Meet Our Farmers

Nolasco Farms

Our vegetables come from Nolasco Farms in Andover, NJ - 55 miles away from Fort Greene.  Farmer Sergio Nolasco is originally from Mexico and has been farming without pesticides or chemical fertilizers in the Northeast U.S. for the past 4 years.

Sergio grows more than 40 varieties of crops, including carrots, beets, lettuces, potatoes, a number of different types of squash, beets, tomatoes (including heirloom varieties), collards and other cooking greens, broccoli, callaloo, and even cantaloupes and watermelons.

His wife, Paz, also helps him on the farm and often prepares lunch for Sergio and his workers.  Paz and Sergio have 4 children (two boys and two girls) and their family resides in nearby Hackettstown, NJ.  Sergio also provides vegetables for CSAs in the South Bronx and Bushwick and sells goods at markets in Inwood, the South Bronx, and Long Island City.  Sergio is committed to providing affordable, high-quality food to people of all ethnic backgrounds regardless of income, which is why he chooses to deliver to these particular areas of New York City.

In 2006, Sergio was featured in a New York Times article about a recent effort to preserve farmland in Westchester County, where he once farmed. 

Red Jacket Orchards

The Nicholson family has been farming in Geneva, NY since 1958.  They grow a variety of fruits, including strawberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, apricots, rhubarb and apples.  Red Jacket also produces a variety of unique ciders and juices that may be included in CSA shares in the beginning of the season when harvests are light.

Because it is difficult of grow 100% organic fruit in the Northeast, Red Jacket operates an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system.  With IPM, farmers work with natural methods of controlling pests in order to minimize the use of chemical pesticides.  Some of these methods include proper soil preparation and testing, pest trapping, and conserving natural, beneficial enemies of pests.

Red Jacket sells their produce at Greenmarkets in all five boroughs of New York City (including the Fort Greene farmers' market) and also sells their produces in gourmet stores throughout the City.