Bay Ridgeites look forward to buying farm-fresh food at Greenmarket

May 15, 2013 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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The Bay Ridge Greenmarket, the farmer’s market where hundreds of residents come every Saturday to shop for fresh food, share recipes, meet their neighbors, and chat with their local councilman, is coming back, just in time for the warm weather.

The outdoor market, part of the city’s network of 54 Greenmarkets, will officially open on Saturday, June 1, at 8:30 a.m. The market is located in the parking lot of Walgreens Pharmacy at 9408 Third Ave. The market will be open every Saturday from June 1 until Nov. 23.

Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst), who worked with Greenmarket officials to bring the market to his district, calls the market “Bay Ridge’s town hall.” Gentile is traditionally on hand at the Bay Ridge Greenmarket every week to greet constituents.

The Bay Ridge Greenmarket has been taking place for six years. The goods for sale include fruits, vegetables, baked goods, fish, and flowers.

“This year we are excited for the addition of Millport Dairy to the market with a wide array of local dairy, eggs, pickles and cured meats,” said Jennifer Douglas, Greenmarket regional coordinator for Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The farmers selling their goods at the Greenmarket will include: American Seafood Wild caught fish from Suffolk County; Apple State Hill Top Family Farm Honey from Sullivan County; Bread Alone Breads and pastries from Ulster County; Jersey Farm Produce, fruit and vegetables from Hunterdon County, New Jersey; Millport Dairy Cheddar cheese, beef, pickles and baked goods from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Toigo Orchards Orchard fruit from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.

Visit GrowNYC for more information.

There are currently 54 Greenmarkets around New York City, including several in Brooklyn. In addition to Bay Ridge, the locations of the markets include Bartel-Pritchard Square, Borough Hall, Carroll Gardens, Cortelyou Road, Fort Greene Park, Grand Army Plaza, McCarren Park, and PS 154.

The Greenmarkets are run under the auspices of GrowNYC, a non-profit organization originally created in 1970 as the Council on the Environment of New York City.

GrowNYC founded the Greenmarket in 1976 to promote regional agriculture by providing small family farms the opportunity to sell their locally grown products directly to consumers, and to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the freshest, nutritious locally grown food, according to the GrowNYC website.