Fresh food for all: GrowNYC connects farms to neighbors

Staff

Fresh food for all: GrowNYC connects farms to neighbors
Shoppers from across Sunset Park visit the Greenmarket on 7th Avenue to browse fresh produce and goods from regional farms.

Every Saturday on 7th Avenue, the Sunset Park Greenmarket brings fresh harvests into the neighborhood. For many residents, the market is not only a place to shop for groceries but also a chance to connect with neighbors and support regional farms.

“I think it’s a great selection,” said Sunset Park resident Alex Seoh, who has made the Saturday market part of his food-shopping routine. “It’s more expensive than a grocery store but all farmer’s markets are, and I think it’s worth it to support local farmers.”

Access for all

As part of GrowNYC’s mission, the market makes sure that access to local food is not limited to those with disposable income. All of the usual forms of payment are accepted — debit, credit, and Healthfirst OTC cards — but the market also welcomes SNAP/EBT, WIC and Senior FMNP coupons, and FreshConnect Checks. Customers using SNAP can also benefit from Health Bucks: for every $2 spent, they receive a $2 bonus, up to $10 per day. This program doubles purchasing power and helps families bring home more fresh food.

“It’s always a mix of people,” said Beatrix Chu, resident and regular Greenmarket shopper. “There are Chinese speakers, people from the Mexican community and everything. I like that it’s kind of small because it’s not too overwhelming like some of the farmer’s markets in Manhattan, and it’s great to be serving this community.”

Challenges ahead

Until recently, GrowNYC also distributed free groceries in Sunset Park through partnerships with the Chinese-American Planning Council and Mixteca, funded by a federal grant. That program was slated to end in August due to federal budget cuts.

“We’re still hoping to highlight the importance of these essential programs for NYC communities, regional farmers, and healthy food access,” said GrowNYC Communications Lead Andrina Sanchez.

Farms that feed the neighborhood

The Sunset Park Greenmarket is supplied by small and mid-sized farms from across the region. Paty and Sidney of V. & V. Farm in Chester, New York, bring a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and specialty Mexican produce. From nearby Goshen, R & G Produce grows in the rich Black Dirt region of Orange County, while Liberty Farms in Ghent offers certified organic vegetables, flowers, meats, and eggs.

Shoppers looking for baked goods often head to Meredith’s Country Bakery, a family business from Ulster County that has been producing preservative-free breads, cookies, and pies since 1987.

Toigo Orchards in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, supplies orchard fruit and greenhouse vegetables from land their family has farmed since 1790. Walnut Ridge Farm from Seneca County, New York, rounds out the mix with chickens, eggs, jams, mushrooms, and additional baked goods.

Together these farms and producers form the backbone of the market, linking Sunset Park residents with regional farmers who depend on markets like this for their livelihoods.

Fall highlights

As September begins, shoppers can look forward to the bounty of the fall season. Cauliflower, bitter melon, husk cherries, grapes, and Pink-a-Boo apples are among the items expected at the market, alongside staples like broccoli, peppers, beans, and fresh herbs.

The Sunset Post will continue to keep residents updated on the status of free grocery distribution programs in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, the Saturday market, open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., remains a space where Sunset Park neighbors can shop, share, and support farms that keep fresh, local food flowing into the city.