Theta Chi Fraternity Supports Local Farms

As part of Theta Chi's ongoing effort to promote "green" living, the fraternity recently began purchasing locally grown food through CNY Bounty.

Below is an article written by Becca Jablonski (Agricultural Economic Development Specialist) who interviewed Chef Jerry Nash of Colgate University's Theta Chi Fraternity House. The article was originally published in the Madison County Courier on March 5.

(Hamilton, NY) Chef Jerry Nash believes in providing high quality food to the young men of Colgate University’s Theta Chi Fraternity House. To Nash, “it is nicer when you can attach a place or a face to a product. It tends to be a better product…people take more pride and appreciation in what they’re doing when they know it will be consumed within their own community. [He has] always found better quality from the smaller producers.”

Before CNY Bounty, though Nash wanted to support local farmers and processors it was difficult.

“It is inconvenient to call all of the purveyors,” Nash said. “My time is better spent preparing the food. But CNY Bounty makes it easy. The beauty of the Bounty is that they do all of the leg work.”

CNY Bounty supports local farmers and producers by creating new markets for locally produced foods, thereby strengthening the local economy and providing healthy food to all citizens of Central New York in an environmentally responsible way. Each week, Bounty staff coordinates weekly product availability with farmers and producers and upload the products, prices, photos and descriptions on the website.

Consumers can go online to www.cnybounty.com before Monday at noon to place an order. Orders are collected from the farm on Wednesday morning by Bounty staff, taken to the shared distribution center, and distributed by Bounty staff to customers’ doorsteps or strategically located drop off points on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon. Delivery is free for orders over $35 or for orders of any size to drop off points. CNY Bounty operates year-round and currently works with over 90 farmers and producers.

This week, Nash ordered meats, breads, produce, and some dairy. He is using herbs he purchased from Finger Lakes Fresh and Heritage Farms in tonight’s sauerbraten dinner. (Sauerbraten is a German pot roast marinated before cooking in a mixture of vinegar, water, spices, and seasonings). Tomorrow for lunch he will use the whole wheat pasta he got from The Pasta Shoppe in an alfredo dish.

Nash said that he is going to encourage other fraternities to buy through CNY Bounty.

“You have a bigger effect on the local economy and environment when you are buying local and that is a priority for me,” Nash said. “The young men of the house are aware of high quality products and they have really encouraged this buying process.”

Becca Jablonski is the Agricultural Economic Development Specialist for Madison County.