It’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see at a farmer’s market. Eggs that were on a farm only hours ago now here, at a City Harvest Mobile Market in the Bronx for free.

“Things that people really need don’t end up in the food donation or food rescue process,” said Lynn Edens, a founder of Tenmile Farm Foundation.

What You Need To Know

  • Edens and Durnford found an article about a farm in Philadelphia that was growing exactly what emergency food organizations needed. After one visit, they knew they could bring the same idea to New York

  • Now emergency food organizations can order exactly what their recipients need instead of simply picking up whatever is donated to them

  • Only one year in, the farm has already produced 110,000 pounds of food and their 2,000 chickens have laid 117,000 eggs

It’s all part of Lynn Edens and Gibson Durnford’s dream. Their mission is to grow the exact food that pantries need for the communities they serve, guaranteeing access to farm fresh produce for everyone.

“The ability to do that and to ask them: what do you want? What can we grow for you? How often do you need it? How much do you need? It’s really exciting,” said Gibson Durnford, the foundation’s executive director.

The inspiration came from a similar farm in Philadelphia. After one visit, the duo knew they could bring this “grow what you need concept” to New York.

They said purchasing land was the easy part. 80 acres in Dover Plains — about two hours north of the city — became Tenmile Farm. With no farming background, the two created a team inspired by their mission to turn this patch of dirt into an agricultural paradise.

“You come out here and it’s just bare land, and that’s intimidating for some people, but I got excited by that,” said Will Nelson, the head farmer on the property.

Only one year in, the farm has already produced 110,000 pounds of food to donate to emergency food programs. Their 2,000 chickens have laid 117,000 eggs.

“Our fruit and vegetable is perfect — it’s as good as anywhere you can find in New York City — and our egg production has been incredible and then you add in the fact that all of that gets donated to people who are in need,” Durnford said. “It takes on this whole other element and it feels incredible.”

Construction has started on a commercial kitchen that will open next spring. Tenmile Farm hopes to increase its yield to further support the agencies it serves.

“We’re giving them something: food. They’re giving us something too: connection, inspiration, a reason to get up in the morning and feel great about what we do, and a way to appreciate diverse communities,” Edens said.

“When something like this comes around, you don’t say no,” said Durnford. “You say, ‘yeah, let’s do it!’ and let’s keep doing it. And let’s make it bigger and better.”

For planting the seeds to erase need, Lynn Edens and Gibson Durnford are our New Yorkers of the Week.