empowered by its community-driven mission.
“To me, having a hand in food is like synonymous with having a hand in community,” said Speicher. “Growing with compassion is just such a powerful thing.”
Listen here:
You can find more information on the Lancaster Farming story discussed in the beginning of this episode here:
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