West Haven Farm, Ithaca, NY

West Haven Farm is a large part of Ecovillage at Ithaca (EVI). The farm is certified organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA). It's 10 acres feeds about 1,000 people a week! Jen and John Bokaer-Smith, Ecovillage members, established the farm in 1992. Today the farm's acerage is divided accordingly: 8 1/2 acres of vegetables and 1 1/2 acres of fruit. In a nearby town they also have an apple orchard, which they share with another farmer. West Haven Farm grows just about every vegetable that can be grown in the Northeast.

The West Haven Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. 60% of the crops go to CSA members. CSA is a great way for small scale farms to flourish. They way it works is that CSA members pay for some of the farm's expenses and in return receive a weekly bounty of fresh produce. CSA shares range depending on the farm, but a single share for the season at West Haven Farm is around $475, although there is a sliding scale of $374-$575 depending on one's income. A single share generally feeds 1-3 people. Many farms, like Greensgrow Farm in Philly, also allow people to do half shares, where the member receives produce on a biweekly schedule. This reduces the cost but also reduces that amount of produce the member receives. Some farms, like West Haven Farm, also allow members to work on the farm to reduce the cost of their share. This makes it more affordable for lower income households to receive healthy, fresh, and local produce.

The other 40% of the crops are sold at a local Farmer's Market and sold wholesale at EVI.

Farming sure is tough work, and Jen and John have felt the burden. In the book Ecovillage at Ithaca: Pioneering a Sustainable Culture, author Liz Walker, long-time resident of EVI, interviewed the couple about the financial hardships associated with being farmers. In the beginning both Jen and John farmed together and enjoyed it very much, but it did not prove to give them the financial support they needed to pay off their college loans and their mortgage. Jen is now a teacher during the year, while John is the full time farmer. He now has other employees and the CSA has brought them great success.

While EVI receives most of its produce from the West Haven Farm, they also have a community garden, and small home gardens as well. What EVI does not produce, they buy from a regional organic food distributor, United Natural Foods. EVI is dedicated to supporting organic farming methods because it enriches the soil, rather than depleting it. Liz Walker explains, "our commitment to growing and buying mostly organic is a fundamental aspect of our larger commitment to becoming more sustainable here at EVI" (131).