Label a food source as organic and suddenly it rises in both price and demand. But how many people know the true definition of organic, rather than blindly trusting a label at a supermarket?

Simply put, organic relies on a crop’s or animal’s natural growth process without the use of additives. As a result, organic farming has a lower crop yield compared to the more traditional, large-scale farming method, and the reason why it can be so expensive. Yet, the cost of not knowing where our food comes from is much higher, and a hands-on experience with what we consume is an essential part of the food connection. Fortunately, there are small production farms that oftentimes provide an opportunity for locals and visitors to become acquainted with their practices. And one of them is right here in our own backyard.

Closter Farm is a USDA-certified organic seven-acre farm just outside of Hudson County in Closter, New Jersey. Their commitment to environmental sustainability takes a holistic approach to the foods we eat through organic and regenerative agriculture, practices that help to restore the carbon content of the soil (rather than tractor tillage which is known to increase greenhouse gasses). Closter Farm implements crop rotation and composting to grow crops without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

“This is a much different experience from walking down a supermarket aisle and hand-picking a tomato off a shelf,” explains Jon Friedland, who took over the Closter Farms property in 2019. “It’s a great introduction to understanding how our food system does, could and should work.”

Friedland and fellow farmer Jared Krawitz met in an online community where farmers and property owners find ways to work together. Soon after, Closter Farm opened under their leadership in the summer of 2019. “We both strongly believed that regenerative practices could produce the most nutritious food, healthiest soil, a thriving environment, healthy working conditions, and an economically viable small business,” shares Krawitz on their mutual farming philosophies.

The following spring they implemented a completely new infrastructure—100 perimeter trees; a whole-farm, frost-free irrigation system; walk-in refrigeration; converted vegetable field; climate-controlling caterpillar tunnels; and the relocation and reconfiguration of a 40-tree apple orchard. All of these changes contribute to its mission of whole-farm health.

Closter Farm is community-run and community-centered. On property, it offers yoga, an introduction to beekeeping and gardening, at-home composting techniques, and two-hour volunteer farming sessions. Each of these activities invites guests to dig deeper and expand their understanding of how an organic farm looks and feels.

Friedland expresses, “Being in the field and being able to taste the dozens of varieties of vegetables right off the plant enables us to understand the differences in taste, texture and appearance of a given vegetable at different stages of its lifecycle and ripeness.”

Volunteer opportunities take place from 10 a.m. to noon, Sundays and Tuesdays. Individuals can sign up for a single session or return as often as they’d like in order to learn the entire process of preparing over 70 annual vegetable varieties—seeding vegetables, prepping the beds, removing the weeds, pruning the plants and harvesting. The hands-on experience creates an appreciation for cultivating crops and the farmers behind the food we eat every day.

Most recently, to expand its reach, Closter Farm began to offer agritourism with an Estate Farmstay Experience available on VRBO. “Guests can understand up-close the full extent of labor, love, planning, luck, creativity and improvisation that goes into the operation of a small community farm. Krawitz goes on to say, “We hope to create a much deeper connection with our community. Plus, we’ll stock the fridge for you with a farmer’s choice of produce.”

Closter Farm is located at 681 Closter Dock Rd., Closter, and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Learn more online at ClosterFarm.com.

Nicole Teitler, known by her trademark Nikki On The Daily®, is a brand storyteller based out of Hoboken, NJ. She is passionate about connecting communities through conversation. You can reach her at [email protected] or NikkiOnTheDaily.com.