Long Island Farms Grow the Food. Why Aren't Local Stores Buying It?

By: Katrina O’Brien

Just miles from Long Island farms growing fresh strawberries, corn, tomatoes, greens, and other seasonal produce, shoppers fill their carts with fruits and vegetables trucked in from California, Florida, and beyond.

It has been a growing epidemic that has become increasingly difficult for local farmers to ignore. Despite operating in one of New York’s most productive agricultural regions, many say getting their products onto supermarket shelves remains a challenge.

Instead, growers often rely on farm stands, direct-to-consumer sales, and seasonal markets. Some say the lack of local distribution leaves perfectly good produce without a buyer, forcing farmers to discount, donate, or even discard crops at the end of the season.

The disconnect has frustrated farmers and local food advocates for years and raises a simple question: Why is locally grown food so difficult to find in local supermarkets?

For Teddy Bolkas, owner of Thera Farms in Brentwood, the answer comes down to economics and convenience rather than a lack of interest in local food.

“It’s much easier for supermarkets to go through brokers than it is to contact farmers individually,” Bolkas said. “You call one broker and you get everything from pineapples to potatoes.”

Because Long Island farms operate seasonally and often specialize in a limited number of crops, supermarkets can meet their year-round needs more efficiently through large distributors. Bolkas said the arrangement makes business sense even if it leaves local growers at a disadvantage.

“It’s much cheaper to grow cabbage in Arizona and have a truck here than it is to grow cabbage in Riverhead,” he said. “Labor laws, labor wages, utilities,  everything is just more expensive here. We’re kind of priced out of the market.”

The challenges facing local farmers have also changed over time. Bolkas said that years ago, a farm stand selling vegetables alone could survive. Today, many farms must offer experiences such as u-pick operations, events, and prepared foods to attract customers.

For consumers, however, Bolkas believes supporting local agriculture comes down to a simple choice.

“If you want Long Island farms, if you want Long Island farmers, if you want the farm stands to still be around, you have to vote for us,” he said. “Every dollar you spend at a farm stand lets people know that you really want us around.”

Local farm stand shopper Olivia Gordon said she chooses local produce because of the connection it provides to the food she eats.

“Each year I see the importance of consuming local and knowing where your food comes from,” Gordon said. “The investment is worth it, the quality is unmatched. It makes you question what’s in the grocery store.”

The preference for locally grown food extends beyond consumers and into Long Island’s culinary industry.

Many chefs have increasingly turned to farm-to-table sourcing, citing freshness, quality and a growing demand from clients who want to know where their food comes from. For chefs who prioritize local ingredients, working directly with farms offers access to produce harvested at peak ripeness, often just hours before it reaches the plate.

Ryan Carroll, a Long Island chef who sources ingredients directly from farms across the North and South Forks, said the difference between locally grown produce and supermarket products is immediately noticeable.

“Most people don’t know what real vegetables taste like because they eat the cardboard arugula from the grocery stores,” Carroll said. “There’s a huge disconnect from people knowing what real vegetables taste like.”

Carroll said many chefs and consumers want to support local agriculture but often lack access to information about nearby farms and available products. He believes one solution is improving local food distribution infrastructure.

“We don’t have hubs for the farmers for distribution,” Carroll said. “We need that East End hub running as soon as possible because we need aggregation, distribution and a way to help farmers market their products in a higher quantity.”

For farmers like Bolkas, the challenge isn’t growing food it’s getting that food to the people who want it.

And for consumers and chefs who increasingly value freshness, transparency and local sourcing, the demand is already there.

The question remains whether Long Island can build the infrastructure needed to bridge the gap between its farms and its tables.