Here in Ithaca, it seems like everyone is dreaming of warmer days, but perhaps no one is looking forward to summer more than Donnette “Dee” Baptist, owner of Fort Baptist Farm.

Summer marks the beginning of Baptist’s 20-week Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share, a model that delivers her fresh, locally grown produce straight to local residents.

The Benefits of Community Supported Agriculture

The CSA is designed so consumers pay up front for a few months’ worth of produce, which is delivered to them on a weekly basis. The system is mutually beneficial because farms receive a more stable income and long-term customers, while consumers get fresh fruits and vegetables directly delivered to their door, typically at below-retail prices.

The CSA model has become an increasingly popular program for small farms in both New York State and around the country. In 2018, around 3,000 farm shares were sold in Tompkins County alone.

Giving Back to the Community

Baptist’s shares have an added bonus. For every three CSA shares she sells, she donates one to a family or individual in need.

“We have pockets of food insecurity in the town in which we live and I wanted to make sure that I not only provided food for my family, but for persons who need access to food,” she said. “Food as it stands, it pretty much should be like air, it should be available to all.”

Baptist partners with the local non-profit Healthy Food for All (HFFA), a collaboration between Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County and local farms to achieve these goals. She has also provided donations through the local Calvary Baptist Church in Ithaca.

Sustainability is Important Too

In addition to accessibility, Baptist also promotes sustainability. She makes a point to plant cover crops, which are specifically planted to replenish the soil rather than be harvested. She also employs crop rotation to avoid overworking certain areas.

“We replenish the earth and we do not over-farm,” she said. “There is not massive big farming of only corn or only soy … We try to maintain the strength of the soil and rebuild and replenish over the course of our farming time.”

Preservation and Beautification

Baptist also leaves the majority of her land untouched as a way to preserve the natural beauty.

“We have areas that are designated to just have wildflowers or bring back the bees or birds,” she said. The rest of it is left in forestry, hiking trails and it leads all the way down to Six-Mile Creek.”

Preparing for the Season

Right now, Baptist said she is spreading the word about this summer’s farmshare and is even beginning to plant some produce.

“We’ve started a couple of our long-term seedlings like eggplant, hot peppers and sweet peppers,” she said. “The things that take such a long time to grow, we’ve started them indoors. That is what we do. We try to get a jumpstart on the season.”

There may be snow outside, but Baptist is proof that it’s never too late to get into a summer state of mind.