Columbia Event Management Team Tours Local Produce Partner, Satur Farms

Located on the North Fork of Long Island, just 75 miles from Columbia’s Morningside Campus, Satur Farms supplies produce used in Event Management’s catering operations. This summer, members of the Event Management team toured the location to learn more and taste some of the produce directly at the source.  

Satur Farms, owned and operated by Paulette Satur and Eberhard Müller, is dedicated to growing the finest vegetables and culinary ingredients. It began when they purchased their original farm in 1997 with the intention of growing some vegetables and herbs for Chef Müller's restaurant. Colleagues in New York City asked if they might be able to buy their produce, and the farm as a business became a reality. 

The 18 acres behind their house has expanded into two additional nearby tracts of leased land: 30 acres and 140 acres respectively. Currently, leeks are growing on their original 18 acres through the fall after recently harvesting alfalfa from that plot.  

When they first started the business, Satur and Müller originally planted veggies “A to Z” (asparagus to zucchini). But when they decided to expand the farm, they turned their attention to baby leaf lettuces. Now they have about two dozen crops but focus mainly on baby leaf (mesclun, baby spinach, red oak, baby kale, and baby bok choi). 

Baby leaf is seeded in blocks right on the fields, whereas other crops are started in a greenhouse. It’s harvested every three to five days in quick rotation. Farms can lose crops with extreme heat and flooding, which is particularly devastating for tomatoes and grapes. But with baby leaf, the farm can replant and re-grow quickly. This, and the fact that Satur Farms rotates its crops each time they harvest, contributes to the sustainability of the farm. 

“It was great to get out to the farm and learn more about the produce we serve in our catering menus,” said Emerald Currie, Director of Catering Sales for Event Management. “We strive to bring only the best local ingredients to our customers, and we're so glad to partner with a local farm so close to campus in New York.”