CLOSTER, N.J.—One of the borough’s best-kept secrets—the MacBain Farm Park—was selected to receive a statewide environmental organization’s “achievement award” in early October, which was accepted by the local environmental commission.
The Closter Environmental Commission was honored for its nearly two-decade stewardship of the 5.5-acre MacBain Farm by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions at its Oct. 4 statewide conference.
MacBain is a farm with a simple mission: to allow resident families to pick fresh produce for free from whatever is in season and available.
“Though our project is nearly 20 years old, it has grown during those years, and has been remarkably successful in 2019—with a large increase in volunteers and visitors. In addition, in 2019, the borough council has added the farmland to our Recreation and Open Space Inventory while designating the farmhouse a historic property,” said the group’s application to ANJEC.
The farm includes a park and walking trails, which are open year-round, although the farm only allows crop picking during the season on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
MacBain Farm was originally slated for a synagogue but became available to the community as part of a land swap with a property on Piermont Road.
Interested in preserving the farm for Closter, former Councilwoman and Mayor Sophie Heymann said past governing bodies moved to help preserve the property for residents.
The farm is run by a committee including Closter Environmental Commission, chaired by Mary Mayer, and employs a caretaker that lives on-premises to maintain the farm and its gardens. The caretaker, John McCaffrey, is a Cornell graduate with a degree in agriculture, and lives on the farm with his family.
He is required to contribute $25,000 in equity toward farm operations yearly, which he has consistently done, according to environmental commission members.
‘We are unique’
“We believe we are unique in providing this model. The original and ongoing mission of MacBain Farm has been to introduce Closter families to fresh produce—how it is planted, grown and harvested. There are no pesticides used on the farm,” said the commission’s application.
“Closter residents are permitted to pick one red bucket full of veggies each day the farm is opened (presently three days a week) at no cost whatsoever. We do encourage residents to volunteer at the farm to help with weeding, in addition to welcoming visitors and learning and teaching about what happens at the farm,” said the commission.
Unique community farm
“I don’t know of another similar thing in the whole United States,” said former Mayor Heymann. “It takes a lot of volunteer work, and I’ve been doing volunteer work in some cases five days a week. It wouldn’t work if it wasn’t personalized,” added Heymann.
Heymann said the farm produces all types of herbs, cucumbers, seven kinds of lettuce, all kinds of beans, different varieties of tomatoes, four kinds of kale, cabbages, broccoli, different squash varieties, pumpkins, and dozens of different vegetables and flowers.
Heymann told Northern Valley Press that there are many residents of Closter who do not know about the farm but the farm property gets up to 200 people on summer Saturdays, and sometimes over 500 people can visit the farm during a week. MacBain Farm hosts an annual festival for Closter residents only, with this year’s event scheduled for Oct. 19, 3 to 5 p.m., at 203 Hickory Lane, Closter, hosted by the Closter Environmental Commission. Check the borough website for details.