Where the Veggies Come From

The Youthmarket on Fort Hamilton Parkway has been a big hit, but for shoppers used to buying directly from a grower/producer at a Greenmaket, the setup might seem confusing. The teens running the show aren't growing the produce, so where does it come from? Olivia Blanchflower, Grow NYC’s Youthmarket coordinator, explains how it works:

We get our produce from a number of different farms in New York State and New Jersey. We pick up from farmers at farmers markets they are already attending in the city. Sometimes we pick up from retail farmers markets like the ones at Grand Army Plaza and Union Square, but most of the product at the Kensington Youthmarket comes from the Wholesale Greenmarket, where mid-size growers sell their fruits and vegetables by the case to places like restaurants, grocery stores, and bodegas.

If you have more questions, stop by the stand and ask the teens, they'll be happy to chat. The Youthmarket runs in front of the Windsor Terrace Library on Fort Hamilton Parkway on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm through September.