Frequently Asked Questions
About
When was McEnroe Organic Farm established?
The farm was established as a dairy farm by the McEnroe family in 1953. The McEnroe and the Durst families started working together in the late 1980s, at which time the farm began to transition to organic practices. Ray McEnroe, in partnership with Douglas Durst, initiated the transition of the McEnroe Dairy Farm (formerly called Ray-Barb Farm) to organic farm practices. The last of the dairy cows were sold in 1994 and, in 1995, the farm began to raise organic Angus and Hereford beef cattle. The farm has continued to diversify since then and started the development of the vegetable and compost production operations. In 2007, the nonprofit Model Organic Farm Foundation was established to manage McEnroe Organic Farm's operations, and to provide educational programming and experiences to the public.
Today, members of both families sit on the McEnroe Organic Farm Board of Directors, and through the Board, guide the programs and activities of the farm. Family members continue to give a lot of personal attention to the farm, and often participate in various activities. Ray’s son, Erich, is the current Director of Farm Operations.
How large is the farm?
1,200 acres
What does “NOFA” stand for?
NOFA stands for Northeastern Organic Farmers Association, an organization of farmers, gardeners, and consumers working to create a sustainable regional food system. They certify McEnroe Organic Farm as organic through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
What does “certified organic” mean?
As stated by the USDA, “Organic agriculture produces products using methods that preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics.”[1] Organic certification comes from the USDA as a way to ensure proper standards and practices are used within farming.
What does “certified organic” mean?
As stated by the USDA, “Organic agriculture produces products using methods that preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics.”[1] Organic certification comes from the USDA as a way to ensure proper standards and practices are used within farming.
What does it mean to grow “organically”?
To grow organically, we are NOFA-NY/ USDA certified and grow produce seasonally for this region. There are approved chemicals organic farms can use - the majority of which are naturally derived (extracted from plants or mineral materials).
Market
Our Market is currently closed
What is the address and number of the Compost Office?
Address: 1000 County Route 10, Schaghticoke, NY 12154
Phone: 518-789-3252
What types of produce are grown at the farm and sold at the farm market?
Produce and Nursery Plants
Do you offer pick-your-own?
Yes, we offer pick-your-own Flowers, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Pumpkins, & Cherry Tomatoes.
How do you grow your tomatoes?
We grow large slicing varieties of tomatoes in the greenhouse (both hybrid and heirloom varieties) and we grow many more varieties of slicing, cherry and paste tomatoes in the field.
How are your greenhouse tomatoes grown?
Tomatoes are started from seed in our greenhouses. When the seedlings are large enough, they are transplanted into raised beds filled with our own soil blend. We add organically approved nutrients supplements to the soil on an as-needed basis. We use a drip irrigation system to send water directly to the roots of the plants. We grow a variety of hybrid and heirloom plants in our greenhouses.
How are your field tomatoes grown?
We grow a variety of hybrid and heirloom tomatoes in the field. We use a drip irrigation system to send water directly to the roots of the plants. We grow a variety of hybrid and heirloom plants in our greenhouses.
How do you handle pests?
We use a three-system method or approach:
- 1. Prevention
- 2. Integrated Pest Management
- 3. Limited application of organically approved pesticidess
What are some cold-hardy vegetables good for early or late plantings?
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Peas
- Carrots
- Beets
- Spinach
- Cilantro
Are potatoes safe to eat when they are green and sprouting?
YES! Potatoes may turn green due to overexposure to light. The green hue may make the potato more bitter tasting but it is safe to eat (in moderation). You can peel/cut around the green area and sprouting end.
Can plants and flowers transmit diseases to one another?
Yes
How long can blight last in the soil?
Usually, blight dies in the winter because of freezing temperatures. Although, it can be found in this area due to plants starting as seedlings from southern state nurseries. Also, wind can carry blight-infected soil.
Compost
What is compost?
Compost is decomposed organic matter, things that were once living. Compost is not soil. It is a mix of organic material (~5%) and mineral material (sand, silt, and clay).
Where do you source organics from for the compost operation?
We obtain food scraps from various sources, including households and offices in various neighborhoods in New York City. We have been working with the NYC Department of Sanitation for at least two years to divert food waste from the landfill.
- Food scraps from our Market & Eatery, Omega Institute in Rhinebeck NY, and NYC homes and offices through a pilot program with the NY Department of Sanitation
- Leaves, yard wastes
- Our dead plants
- Manure from our livestock
- Straw bedding
We follow strict quality standards when incorporating community food scraps into our compost operation. We test our products on a regular basis for any contamination.
Our compost is approved for organic use, though that does not necessarily mean that it has all certified organic inputs. We think it is incredibly important to cycle nutrients locked in food wastes back into the environment, and that is why we collect organics. These organics would otherwise contribute to the emissions of greenhouse gases from landfills.
What is the difference between Potting Soil and Lite Growing Mix?
Potting Soil includes sand for drainage.
Lite Growing mix replaces sand with perlite.
Which one of your soil products can you NOT plant directly in?
Our Premium Organic Compost
How does organic material break down?
Small organisms such as insects and worms play a part in decomposition. However, most of the work is done by microorganisms (fungus, bacteria).
How hot is the compost pile?
A range of 132 - 160 degrees. We measure the temperature for the first fifteen days to make sure the temperature is high enough. If the temperature becomes too high, the biological activity slows.
What about contaminants?
Most contaminants comes with food scraps, for instance, stickers on produce are not biodegradable or compostable. We screen finished compost to remove any plastic materials over 1/2 inch in length. We follow strict quality standards when incorporating food scraps into our compost operation.
We test our products on a regular basis for any contamination.
Can I Drop off Compost at McEnroe Organic Farm?
Yes, our Farm Market has drop-off containers to collect organic waste.
Why use compost?
- It is nature’s own recycling system - nutrients locked into organic matter go back into the environment
- Compost slowly breaks down to release nutrients, whereas fertilizer is applied and either used immediately or lost to runoff
- Compost creates soil diversity, as it introduces living, beneficial microbes to the soil to which it is added
- Compost promotes soil water retention, and reduces soil erosion by binding soil particles together
Animals
What kinds of livestock does McEnroe raise? What are the breeds?
- Cattle: Hereford, Angus, Wagyu
- Turkeys: Broad Breasted White & Broad Breasted Bronze (heritage breed)
What do your animals eat?
Our animals eat a mix of grains and hay grown organically on our farm, and forage from our pastures. All of their food is organic, grown on our farm, and hand-mixed at our farm.
- Cattle: Corn, Oats, Barley, Alfalfa/Timothy Hay, Minerals, Salt Blocks
- Chicken: Corn, Soy, Oat, Alfalfa, Minerals, Kelp, Lime Calcium
- Turkeys: Corn, Soy, Oat, Alfalfa, Minerals, Kelp, Lime Calcium
Why are they fed this way?
During the Spring, Summer, and Fall months, a majority of their feed is foraged from pasture and they are fed some grain. Grain is fed in the morning, and this gives us a chance to visually inspect the animals daily.
During off-peak forage times, they are fed dry round-bale hay along with pasture and grain.
In the winter months they have access to pasture and are fed round-bale hay and mixed-grain meal. The grain and corn gives our cattle energy and keeps their bodies warm.
What does 'organically raised animals' mean?
- Access to pasture land, clean water, natural feeding behaviors
- Fed with food grown organically, with non-GMO seeds, on our farm
- No preventive use of antibiotics, however, we can give and treat animals with antibiotics if medically necessary.