Recently we’ve written about two of our initiatives — donations to local food pantries and funds to our Snail of Approval restaurants — all made possible through your generosity. So far, 14 grants have been awarded. Here is one story of how a grant will be used with others to come in the weeks ahead. You can help by donating to SFEE.
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Francis of Assisi
Mimi Edelman has been a farmer for 11 years, at first in Hudson County and, for the last three years, in Orient. She exemplifies the quote above as she reimagines her business in this challenging time as so many others are doing.
IandMe Farm, on Terry family land, is a two-acre property growing organic and biodynamic crops with views spanning from the Sound to the Bay. Over the last three years, Mimi worked with like -minded chefs locally and in New York City to grow crops requested by chefs during menu planning sessions in the winter months. The business was growing and gaining a following… then the pandemic hit. Restaurants closed with no opening in sight at the time.
During this period of uncertainty, Mimi picked herself up, began speaking with friends and colleagues and slowly began to create a new vision for her farm. Along the way she established important partnerships with purveyors like Peeko Oysters and North Fork Flower Farm. She would now expand beyond chefs and begin serving local consumers by growing crops that as she puts it “spark creativity, delight the palate and introduce new foods with flavors and aromas that people may not be as familiar with.” Harvest boxes filled with these out-of-the-ordinary vegetables, herbs, microgreens and shoots will be grown and then either delivered or picked up by the consumer.
When Slow Food provided a grant of $500, Mimi knew exactly how she would use it: to build a communications channel to her customers by designing a website describing her products and the philosophy which guides her choices. “This grant really jump started my ability to reach my customer and I am most grateful to Slow Food East End and their members who genuinely care about local food providers, particularly in times of need.” Take a moment to see what the website offers by visiting iandmefarm.com.
Right now, there are many struggling small businesses like Mimi’s that may never be built back because of lack of money and support. Won’t you please donate to SFEE to ensure our East End home can once again thrive and return to normal. You can help by donating to SFEE.