STORY BY JESSIE SCHOONOVER
PHOTOS COURTESY CITY FRESH
City Fresh in Kamm’s Corners is currently located at 15460 Triskett Rd., or the Bethany English Lutheran Church.
Previously located at the West Park Library Branch, 3805 W 157th St., it has moved because the library branch is temporarily closed for renovations.
Anna Kiss Mauser-Martinez, executive director of The New Agrarian Center of City Fresh, admits that eating veggies is difficult for many—but so good for us all!
She says that she was introduced to the concept of City Fresh while trying to come up with healthy but affordable food options for her children, who have grown older now.
“We aggregate from multiple small farms all located within 70 miles of the city of Cleveland,” she explains.
In addition to providing low-cost yet quality, healthy food options to the area, City Fresh also aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the food we consume by minimizing the distance it travels to get to us.
Continuing her involvement with the organization as her children grew to make their own food choice—her passion for bringing vegetables to residents in West Park and other locations throughout the area. Kindly making time for our interview, and always happy to answer questions and the like, Mauser-Martinez acts as an energy-filled beacon for City Fresh, guiding efforts and overseeing endeavors tirelessly. “In practice,” says City Fresh’s website,
“We promote sustainable farming by supporting farmers who employ organic growing techniques. We also take the prospect of our diet’s carbon footprint seriously, and we strive to ensure the mileage on your produce is as small as possible. The food in your basket in tasty because rich soils produce a restorative yield of fruits and vegetables all year long – and long into the future.”
Making it easier to eat your veggies at any age
West Park residents can order vegetables from City Fresh week-to-week, or all at once for 20 weeks. The 20 weeks covers the local growing season, which extends from June until October. City Fresh aims to be affordable and flexible, and it’s noted that SNAP is accepted, as are limited income price options for both shares (the single and family share).
A family share costs $32 and feeds around 3 to 5 individuals each week. Items come prepackaged. Shares often come with 10 to 12 items. A single share costs $20 per week and feeds 1 to 2.
Their website offers a chart showing what is provided in a typical share, based on what is in season and when. For example, kale, lettuce, and cucumbers are often available in the start of summer, while bok choy is typically available in the fall. Apples, however, are available in the full-swing of summer as well as fall. Find this information here. https://cityfresh.org/whats-in-a-share/
Where can sign up to receive shares of City Fresh? How does it work?
Visit the City Fresh website and click on ORDER ONLINE. You will have to log in or register if you do not have an account yet. After that, simply choose the option that’s right for you.
LINK: https://kalechips.cityfresh.org/shareholder/