'Such A Great Wow Factor': Checking Out The Queens County Farm Museum
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Did you know that there's a large farm in New York City and it's located right in Queens?
Sitting on 47 acres, the Queens County Farm Museum takes visitors back to the hayday of agriculture, with a modern twist.
Crops and livestock are still being grown there, and have been since the late 1600s. The Queens County Farm Museum provides New Yorkers with an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.
"You tell people 47 acres in the middle of Queens and not only are we growing food on three acres but we also have animals and pastures, so it's such a great wow factor," said Director of Agriculture Anne Alleva.
It's also the oldest running farm in the state. But over the years, it's had to evolve, and respond to the push for sustainable, organic foods.
"Our agricultural department is incredible, and they've really finessed this whole site to be able to run smoothly and follow sustainable practices," said Executive Director Jennifer Walden Weprin.
Those practices include making their own compost and rotating the crops every five years.
"We describe ourselves as a farm-garden style so we do use the tractor in the beginning of the season to just prep our beds but from there it's all very hands off with the machines," said Alleva.
Farm leaders pride themselves on being extremely community-oriented. You can ask farmers questions, see how and where your food is grown, and even feed goats, sheep, and alpaca, Kapur reported.
And at the market, shoppers can rest assured the food they take home was all grown on-site, and as naturally as possible.
"Before we didn't know and we didn't actually know what was inside of the food, but now people are looking for things that are more organic and good to eat and good for you," said Raymond Crawford of Pelham.
The farm is owned by the city's Parks Department, so admission is free.
Recently the farm launched a partnership with Jamaica Hospital to bring their patients farm-fresh foods. In the future, they hope to expand that program.
For more information or to plan your trip, click here.
