i might be wrong

IMG_7466 - Version 2, originally uploaded by ultraclay!.

Our neighborhood has changed in a lot of good (and bad) ways. One of the nice changes is the Bed-Stuy Farmer's Market. Clay and I volunteered for a few hours yesterday morning to help them set up. We plan to volunteer as much as we can. The market was brought to the neighborhood by The Brooklyn Rescue Mission and Bed-Stuy Farm. First of all, I had no idea we have a farm in our neighborhood. The mission and the farm were founded by Rev. Robert Jackson and Rev. DeVanie Jackson. The farm is amazing. Rows and rows of collards, zucinni, kale, broccoli, and there's even a fig tree. Rev. Jackson was happy to give us a tour. Clay took a lot of pictures which you can see on his flickr.

The Brooklyn Rescue Mission takes what they grow from the garden and gives it to needy people in the community. They're doing good work and this farmer's market falls in line with their mission to get people in the neighborhood eating more healthfully.

The market runs every Saturday from 8am until 1pm. It's on Malcolm X Blvd between Chauncey and Marion Streets, right near the tennis courts. They need volunteers and shoppers! Come out and visit if you're in the neighborhood or make a special trip if you can. I hear next week there will be peaches and tomatillos!

courtesy of ericaeats

Here's what you'll find at the Bed-Stuy Market on Saturdays:

Fresh bread made with all natural ingredients, provided by Rick of R&R Distributors. This bread comes from Silver Bell Bakery in Corona, Queens. The bakery has been around for 100 years. Rick had crowds around him for a good part of the morning. People just couldn't get enough of the bread. He also sells whole wheat pasta and gluten free items...

Apples and peaches and string beans! I bought some string beans to throw into a stir fry tonight. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...

A mountain of fresh, leafy greens...

Juicy plums and crisp apricots...

Homemade cookies and cakes from Cupcakes & Turnkey. They're delicious and when they're in my hands, they're gone in 30 seconds.

And lovely volunteers, neighbors and friends...

Bed-Stuy Farmer's Market
Malcolm X Blvd. between Chauncy and Marion
Saturdays 8am-1pm

I received the following email from Tara, another volunteer at the Bed Stuy Farmer's Market. Migliorelli Farms, the market's main vendor, is going to leave the market because there haven't been enough shoppers. Please come out and support this Saturday. C'mon Brooklyn! Come out and shop at the market. It's quality produce at affordable prices. We need your help to keep this going.

On Saturday while I was at the market, we got word that Migliorelli Farms, the sole farmer's vendor at the market at this time, will not be back after this coming Saturday, as the sales at the market have not been enough to cover their expenses (labor and gas) in coming out to the market. While the number of people visiting and purchasing at the market has been increasing (we do customer counts), it has not yet been sufficient. The market has only been open three weeks this season so this is definitely not good for momentum.

While the Brooklyn Rescue Mission will not be deterred and there will always be a market on Saturday, this is definitely a setback, as it took many calls and emails on their behalf to get a farm such as Migliorelli to sell at the market and will take even more effort to find a replacement vendor. The BRM is only interested in bringing quality food to the neighborhood so to have a farm like Migliorelli, that also sells in Union Square, was definitely a big step towards having more food equity in the area. Unfortunately, there just hasn't been enough of a presence by local residents. Bedford Stuyvesant is a large neighborhood and despite the ads in the local papers, blog postings, emails, the several thousand flyers distributed throughout the area, there are definitely still some people we haven't yet reached, but there are also a lot of people who do know about the market and have chosen to not visit it, for whatever reason. This is unfortunate as those who have visited have
been very pleased with the selection, quality, and price of the produce. We've also added a fresh bread vendor and the Brooklyn Rescue Mission is still working on bringing more vendors on, such as a honey vendor.

This email isn't to shame Migliorelli as it is understandable that they need to meet their margin and cannot operate at a loss. This is more of a "community call", as it seems we are proving the case many have been saying about Bed Stuy: that we cannot maintan and sustain a farmer's market in this community. I don't believe this, the Brooklyn Rescue Mission doesn't believe this, and they are working hard to prove these people wrong. You can help by coming out this Saturday, August 1st and visiting the market and doing your produce shopping for the week at the market. I also ask that you keep coming as often as you can after this Saturday but I truly believe that after you come on Saturday and see what the market has to offer, you'll come regularly on your own because it truly is growing into something the community can be proud to support. I know we all have our likes and dislikes about the community and access to quality food is definitely one of them. It isn't enough knowi
ng that there's a market in the area-we have to support it as well to make it sustainable!

Malcolm X Community Farmer's Market
Malcolm X Blvd between Marion and Chauncey Streets-in front of Jackie Robinson Park
8am-1pm (Migliorelli often stays past 1pm)
A/C train to Utica Avenue (the market is right around the corner!)
B46 or B25 to Malcolm X and Fulton (market is right across the street!)

If you want to "see" what the market has to offer, check some of the photos taken by some bloggers who have come by the market:

http://www.digitaltammi.com/
http://www.ultraclay.com/2009/07/a_farmers_market_grows_in_bed-.html
http://www.bedstuyblog.com/2009/07/11/saturday-is-farmers-market-day/

Please tell everyone you know! If they live in or near Bed Stuy or love local produce or is just down to support something that helps build community-tell them to come out this Saturday. I hope to see you there. If you cannot make it out on Saturday, you can help us this week by picking up some flyers at the Brooklyn Rescue Mission to distribute-contact me for more information. I have to plug yet again that there are other volunteer opportunities relating to the market so you can contact me about that as well.

Thanks,
Tara