Growing a Relational Food Economy in the Hudson Valley
Vision
Random Harvest envisions a relational food economy in the Hudson Valley where food builds bridges towards a generous, just, and nourished community.
Mission
Random Harvest is a worker-owned neighborhood market, cafe, and community space that: provides food and goods sourced directly from farmers and producers; brings together diverse community for shared work, sustenance, and learning; and uses models of exchange, pricing, and ownership to reflect the needs of workers, producers, and community members.
In order to fulfill this mission, Random Harvest will:
Support local farmers by selling their produce using a consignment based model with a high return to farmers
Create a welcoming neighborhood gathering space
Provide a cafe featuring seasonal prepared foods, coffee drinks, and deli items
Offer food accessibility programs
Provide a certified kitchen for producers and community members
Coordinate diverse events in the upstairs community space
History
In its previous incarnation, Random Harvest was a farm store and deli for over 30 years. It was well loved by the community as the neighborhood market where you could purchase local produce and high quality food. For many young farmers Random Harvest was the first place they peddled their wares. For many local teenagers their first job was working as a cashier or picking beans out back in the fields.
Random Harvest began it’s new life in 2015, after sitting empty for nearly 10 years. The late 1800’s building was purchased and the renovations began. A team of five organized themselves as a worker-owned cooperative and set to work envisioning a market for the 21st century.
