East Meadow farm is in new hands

The staff of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Center and Demonstration Gardens held a red ribbon- cutting ceremony on Tuesday, celebrating the opening of East Meadow Farms.

As of Oct. 1, CCE has partnered with Nassau County to operate the farm, formerly known as Friendly Farms and one of the last remaining agricultural properties in Nassau County, on Merrick Avenue and Luddington Road.

The farm, which has been operated by several families through the years, is now owned by the county. “This property came along and we decided to answer the [county’s] request for proposal,” said Bob Sympson, a past vice president and current board member of CCE.

“This new location will make us more visible and expand what we do,” added Extension Community Forestry Educator Julie Seghrouchni, who works at the organization’s Eisenhower Park office.

At the new farm, horticulture experts will share research-based information on limiting pesticide use, drip irrigation and water conservation as well as tips on sustainable gardening. Community garden plots will also be available.

Residents react

East Meadow Farms is in a residential neighborhood, and most locals said they are glad to see the land developed. However, some people are concerned about potential parking issues and strangers near their homes.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the neighborhood to use the land,” said Lori Polansky, who has lived next to the farm for 16 years. She said she hopes CCE offers a retail section where locals can purchase vegetables. “I always had access to that and used to walk over a few times a week,” she said.

Polansky said she is glad to see the land being put to use, but added that it is difficult to make the transition because she knew the owners of Friendly Farms and was sad to see them leave. She is also concerned about traffic, and hopes visitors will not crowd the residential side streets.

Lifelong East Meadow resident Jeanne Beaudoin lives across the street from the farm, and said she likes the new fence that was recently put up by the county and CCE. “I hope they keep it an organic space,” Beaudoin said. She added, however, that she would be displeased to see community garden plots. “I would have a big problem with that,” she said. “It’s a residential neighborhood, not a commercial property.”

While neighbors understand that CCE will soon be farming on the land, many said they were unfamiliar with the project and could only speculate about what might unfold. East Meadow Chamber of Commerce President Walter Skinner said his knowledge of the plans for the farm was limited, but, he added, “I think it’s going to be a great resource for education and the community. Any time the young adults can come in and hands-on find out about farming, I think it’s great.”

The plan

CCE plans to utilize the farm as an educational and resource-based center, and hopes to implement numerous programs, Interim Executive Director Deborah Colfer explained. The first step is to prepare the soil before winter and plant demonstration gardens in the spring. The gardens will be planted by master gardeners who will teach residents how to plant without pesticides and make the most of a small space. Similar to the gardens at Eisenhower Park, display gardens will include vegetable, butterfly, herb and rose gardens.

Additionally, school gardens will be planted soon and will serve as a “living lab, hands-on experience for students and teachers,” Colfer said.

The next step will be moving the CCE staff at the office in Eisenhower Park to the new farm. “Hopefully we’ll move within a six-month period or so, but we don’t know when that’s going to happen,” said Extension Community Horticulture Educator Bonnie Lynn Klein. She said that the Eisenhower Park office was not designed to be an office, and she is glad to be moving to a more customer-friendly location.

Services currently available at the Eisenhower Park location that will eventually be incorporated at the new farm include:

-A diagnostic testing center. Plants and lawn problems will be diagnosed and experts will identify unfamiliar insects.

-Soil testing. Educators can test soil samples for a small fee in order to offer the best gardening advice. “A lot of problems result from a pH imbalance,” said Klein. “The plant is not able to absorb the fertilizer if the pH is off.”

-Gardening phone hotline. Residents can call with gardening questions and receive Cornell University research-based advice from master gardeners.

Community garden plots will also be available for an undetermined fee. Colfer said that the plots are expected to open next spring, and will be cultivated using sustainable and organic practices. She said she does not know how the plots will be divided, but they will be available for civic organizations, nonprofit foundations, schools and Nassau County residents.

In the years to come, CCE also hopes to bring back a Junior Master Gardener program for elementary and middle school students, a demonstration kitchen to teach gardeners to grow and cook food based on the season and a farmer’s market.

Budget woes

CCE receives funding from Nassau County, with a matching contribution from the state and some funds from a federal land grant. However, its county funding has plummeted from $1 million to just $36,000 in the past 10 years.

“We’re struggling with the budget,” said Sympson. “It’s truly a difficult time for all non-profits.” Last year alone, CCE was forced to lay off nearly half of its staff, he said.

“[Nassau County] keeps assuring us that we are [going to get $36,000 this year], but I’d like to see a line in the budget that says CCE,” Sympson said. “We’ve yet to receive the money, and the year is about to end.”

Colfer added that while some gardening services used to be free, CCE now charges $5 for soil testing and also expects to charge a small fee for educational courses that will be offered at the new facility. The budget will determine how quickly CCE can add new gardening resources at the farm.

In spite of financial difficulties, Colfer said, “We want to develop the farm so it’s a place where people can stroll through. It’s going to look beautiful and provide pertinent information for use in your own backyards.”