Thursday, October 31, 2013 Page B1
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Photos by Marisol Díaz
FARMER FELICIANO GONZÁLEZ holds a fresh garlic bulb at his Goshen, N.Y. farm, which supplies the Riverdale-Kingsbridge Farmer’s Market, on Oct. 18.
Kingsbridge farmer’s market sprouts from grass roots produce and tend to their stands. “I think I am doing good because I am bringing vegetables that are local with no chemicals,” Mr. n a recent Sunday afternoon, 2-year- Pavia said in Spanish. Sunday mornings bring a steady flow of people old Mackenzie Rosario toddled up to a table covered with pumpkins of all leaving the church and then presusing the produce sizes and selected a pint-sized one. Her at Mr. Pavia and Mr. González’s stands. Ms. Merparents Franklin Rosario and Sian Charles-Harris cado also mans a mini megaphone to lure passershappily paid $2 for the pumpkin, one of many farm- by to step through the church gates to the market’s fresh goods available at the Kingsbridge-Riverdale dusty grounds. “Farmer’s market, c’mon in! Fresh, local and orFarmer’s Market. Mackenzie also helped her mom pick out some ganic!” Ms. Mercado shouted with a broad smile at the corner of West 231st Street and green peppers. Kingsbridge Avenue. K “It’s hard to find around here, so I enWhat’s Once inside, customers found boxes joy that,” Ms. Charles-Harris said of the online? and trays packed with potatoes, cufresh produce. banelle and jalapeno peppers, tomatillos, The market opened on a yard in front Watch a mini-doc oc scallions, zucchini, apples and more. of the Episcopal Church of the Mediator about the market Martha O’Laughlin, a regular, was in July thanks to healthy-eating evan- and its sources at gelists Consuelo Hernandez and Lucy riverdalepress.com. thrilled to discover a farmer’s market in a neighborhood with no high-end Mercado. “We’re trying to inspire the community,” Ms. grocery stores. “When you taste the food, you can Hernandez said. “It’s a food desert out here. tell the difference,” she said. “It’s incredible – the There’s so much fast food. It’s always been a mis- freshness and the sweetness and the crispness. I want my kids not to grow up eating canned food.” sion of mine to spread healthy eating.” Kingsbridge resident Alla Udovenko said the A green thumb runs in the family. Earlier this year, Ms. Hernandez’s uncle Feliciano González market reminded her of her native Kaliningrad, started a small farm in upstate Goshen with Russia. “I like markets so much, because… it’s help from the non-profit environmental group fresh, it’s no-chemicals,” she said in beginner’s English. GrowNYC. After parking his car nearby so he could take the Having worked on other projects with the Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Ms. Hernandez subway into Manhattan, Richard Rogers stopped thought it would be an ideal site for a market featur- by the market for the first time. “The garlic is the ing her uncle’s produce. After Rev. Diego Delgado- freshest I have seen so far,” he gushed. The market’s tables and tents will go up for the Miller gave his blessing, the neighborhood’s first last time this year at the end of November. farmers’ market was born. Ms. Hernandez hopes to bring new vendors to “The holy spirit resides in a healthy body,” Rev. Delgado-Miller said. “We want to make this space sell fresh eggs, milk and baked goods next year. In a space for the community to come and enjoy and the mean time, she and her husband are taking a course from GrowNYC to become farmers themeat properly.” Every Thursday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 selves. “This is not just about food,” Ms. Hernandez p.m., the market at 260 W. 231st St. offers a range of fruits and vegetables grown without pesticides said. “It’s about more than that. In a way, it’s food by Mr. González and Victor Pavia, who has a small justice to the community. Everyone should have acfarm in Hazlet, N.J. Both farmers often deliver their cess to local, fresh, organic produce.”
By Shant Shahrigian
sshah@riverdalepress.com
O
BOLD BLUE CABBAGE fit for a Georgia O’Keeffe painting, below, blooms on Mr. González’s farm.
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MACKENZIE ROSARIO, 2, selects a pint-sized pumpkin at the Kingsbridge farmer’s market at 260 West 231st St. on a recent Sunday.
CUSTOMERS BROWSE at the market, below, which activists started as a way to bring fresh produce to an area replete with fast food restaurants.