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Update #4: THANK YOU
THANK YOU !! WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT VEGGIE ISLAND THIS YEAR!
WE DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR EFFORTS GO FORWARD AND WE ACHIEVE THE GOALS WE ARE AIMING FOR. PLEASE VISIT OUR HEALTHY CORNER STORE, WE'LL BE SO EXCITED TO GIVE YOU YOUR GIFTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PICNICS WILL NEED AN ADVANCE NOTICE.
WE WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH ALL DONORS VIA EMAIL TO TOUCH BASE ABOUT ARRANGING FOR THE GIFT TO BE SENT OR PICNICS AND PARTIES TO PREPARE.
COMING SOON A PICTURE OF THE NEW MURAL.
SEE YOU AT THE BEACH!
Update #3: 47 hours to go
Super exciting, the last couple hours to go and we are so close to our goal! We have already begun working on our space with what materials we have. We are painting a new mural today with our friend Keegan. Have been sourcing the equipment we need, plus where and who we want to get it from. Making our menus. Working on the mix CD with DJ RAINSTICK. Sounding so good. Thanks for the support to Roberta's, the NY Times, Grub Street, and especially our friends and family for the support and love!
This is going to be an exciting summer! Thanks and keep spreading the word!
xoxox
Update #2: Coming Soon
Thanks to everyone for continuing to spread the word and give us awesome support.
Thanks to those that have donated, we look forward to giving back awesome gifts and juices, picnics, and parties of your life.
There's alot to go but I think we can make the goal.
We've been getting ready for the summer.
Our friend Wendall is letting us share crop her garden.
Planted blue and yellow fingerling potatoes,Burdock, Fava Beans, Cranberry Bean, Kales and Chicory's, Romanesco Cauliflower. This week we will plant the summer crops, ie tomatoes, eggplants etc.
Courtesy we of Wendall we will have violets and lily of the valley in little containers at the market when we open.
We participated in Rockaway EarthDay and now all the kids of Rockaway know how to eat the wild plants in their neighborhood and are talking about Japanese Knotweed at school because of Shaun's awesome tour.
Taka and his pal Pier bulit beautiful shelves out of driftwood.
Shaun and Elizabeth are organizing and clearing the space up, We've painted over the old building logos and are going to have a nice wall of flowers. fingers crossed.
Tomorrow we will be bringing wood to the Marina to build some gardens.
And baby sends her best May wishes.
Update #1: RAIN, LOVE, AND THANKS
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HAS DONATED AND EXPRESSED INTEREST IN OUR PROJECT. THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO SPREAD THE WORD. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL. LOOKING AT PICTURES THIS MORNING AND THESE TWO YOU SEE ARE FROM AROUND MEMORIAL DAY LAST YEAR. ROUGHLY ONE MONTH UNTIL SUN AND BERRIES! ITS BEEN A COLD HARD WINTER.. WE CAN MAKE IT NYC!
203
Backers
$15,115
pledged of $15,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on May 13, 2011.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
A Veggie Island postcard with a personal thank you *sent via mail*
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Veggie Island vegetable seed care package *sent via mail*
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Your choice of 1 Smoothie or Juice *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
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Veggie Island's "World Dance Music of the World" mix CD vol.1 *sent via mail*
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Juice or smoothies for 3 *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
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Veggie Island zine which includes recipes, medicinal uses of herbs, and foraging tips *sent via mail*
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Pic Nic for two from Veggie Island *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
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Zine, tote bag, and a Veggie Island T-shirt *sent via mail*
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Pic Nic for 4 from Veggie Island *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
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Zine, tote, T-shirt, plus a variety of organic vegetable and herb seeds to start your own garden. Includes a planting calendar *sent via mail*
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Same as above plus limited edition 11/17 silkscreened Veggie Island poster *sent via mail*
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Same as above plus surprise Veggie Island birthday care package *sent via mail*
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Same as above plus limited edition Veggie Island Sculpture and Custom Kalimba with electric pick up *sent via mail*
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Private dinner for 10 at Veggie Island, BYOB *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
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6 Veggie Island care package deliveries. Once a month for 1/2 a year, includes a sampling of the products and goods we offer and sell. *sent via mail*
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We throw a party at the marina in your honor, with grilled food, DJs, a keg, kayak rides, and live entertainment . Up to 25 guests *Rockaway Beach NYC special*
Project By
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In early summer 2009 Shaun Kessler was visiting his friend Elizabeth Gilchrist who was working on an organic farm in the Hudson Valley. They decided to start a produce stand out at the beach in Rockaway, where he was living, because there was no local or organic produce in the neighborhood, it has been classified a food desert. Most things available to eat on the peninsula were packaged or prepared in factories with few exceptions. The two asked the owners of Rockaway Taco if they could set up shop on the sidewalk adjacent to their restaurant. The next week they started a table and umbrella provincial style Sunday farmstand vending local and organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers to the surfers, Rockaway residents, and weekend beach goers.
In the spring of 2010 Veggie Island was born. Gilchrist and Kessler along with Taka Imamura and the help of friends and family renovated a dilapidated storefront that was once a vibrant soda counter in 1950’s . Veggie Island is an organic market and goods purveyor located on the corner of 96th street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard that currently operates seasonally, with the goal of being open year round.
We offer fresh made juices, smoothies, teas and coffee as well as a daily menu of sandwiches, soups, and a variety of baked goods. We are a health and environmentally conscious retailer whose mission is to provide access to organic foods and products all of which have been prepared on site, on nearby farms, or brought to us from other individual entrepreneurs and small organizations sharing our ideals. None of the products include harmful chemicals or are derived from gross industry practice. Some of the vendors we work with include Blooming Hill Farms, Goldie's topical products, Roberta's bread, Boomtown vegan baked goods, and more
In addition to helping revitalize the Rockaway Beach community, Veggie Island incorporates outreach initiatives emphasizing youth education, environmental stewardship and teen internships.
With your help we will be able to expand upon the services we offer, repair and do basic maintenance to our shop, get the refrigeration and kitchen supplies needed, expand upon our gardening program, and offer a wider variety of produce and goods to our community.
