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Historical Society welcomes new Havens Farmers Market manager

COURTESY PHOTO | Cris DiOrio is the new manager of the Havens Farmers’ Market which is held throughout the summer on the grounds of the Shelter Island Historical Society.
COURTESY PHOTO |  Cris DiOrio is the new manager of the Havens Farmers’ Market which is held throughout the summer on the grounds of the Shelter Island Historical Society.

This spring, the Shelter Island Historical Society welcomes Cris DiOrio as the new manager of the Havens Farmers Market. After graduating from the Shelter Island School, Mr. DiOrio volunteered for AmeriCorps in New Orleans where he helped build a community garden. He later enrolled at Middlebury College in Vermont, and during his first year there helped develop a community group that built the Middlebury Area Community Garden (MACG). 

Mr. DiOrio was on the MACG board for two years and the community garden he helped create still exists today.

After graduation, he moved back to New Orleans where he planted his first personal garden. That’s when his gardening hobby became an obsession. Mr. DiOrio began living as an urban homesteader, planting an abundant vegetable garden, diverse orchard and raising chickens, ducks and geese.

It was during this time that he met Kelci McIntosh, his now girlfriend, who introduced him to flower gardening. As his urban living became more rural in nature, Mr. DiOrio began missing small town life and the changing of seasons, so in the spring of 2017 he and Ms. McIntosh moved to Shelter Island. They planted a garden at their new home and quickly realized their love of gardening had transformed the way they lived. So, they started Island Time Farm and will grow specialty cut flowers and local vegetables this season.

Mr. DiOrio is excited to join the Historical Society team as the farmers market manager, where he will put his love of food and knowledge of farming to good use. This year’s market will take place on the Havens House Museum grounds from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday from May 26 to September 1.

You can reach Cris DiOrio at [email protected].