Press Release:
Poughkeepsie Farm Project Hosts Plant Sale Event and Farm Tours for Community
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP) is hosting a virtual plant sale for community members to pre-purchase plant starts and seeds (a new addition this year) for in-person pick-up. Orders placed by April 25 will be available for pickup Saturday, May 1. Orders placed May 2 - May 11 will be available for pickup Saturday, May 15. Visitors can join PFP staff for a farm tour at noon on both pick-up days. Orders can be placed at pfpfarmstore.com.
The Virtual Farm Store carries plant starts such as basil, parsley, okra, flowers, and tomato varieties. New offerings this year include lemon balm, bitter melon, cherry tomatoes, and new native plants for creating a pollinator garden made possible by Vassar’s Ecological Preserve. The store can be browsed by plant name or collection (peppers and tomatoes, herbs, perennial or annual flowers). The site also serves as a resource guide with information on how to grow and care for the plants. After purchase, customers will receive an email confirming the order to be presented at the time of pick-up.
PFP’s Farm Production Director, Pat Lang, said, “All of the plant starts and seeds have been grown at the farm by Poughkeepsie Farm Project’s farmers, staff, and youth. We are excited to provide our community with access to nourishing food to make sure everyone in Poughkeepsie has access to locally grown produce.”
PFP has grown its impact substantially since it began in 1999 with three acres of revived farmland leased from Vassar College and 70 CSA shareholders.
Twenty years later, the organization has grown to support 500 CSA shareholders that take home 80% of the 90 tons of certified naturally grown produce harvested each year from PFP’s 15-acre urban farm. The other 20% is distributed through PFP’s Food Share program, which aims to address hunger, increase local food access, and cultivate a healthier community.
The farm is also an educational resource for children, teens, and adults to experience learning through a variety of hands-on activities, such as identifying and harvesting vegetables, cooking with farm-fresh produce, and interacting with the environment on farm tours. Each year, PFP reaches more than 7,000 children and adults through its educational programming.
To learn more about Poughkeepsie Farm Project, the Plant Sale, Farm Tours, or Volunteer opportunities contact Executive Assistant, Lydia Hatfield at pfpadmin@farmproject.org.