Prior to its landmark 10th summer season, the Poughkeepsie Farm Project has appointed its very first executive director.
Last, month, Susan Grove was named to the leadership position at the Mid-Hudson Valley-based nonprofit that works to create a sustainable local food system.
In a release, Wendy and Asher Burkhart-Spiegel, PFP’s farm managers, said that Grove’s experiences and abilities will be invaluable to the success of the organization.
“Susan’s extensive expertise will be a tremendous asset as the PFP continues its mission to provide access to and education about healthy, locally-grown food to thousands of children, youth and adults in the region,” they said.
As executive director, Grove’s new tasks will include forming a stronger liaison between the PFP and its members, shareholders and the Mid-Hudson community, and to work with PFP management to better establish the organization’s strategic goals.
Grove said that she was excited to work with a variety of people on these new challenges.
“I am thrilled to be working alongside so many committed people – shareholders, members, partners, community supporters, board, staff and volunteers – to realize PFP’s mission of a just and sustainable food system in the Mid-Hudson Valley,” she said.
Growing up in Berlin, Conn., Grove said she often enjoyed the splendors of rural Vermont during family trips.
“My family always had one foot in Vermont – whether a rustic cabin in the woods, or a barn-cum-apartment on a sheep, cow, or Christmas tree farm – and we spent a lot of time there,” said Grove.
Grove said that her experiences in different geographical regions helped to spark her interest in the land.
“I would say that my growing-up experience made me ‘fertile ground’ to develop a passionate interest in food, agriculture and farming in the United States when I experienced rural areas in the developing world,” she said.
Grove studied and earned her master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in economic and political development, with an emphasis in rural development. She recently relocated from Brooklyn to Poughkeepsie, where she joined the PFP in January of 2008.
Her experience with other nonprofit organizations, however, is extensive. With more than 10 years of work in the industry, she has worked with youth as the coordinator of an at-risk youth tutoring program, and also as a Peace Corps volunteer in several different summer camps. She was also involved in managing and founding Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organizations in Brooklyn, and spent time advocating for federal farm policy change.
International experience
In addition to time with a variety of nonprofits, Grove served as the director of the U.S. Office of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), which sought to combat rural African and Asian poverty through a variety of methods.
Grove said that she is proud to bring her familiarity and know-how to use in her new position.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to apply my past experiences to collaboratively lead and strategically manage PFP’s programs, which affirm my deep and passionate interest in issues surrounding food and farming,” she said.
The PFP began in 1999 with just 70 members. Today, the organization grows vegetables for nearly three times that number of members, plus for its Poughkeepsie Farm Market booth and its weekly soup kitchen and shelter distribution.
According to the PFP’s Web site, it’s mission is to “work toward a just and sustainable food system in the Mid-Hudson Valley by operating a member-supported farm, providing education about food and farming, and improving access to healthy, locally grown food.”
The organization works toward this mission in a variety of ways, including: sponsorship of the City of Poughkeepsie Main Street Farmer’s Market; “City Seeds,” a project involving young adults ages 14-24 in learning and spreading knowledge on food and farming; CSA, a committed partnership between a farm and its supporters, where members support the farm that provides them with fresh produces; and a variety of other educational and generous donation-based initiatives.
Grove said that the PFP’s mission supports an abundance of other long-term implications.
“Our mission-in-action represents a meaningful way to connect individuals directly with each other and the source of their food, and to provide hands-on learning experiences about the implications of our choices about consuming, producing and distributing food,” she said. “This mission is critically important in the face of increasing energy sources, erratic climatic patterns, nutrition-and diet-related health crises, economic hardships, and disintegrating communities,” she said.
The new executive director said that an appraisal of the organization’s labors will ultimately help further its mission.
“There is so much work to be done,” she said. “We want to evaluate our efforts, assess the food system challenges and resources in the Mid-Hudson Valley, and step up our efforts, exploring ways to expand our programs so we can realize further progress toward our vision,” said Grove.
Having recently completed a five-year strategic plan in 2007, which defined staffing, leadership and infrastructural and financial goals for the PFP, even more is forthcoming. Programming goals for this year include an emphasis on food and farming learning experiences for people from an assortment of backgrounds, as well as more food donation, and sponsorship of low-income family involvement in the CSA program.
Additionally, the PFP anticipates even further growth in its already successful farmer’s market, and hopes to gain more business partners to support this increase in both vendors and customers.
This year, the PFP is entering its 10th season. PFP Board Chair Valerie Lusczek said in a release that Grove has joined at a meaningful time.
“This newly created leadership position commences just as the PFP is about to embark on its 10th successful season as a membership-supported farm,” she said.
Grove said that there are special plans for the anniversary.
“We plan to celebrate our 10th anniversary in a big way in 2009,” she said. “For our 10th season, we are just beginning to plan a public celebration of food and the arts in partnership with the Poughkeepsie arts community.”
Those interested in learning more about or becoming involved with the PFP, can attend the Friday farmer’s market, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Main Street at the corner of Market Street in Poughkeepsie, make a donation or become a member or a volunteer. More information is available by visiting the PFP’s Web site, www.farmproject.org, or by contacting the office at 473-1415.