By Dana Williams
The county is looking to purchase the farm from the Grossmann family and maintain it as open space. The county is permitted to acquire the property under its 2006 Environmental Program Bond Act, which was created to protect drinking water, bays and harbors and preserve open space and remaining farmland, among other environmental initiatives.
County officials said they are taking the necessary steps to work out an agreement with a vendor so that Grossmann’s can remain a farm where people can buy produce and other items. The contract has not been signed, and the deal would need to be approved by the county Legislature.
“The county decided to issue a Request For Proposal at the end of May to bring in a vendor who wants to run a farm and keep the farm the kind of mom-and-pop setup that it has now,” explained Sean Rainey, the county’s deputy director of real estate, planning and development. “The vendors were required to send the proposals back by June 30, and now we’re in the process of reviewing the proposals to see what options will work.”
Grossmann’s, which opened in 1895, became known through the years for its fresh corn, tomatoes and other produce as well as its flowers and home-baked pies. The farm has also become something of a historical landmark in the village. It was one of the last working farms in the county until it closed in 2007.
“Being raised in Malverne, I had many memories of going to Grossmann’s Farm to get fresh vegetables, buy their famous corn and see the animals,” McDonald said. “You knew you were home when you got off the Southern State Parkway and passed Grossmann’s Farm.”
Since its closure, residents and many elected officials have debated whether to develop the farm for residential use or preserve it with public money. The second option has garnered the most support, with many observers contending that keeping the farm operational would be the best way to preserve its legacy. Village officials support the county’s efforts to maintain the farming operation.
“We all know here that Grossmann’s Farm represents the type of community that’s here in the village, so we’re very excited about the county’s and Grossmann family’s venture to keep the property a farm,” McDonald said. “I think this decision will be very beneficial to the village, and we’re happy to hear that this deal is moving forward.”
The latest development, however, has sparked criticism from several village residents. Bill Breuer, a retired attorney, said he was disappointed with the board’s lack of communication with the public about the sale of the farm. “I think the mayor’s announcement to the village about the farm’s sale could have been made much sooner because the residents in this village have waited entirely too long to hear from our board about what’s going on with this sale,” Breuer said. “Our trustees are elected to serve the village, and I think they should have done a better job in explaining what’s going on with Grossmann’s to the taxpayers in this village.”
McDonald said such criticisms is unwarranted because the sale of the farm is a private transaction between the Grossmann family and the county. “This sale is about the Grossmann family’s private property, and the public should know that the village was not involved in the family’s negotiations with the county,” she said. “This farmland property is not the village’s property, so the negotiations about this sale are a private matter, and the board refrained from discussing it publicly out of respect for the Grossmann family.”
Rainey also said that the sale has been a pressing issue on both the local and county levels, and that residents should know that county officials are planning to enhance the farm aesthetically and bring more of a variety to the products and services it offers.
“The county is looking to restore Grossmann’s Farm by keeping it the way it is with the greenhouses, and we would like to see new additions like organic produce,” Rainey said. “We’re also open to the idea of different programs coming to the farm ... and we’re just going to continue to move forward, so we can keep this property an agricultural farm in the county.”
Herald student columnist John Friaa contributed to this story. Comments about it? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
