Freedom Rains Farm
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Saturday Farmers Market, May-October: E shed
Products: produce
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To say that Freedom Rains Farm, a family-owned and operated NOFA certified organic farm, is kind of a big DILL, would be an understatement. Co-founder, Elisabeth Wells, is not only committed to ensuring her community has access to fresh food, she's also an expert of the industry. Interestingly she shard, “Sales increased during COVID for a lot of vendors. People were afraid to shop in grocery stores and now they’re back to their normal ways and sales are slowing. This food was all picked yesterday though. It’s more fresh. When shopping at a grocery store, produce like kale or Swiss chard or greens, they all start to loose nutrients the longer it all sits on a shelf or in a truck and you mine as well just eat grass.” While all audibly laughed at the prospect of eating grass, it’s a sentiment we’ve heard from many farmers and part of this particular farm’s mission is to “help folks reconnect with their food and learn the importance of a sustainable agrarian system.”
A lifelong learner, Elisabeth has gardened her whole life. In 2009, with her co-founder and husband, Travis Pistello, the two spent a summer interning at an organic farm and haven't stopped farming since. She manages all of the customer service, markets, website, seed ordering, planting, and greenhouse tasks. “Most challenging is the weather and pests and competition. What’s rewarding though is being out in nature all day and getting to really know our customers. We have such an amazing network of farms in CNY. I’ve always loved this Market and grew up coming here with my parents and then as an adult, a mom, loaded up the double stroller every week.”
Her counterpart, Travis, is "a jack of all trades" with a background in custom fabrication. From cabinets to greenhouses to chicken coops, he can (and does) build it all. As the general manager of the farm, he oversees all aspects of the business from tractor maintenance to crew management, deliveries, and finances.
