Garrison Farm
When Valley restaurant first opened, it had a small kitchen garden located right outside the restaurant. In 2007 the land devoted to growing herbs and vegetables was increased five-fold to two acres over three plots of land on The Garrison property. We also hired organic grower Brian Bergen, who works directly with the chefs at The Garrison and our sister restaurant, Tavern, to coordinate menu needs for the season and to grow all of the vegetables and herbs needed for the menus at both restaurants. Together they have developed a mix of nine lettuces to create the Garrison Farms Baby Lettuces, our signature salad at Valley.
Brian built a 1250 square foot cold frame or "hoop house" in order to grow over 20 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes from seed in early Spring. This provides Valley with beautiful, vine-ripened, chemical free fruit of all colors and sizes from the end of June into October. The farm also supplies both restaurants a wide variety of seasonal produce and herbs from fresh peas and rainbow carrots to fingerling potatoes, baby fennel and spinach.
In 2008 The Garrison forged a relationship with Project Renewal, a non-profit New York City-based organization that provides everything homeless men and women need to move from the streets to health, home and jobs. One of their work programs, RENEWAL FARM, is now located on The Garrison property. Here participants in their program who once lived on the street or in homeless shelters learn to nurture their own lives while cultivating an acre and a half of naturally grown herbs and vegetables that they sell to our restaurants and at local farmers' markets
