At the corner of Albany Street and Lefferts Avenue, Hasidic Jews and blacks shop for fresh produce at the Crown Heights Farmers Market, which opened just last week.
Residents Call New Crown Heights Market a Success
At the corner of Albany Street and Lefferts Avenue, Hasidic Jews and blacks shop for fresh produce at the Crown Heights Farmers Market, which opened just last week.
“This is only the second week, which shows you the demand,” said Nancy Katz, founder of Seeds in the Middle.
Katz is a former reporter for the Daily News and founded the grassroots group Seeds in the Middle, which organized this market. Katz says it was during her days covering Crown Heights that she bonded with the community.
This summer, as the neighborhood marked 20 years since the riots that broke out between blacks and Hasidic Jews, she felt inspired to keep building a unifying bridge.
”With the 20th anniversary, it just seemed very poignant to try to do something that had some element of building community and peace between the two people, because they are really kind, inspiring people,“ said Katz.
The market brings fresh fruits and vegetables into the neighborhood weekly. Natasha Smith manages the market and also lives in the community.
”It’s an opportunity for all the people in our community to come together. Despite whatever our differences are, we all have an interest and goal in mind to take care of our families with good, nutritional food,” said Smith.
This is one of 19 green markets to open this year under one of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s new initiatives.
“The Fresh Connect’s Farmers Market is dedicated to having agencies work together to lessen the bureaucratic hurdles that communities face when they want to bring a farmers market to the neighborhood,” said Linda LaViolette, director of the New York Farmers Market Program.
Katz says this market will run until November 10. Residents in the area say they’re pleased with the new offerings.
“Everything delicious. I love organic,” said one resident.
“This is more convenient, so I love it,” said another.
“This is awesome. Especially for Rosh Hashanah, we’re accustomed to eat fruit, so they have fresh figs and stuff,” said a third.
The Crown Heights Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 1:30 p.m. until sundown.
Sam
You’d think a site CrownHeights.info would know it’s Albany AVENUE….
me
Could it be pushed up to this Wednesday instead of Thursday since it will be Rosh Hashana on Thursday
shame
Shame on the market and shame on anyone that shops there! people pay high rent to have a store to give you a service all year round . now when someone opens shop on the street without rent or taking care of a store everyone is running.
Support the local stores that support the community!!
will they reschedule
i wonder if someone will be able to notify them of RH next thursday and reschedule the market for tuesday instead, so we can have fresh fruit and veggie for RH
line was a bit long
to pay,
but gr8 idea
buroch katz
ys it called farmers market
#3
#3 which store are you the owener of? and why are you scared of competition?
People could go where they want, they do not owe “stores” anything… the stores charge for the product they sell and thats when the playing field is even and there is no “Hischayvus”
to # 7
Tell us what you do for a living and i will do the same to you and undercut your profits. There is nothing wrong with competition but be in the same boat as everyone else. pay for rent pay the bills for having a store and lets see if you can compete
PS i dont have a store in CH just think its wrong
#3#8
we dont live in an ideal world.
Resident
To #3
I assume that you do nto shop for food, clothing or restaurant in Boro Park or in Flatbush. People can shop anywhere, but if theyare Chassidim of the Rebbe, they would follow his directive to support local establishments in Kan Tzivah.
local produce
beware: i was told its NOT organic produce. just local.
NOT ORGANIC
to #3 maybe we would shop for produce in the stores if it wasnt such baaaad quality. when you buy a peach in the summer you expect it to be sweet and juicy not dry and gross.
Also to the lady in the clip…THEIR STUFF IS NOT ORGANIC!!!