County water mandate puts The Farmer’s Grind in peril

The Farmer's Grind owners, Michelle Smith with her husband Eric.

By NEAL RENTZ

The owners of the popular The Farmer’s Grind in Vista are seeking to save their business.

Michelle Smith, who owns the establishment with her husband, Eric, explained her plight this week. She told the Lewisboro Town Board on June 23 that the business, which is attached to Copia Home and Garden Center, has been operating since 2020. 

The Farmer’s Grind was licensed by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets since it opened, Smith said. “We were inspected yearly and given stellar reports,” she said. “In 2023 we got an unexpected visit from the Westchester County Department of Health.” The DOH inquired about the business’ water and tested the well that serves it, she said. 

A subsequent letter from the county stated the business was on a public water source and was in violation because it did not have a four-stage filtration system, Smith said. The Farmer’s Grind utilizes a triple-carbon filter on all its machines, but it does not fit county code, she said.

The business, which rents the space, was allowed to be in operation as long as its water was tested every month and the county was provided with monthly logs of the business’ cold water usage, Smith said, adding normal results have been reported to the county for the past two years. 

The county has mandated that her business begin the process of having a specific water system installed, Smith said. 

“Unfortunately, the financial burden of this implementation of the water system is beyond what is feasible for a small business owner,” Smith said. “Regardless of our efforts and regardless of the fact we were under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture, we have exhausted all avenues and can no longer be in operation as of July 10.”

The cost of the system could be $100,000 to $150,000, she told The Recorder later, adding that because of difficult logistics, it could end up being much more.

“My husband and I are devastated,” Smith said at the meeting. “This comes as a huge loss emotionally and financially for us.”

Smith said the business will be redirected to become a mobile coffee trailer, which would be allowed by the health department. “They are willing to provide us with the tools to get this up and running,” she said. 

The goal is to have the trailer in operation by September, Smith said. 

Smith said she and her husband are seeking to rent two parking spaces in the Vista Community Park. “It is only fitting as we have held our ice cream socials here for three years and it’s a short walk from where we currently reside,” she said.

If the town board approves the parking spaces rental, the town would be provided with the months and hours of operation, Smith said. Plans include having coffee available in the mornings, as well as the business offering locally baked goods, she said.

“Since the beginning we have been a staple in the community and we know the negative impact our closing will have on our patrons,” Smith said. 

Councilwoman Andrea Rendo told town Attorney Greg Folchetti the town has not leased parking spaces to businesses at town parks in the past and asked if the town would be prohibited from doing so now. Folchetti said the spaces would have to be in the parking area and be on a revocable license, not a leased basis. The board would need to follow town code which could bar a business such as The Farmer’s Grind in a trailer on a permanent basis, he said. A license would need to be agreeable to the business owner and the town board, he said. 

The board informally agreed to hold a special meeting July 7 about potentially entering into a license with The Farmer’s Grind. 

The Farmer’s Grind “has done a lot to create a sense of community,” Councilwoman Mary Shah said. 

The Farmer’s Grind sells locally made pastries, specialty coffees, artisanal soups, sandwiches and locally grown and organic produce. 

The business has a second location at the New Canaan Library. 

As “an essential business,” The Farmer’s Grind was one the few establishments in town that were allowed to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith said.