Story and photos by Owen Volk
Healthy living is a practice promoted not only in our educational and health systems, but in our everyday social interactions as well. Living a healthy lifestyle full of organic fruits and vegetables is important and great in practice to be able to get the most out of one's life, though for millions of low-income Americans the reality of this is not possible. However, a new system has been implemented in recent years called “prescription foods,” where doctors write scripts and, through insurance companies, prescribe patients healthy food items. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a system in which local farms provide fresh, healthy, and affordable produce to low-income families who are at higher risk for health-related diseases. In the small town of Cortland, NY (New York), one of the few farms participating in this program is Main Street Farms.
A photo of the farm itself, sitting on a hill overlooking Cortland, NY. The fields of vegetables lie on both sides of the road and are tended to by staff daily.
Co-owner Bob Cat walking through a plot of broccoli with his daughter, with a view of Cortland below. Broccoli is one of the 40 crops grown at the farm.
Main Street Farms was founded by Allan Gandelman and his friend Bob Cat in 2011 with the help of farmer and certification coordinator, Adrianne (Age) Traub. Allan taught high school social studies for the Cortland School District and noticed the importance of nutrition and how healthy eating played a role in the learning and performance of students. This realization led to the decision to start a farm to provide fresh and organic vegetables to not only the people of Cortland, but throughout New York and beyond.
The Vegetable Prescription Program has been up and running over the last two growing seasons and is gaining traction throughout the local community. Main Street Farms is partnered with Seven Valleys Health Coalition, a non-profit focused on improving the health and well-being of Cortland County. Community members apply to the program through either a referral from a primary care physician or other community health organizations and then are screened for eligibility requirements including income status, food insecurity, and risk factors or presence of chronic diseases that changes in diet can improve. Members are required to meet with a registered dietician to make sure they know proper nutrition and ways to effectively improve their lifestyle. There are currently 83 households that are a part of the program, and each member share is subsidized. Roughly 50 of the shares are covered by health insurance, whereas the remaining are covered by an approved grant.
Over the past 13 years, the farm has produced more than 40 different vegetables throughout the growing season, most notably carrots, kale, peppers, and beets. According to Bob Cat, more than 100,000 pounds of carrots were grown this last growing season. Six years ago, they began growing hemp for the purpose of CBD production and were approved last growing season (2021) in New York to become a legal producer of marijuana for sale.
Carrots being sold at the Syracuse Regional Farmers Market. More than 100,000 pounds are sold throughout the yearly growing season and are some of the most grown vegetables.
One of the last peppers on the vine in one of the plots. Bell pepper season goes to the end of October.
A head of broccoli picked by Bob Cat and his daughter from a plot at the farm.
Samples of the different strains of CBD grown by the farm and sold under Main Street Farms’ sister company, Head & Heal. With licensing through New York State, both hemp with CBD and marijuana with THC are grown and packaged at a building off-site in Cortland.
The farm contributes to CSA programs, farmers markets, as well as commercial sales. Out of their yearly yield, 25% goes to farmers markets, such as the Syracuse Regional Market, 25% goes to commercial sale, providing carrots and beets to the salad-themed restaurant chain Sweetgreen, and the remaining 50% goes to CSA programs.
Signage at the stall front at the Regional Syracuse Market. This location is just one of the three farmers markets that the farm sells their products at.
Bob Cat and a Head & Heal employee interacting with a customer.
Bob Cat interacting with another set of customers. His kind and welcoming demeanor attracted many people to visit the stand to learn about their products. Their conversation led to the discovery that the employees are a very tight knit group, and both co-owners are involved and active in putting forth the best service that they can.
The food program partnership has been completely booked and has a lengthy waiting list. They hope that they will be able to expand the number of households that can be added into the program in upcoming seasons. The success of the food prescription program in Cortland shows that food prescriptions are an effective strategy in combatting diet-related disease in low-income communities that suffer from food inequalities and can improve their overall health. Implementing these systems nationwide could bring healthy food to millions of more people, and lead to a healthier, happier planet.