Massaro Community Farm
WOODBRIDGE — Massaro Community Farm is excited to announce that Steve Munno, farm manager since the farm’s inception in 2010, will take on the role of Farm Director. This announcement and the change of roles for Steve has been planned over the last few months in conjunction with the announcement that our Executive Director Caty Poole will be stepping down from her role, effective March 31.
Caty first joined Massaro as a volunteer in the winter of 2011 – 2012, then as Outreach and Development Coordinator in 2012 before being named as the organization’s first executive director in 2013. Since then, Caty has led the farm’s internal operations as Steve expanded the growing operation. Together, this duo, in conjunction with the staff, board and many volunteers, has developed the farm’s reputation for thoughtful land management, wonderful produce and community programming.
Caty was also instrumental in growing the operational budget three-fold, in expanding administrative and educational staff, and in creating a year-round slate of educational farm programming and events.
“My decision to move into my next life chapter is a perfect opportunity for the farm to evolve,” said Caty. “We have amazingly talented staff, a dedicated board and volunteers who will continue to make an impact with the work they do.” In 2023, Massaro enters its fourteenth year of operation as a nonprofit organic community farm. The farm began as an idea among residents to convert this former family dairy farm into an organic vegetable operation that would engage the community and provide produce through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, donate a portion of the harvest to hunger relief organizations, and connect people to the land through on-farm events and educational opportunities.
“Caty and I have been working together here at Massaro for over a decade, during which we’ve grown and accomplished a tremendous amount,” said Steve. In an effort to increase the accessibility of their offerings, Steve and Caty recently led Massaro’s move to implement sliding scale pricing models for its CSA and educational programs. “While my role will shift a bit with Caty’s departure, I’ll still have my hands in the soil here and my overall focus will remain on ensuring that our programs and offerings are delivering on our mission: keep farming, feed people, build community.”
“This is a pivotal point in the growth of Massaro,” said Al Tyma, Board President. “We’ve been tremendously fortunate to retain several key employees long term during the farm’s initial development phase. We believe this is an occasion to evaluate the organizational chart and potentially create more pathways of growth for existing staff.”
The farm, named a ‘town jewel’ by local officials, hosts nearly 7,000 visitors, supports 300 seasonal CSA subscribers and donates anywhere between 5 – 10,000 pounds of produce and eggs annually. The land the farm resides on is owned by the Town of Woodbridge under a conservation easement with the Woodbridge Land Trust. Massaro retains a long-term lease to the property.
