At Elite Farms, we love fresh produce! And while we may be located in the ‘concrete jungle’ that’s no excuse for relegating yourself to old or overstored fruits and vegetables. One of the biggest perks of being located in a major metropolis like New York City is the accessibility to open markets and fresh food. On the blog this week – we want to cover a few great places to source your produce and fill your fridge. Check them out.
Union Square Greenmarket
Union Square West between 16th & 17th Street
The Union Square Greenmarket stays open year-round, so you can always find your favorite seasonal fruits and vegetables as well as an assortment of other artisanal goods. As Time Out says, “Here you’ll find yourself shopping elbow-to-elbow with top chefs for all manner of regionally grown culinary pleasures.” Events and cooking demos take place at Union Square as well, so be sure you stay tuned to this local haunt. They also have more frequent hours than a lot of open air markets making it a convenient stop to work into your routine. As Stephanie Barnhart says, “This mainstream outdoor market is open four days a week with a steady variety of local farmers and vendors (the greenmarket staff actually updates the list everyday by 8 AM so you can see who will be there before making the trek!).”
Stile’s Farmers Market
352 W 52nd St – Midtown
Who says you have to go to the farmers? Let the farmers come to you at Stile’s Farmers Market. This bustling locale nestled in Hell’s Kitchen receives daily deliveries of fresh produce. It’s an experience for all who wander into the yellow tent that is Stile’s and meander amidst its bright lime green walls. As Lauren Rothman says, “If all this isn’t enough to charm you, Stile’s prices certainly will: they’re among the lowest in Manhattan, which comes as a shock considering the store’s Midtown location. At Stile’s, $1.50 is the magic number: it’ll buy you two pounds of potatoes; a pint of grape tomatoes; a wheel of dried figs; or two ripe plantains.” If fresh berries in your neighborhood aren’t enough to rope you in – the prices will convince you.
Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
44 Eagle St – Brooklyn
It might be a bit more difficult to catch the Eagle Street Rooftop Farm given their limited hours. While they are only open the last Sunday of the month from 1 to 4 PM, they also occasionally offer lecture series that you can find on their website here. While it may not be a functional pit stop for your weekly produce haul, it does make for an interesting way to spend your Sunday after in and take in some new approaches to urban gardening.