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More Farmers Markets Set to Open Near Prospect Park

By Rachel Holliday Smith | July 3, 2014 2:59pm | Updated on July 4, 2014 7:30pm
 Two new farmers markets will open in early July in the Prospect-Lefferts Gardens section of Brooklyn, joining three other markets in the area that have already opened for the summer.
New Farmers Markets Coming to Prospect-Lefferts Gardens
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PROSPECT-LEFFERTS GARDENS — ‘Tis the season for farmers markets.

Two new markets for fresh fruits and vegetables will open in the area this week, with three others already up and running for the summer.

Local farmers will bring their offerings to the plaza at the corner of Ocean and Parkside avenues on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting July 11, according to Nancie Katz, the founder of Seeds in the Middle, the local nonprofit that organized the two new markets. The other first-time market will set up shop on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting July 12 at the entrance to Prospect Park at Empire and Flatbush avenues.

Each market will have a wide range of food from local farmers including cherries, string beans, peas, potatoes, swiss chard, zucchini, cucumbers and honey, Katz said. Later on in the summer, they’ll have sweet corn and callaloo, the leafy plant used in many Caribbean dishes. Rodrick Brown, a farmer based in Queens who moved from Jamaica, grows it, she said.

Besides bringing fresh produce to central Brooklyn, which is one of the goals of Seeds in the Middle, Katz said getting local support from city-based farmers is a particularly exciting aspect of the new ventures.

In addition to Brown, Katz has soliticed support from Brenda Thompson-Duchene of Isabahlia Farms of Brownsville.

“[They] are empowering and creating healthy change in their own communities,” Katz said.

To involve more people from the neighborhood, Katz hopes to hire as many as eight locals who the farmers would train to help run the markets. Their responsibilities would include learning how to manage the various subsidized payment methods, including WIC and FMNP benefits, EBT cards and Health Bucks, which will all be accepted at the new markets.

Seeds in the Middle has run a farmers market at Hamilton Metz Park in Crown Heights since September 2011. That market opened for the 2014 season on June 26 and is one of three produce markets now open in the neighborhood for the summer:

Hamilton Metz Park Farmers Market
Where: Albany Avenue between Lefferts and East New York avenues
When: Thursdays from 1 to 6 p.m.
Who: Produce will come from RH Farms of New Jersey, and then also from Jamerican Farm starting at the end of July.

Dean Street Farmers Market
Where: Walt L. Shamel Community Garden on Dean Street between Franklin and Rogers avenues
When: Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Who: Some produce at the market is grown right in the community garden. Vendors also include local farmers and purveyors of non-perishable items.

Youth Farm Farmers Market
Where: 600 Kingston Ave. on Wingate Campus
When: Wednesdays from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. through October
Who: All produce is grown by the students of the High School for Public Service at “The Youth Farm” on the school’s campus.

For more information about the new farmers markets or the Hamilton Metz market, contact Seeds in the Middle through their website.