Going Places with Dina Guzzardo
For the past 23 years, renowned local restaurateur, Cookie Till, has been running the popular upscale restaurant, Steve and Cookie’s on Amherst Avenue in Margate City. In addition to serving up some of the freshest seafood and delicious entrees the Jersey Shore has to offer, crowds of people would flock from all over the Tri-state area every Thursday to attend the Margate Farmers Market, which was also created by Till.
Recently, Till made the decision to expand her horizons. Till, along with partners Lenny Varvaro and Beth Senay founded a non-profit organization called “A Meaningful Purpose” that will keep Reed’s Farm thriving. This is something Till had her eyes on for as long as 6 years. Farm manager, Brian DeRias, said Till “would drive through Reed’s Farm on her way through Egg Harbor Township and dream about resurrecting Reed’s Farm with clear intent to benefit the local community in many different ways.”
“Originally the farm was purchased by another nonprofit in the area called ‘Caring.’ Joe Dogherty, the council for that non-profit, presented Till, Varvaro and Senay with a deal that they would purchase the land in return for subdividing two parcels for special needs adult housing,” explained Till. “Since our missions were aligned, it was the perfect marriage.” Reed’s Organic Farm and Animal Sanctuary was born in April 2020 and is now up and running, under the direction of “A Meaningful Purpose” founders Till, Varvaro and Senay.
The farm is run with the aim of creating a community hub that serves as an animal rescue sanctuary as well as a platform for sustainable organic farming. Anyone who knows Till knows that she is an avid animal lover. In addition to this, they also act as a source of employment for individuals with special needs, among other endeavors. The inspiration for the farm was a young woman named Jenny who has special needs. Pioneering board members, Beth Senay, the organization’s secretary treasurer, and Lenny Varvaro, the chairman of the board, witnessed Jenny working on a farm and working with animals. Seeing the pure joy Jenny experienced working in a hands-on environment gave them the idea to start a similar project.“ Jenny was the seed that is now growing into the oak tree we now see developing as Reed’s Organic Farm comes into fruition” said DeRias.
The organization has set high targets when it comes to growing produce. After the first season, they aim to not only serve the local community, but also Till’s restaurants along with producing enough surplus which would allow them to make donations to local food banks. Also, there will be opportunities available for a variety of different groups once the farm is fully operational. From equine and chicken therapy, to agricultural skill-building, the organization wants to provide experience for youth programs, special-needs communities, and addiction rehab and recovery centers.
“We want to reach people in our community that are underserved. Special needs adults are one of those, but also veterans, and people in recovery. I am very involved in the Boys and Girls Club and intend to bring children from Atlantic City here as well,” shared Till. “We are installing a full kitchen and market center so we can also offer workforce development on many levels”
The farm currently operates on a donation only basis, sporting a sign that reads “take what you want and donate what you can”. A refreshing motto that encourages transparency and honesty from all patrons and aligns well with the values of the organization. They are passionate about encouraging sustainable and organic farming and exposing the local community to the benefits of such practices. “The people who stopped by to get produce and make donations are people from the community who are interested in eating healthy produce that is grown organically” explains DeRias. From their social media pages (“Reeds Organic Farm” and “A Meaningful Purpose” on Facebook), you can see that they have garnered a significant following. It’s also clear to see the incredible job that DeRias is doing as farm manager as the flourishing fruit and vegetables, from juicy gigantic watermelons to crisp and vibrant zucchini, have been met with rave reviews from their followers.
The good news for fans of Steve and Cookie’s is that Till plans to convert the main barns into a market center with a fully functioning kitchen. Here, she will continue her legacy by cooking her famous pies and soups, and canning vegetables for purchase. Once this is operational, it will provide several retail jobs. Deb and Mark Pellegrino, formerly of MADE chocolate will be running the kitchen and market.
In terms of the animal sanctuary, chairman of the board, Lenny Varvaro, plays a leading role in organizing the animal division. DeRias praised Varvaro’s efforts with the animals saying, “Lenny has taken care of horses his entire life therefore he is very knowledgeable and has a passion for providing the very best care for our animals. He works very hard and tirelessly to make sure our animals are cared for properly.” The animals for the sanctuary are donated from various sources, some of which are traditional farm animals such as the adorable pig duo, Clementine and Rosebud, or the flock of chickens which produced the farm’s first egg just last week. A recent addition to the farm was the mother/daughter pair, Yippy and Dixie, two rescue alpacas. They have also received various other animals from individuals seeking a better life for the animals they bring. Animal life on the farm is diverse and thriving.
As a non-profit, they rely heavily on donations and volunteers, and there is always a fun way to get involved. “People can help out on the farm in various ways. Most of our volunteers help us farm by pulling weeds in the vegetable fields, helping us harvest certain crops by transplanting in the greenhouse, working at our market and helping with animal duties such as feeding and cleaning out their pens as well as many other farm duties” says DeRias. If you are interested in volunteering, you can sign up on the website. Although they have already managed to raise nearly half a million dollars, in part due to the admiration and confidence of the local area in Till and her ability to run a successful business, the ambitious plans for the farm would benefit from more donations. To make a donation to the organization, you can go to their website, https://themeaningfulpurpose.com/about-us/, and click to “Donate Here”.
Volunteering here is a fantastic way to give back to the local community while being able to effortlessly social distance. If anything, farm work is perhaps the best socially distanced activity you can participate in! That is not to say that they are slacking on the farm in terms of what they are doing in response to COVID-19; DeRias says they are following all recommended guidelines, “We’ve been paying close attention to CDC guidelines here at the farm that have been taking measures accordingly to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For instance, masks are required at the farm and we also take the temperature of volunteers who want to help on the farm.”
For the most part, the farm is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. During this time, DeRias and his team are working hard cultivating crops and attending to the animals. Overall, Reed’s Organic Farm and Animal Sanctuary is prioritizing doing right by the community while also honoring the Reed family as they repurpose the farm they established generations ago. With the holistic and unique approach they are bringing to organic farming along with the incredible people involved such as Brian DeRias, Beth Senay, Lenny Varvaro, and of course, Cookie Till, it is not difficult to imagine them achieving all they have set out to do and making a positive impact in our local community.
Dina Guzzardo is the President and Executive Promoter of Dina Media Group LLC. Dina Media Group is an innovative cutting edge event production and marketing company that produces and promotes large events as well as a talent agency that manages some incredible talent.www.dinamediagroup.com
