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Westchester residents who want to stick to the farm-to-table ethos at home are in luck. Farmigo, a Brooklyn-based company that has been operating in Westchester since 2013, offers a new way to shop for groceries. It aims to makes fresh, locally sourced food more easily accessible—and its popularity here in Westchester is growing, with approximately 20 Farmigo “communities” active in the county.
Here’s how it works: Customers in Farmigo’s current operating area (New York, New Jersey, the Bay Area, and Seattle) can shop for food on Farmigo’s site (everything from fresh produce to organic meats and artisan handmade products, all from local growers and food entrepreneurs), after finding a community to join. The communities—groups of friends, neighbors, and families eager to tap into Farmigo’s locally sourced food options—are helmed by a community organizer who is responsible for coordinating pickups and serving as the point of contact for Farmigo. Communities must start with at least 10 orders and maintain a designated weekly pickup destination; Farmigo packs the orders in its Brooklyn warehouse and delivers to these community pickup spots throughout Westchester.
Farmigo’s goal is to connect people with food from their area. “We have no more than 5 percent of our items offered from beyond our region,” says Lirra Hill, director of brand strategy at Farmigo. “We try to stay as close as possible.” Every item includes details about where and how it was produced to ensure that people know exactly what they’re eating.
Farmigo’s commitment to local goods and community-centric focus is resonating here in Westchester. “I’m really impressed with Farmigo’s community outreach,” says Jen Dorf, a Farmigo community leader at Sheldrake Environmental Center in Larchmont. “I’ve been involved locally with the organization for one year; it’s all about getting everyone involved.”
Dorf, a nutritionist who gives talks at local schools about the importance of mindful eating, sees the benefit of complete engagement in her own home. “My kids can’t wait to start digging through the bag [from Farmigo],” she says. “The food just tastes so different, so good—they love it.”
This produce is, when possible, locally sourced. The New York City rooftop-farming group, Gotham Greens, is one Farmigo’s providers. “We have our greenhouses going year round,” says Nicole Baum, Gotham’s marketing manager. “This way we can harvest daily—we can get fresh produce to customers each and every day.”
Of course, this fresh produce is not the most inexpensive option available. “Farmigo does cost more money,” admits Hill. “Farmers and food makers are paid a fair price for their goods—they take the necessary steps to produce food in a manner that is as helpful as possible.” To customers here in Wetschester, that ethos—and the food it delivers—seems to be worth the extra cost.