Join Chef David Stample for a FREE virtual Happy Hour and farmers market cooking class.

Thursday, October 15: Market snacks with Chef David and seasonal cocktail with Joana Herrera of Mariachi Mexico 

Thursday, October 22: Market snacks with Chef David and seasonal cocktail with Claire Sprouse of Hunky Dory 

GrowNYC Cooks provides a fun, interactive, and informative guided cooking experience right in your own kitchen. All skill levels welcome!

Ingredient lists are provided ahead of time to prepare the meal together during the class. Throughout the 1.5 hour class, held via Zoom on your computer, tablet, or mobile device, you will have the opportunity to ask cooking questions via video or chat.

Get your Mis En Place and let’s get cooking!

Sign up here. 

 

In a moment where New Yorkers have turned to parks and gardening to ease the mental and emotional strain the Covid-19 pandemic has taken on residents, when the need for education surrounding nutrition and health couldn’t be more critical, the same nonprofits that make green space and nutrition education possible are in danger of going under, while vital city agencies like the New York City Parks Department’s GreenThumb program are facing severe budget cuts.

To date, GrowNYC School Gardens’ program has helped create 824 school gardens, the most in the nation, with a goal of having every New York City school have a garden of its own.

Following the Great Recession in 2010, the School Garden program was founded in partnership with GrowNYC, GreenThumb, and the Department of Education to create sustainable learning gardens in public schools. Since inception, the program has led over 400 free gardening workshops, hosted annual giveaways for seeds, soil, plants, lumber, and tools, and funded 650 yearly mini grants to make school gardens accessible.

The gardens come in a range of shapes and sizes. From pollinator gardens in outdoor raised beds to indoor hydroponics labs producing 25,000 pounds of greens, all share the goals of connecting kids with the natural world, inspiring healthy eating, and building community.

The end of the fiscal year is looming, and nonprofits like GrowNYC School Gardens face a reckoning. Because of government budget cuts, many are letting staff go and slashing program offerings just when the pandemic has generated an all-time high in gardening interest. In early June, GrowNYC’s Beginner Gardener Intensive, a free week of virtual gardening classes, drew over 1300 participants.

In New York City, access to school gardens is not equal. Green space is limited. Lack of resources, garden knowledge, support, funding, and community involvement are the primary reasons school gardens fail. Schools in socially affluent neighborhoods often have active PTAs to support maintenance and fundraising, while schools in lower socioeconomic areas often do not. These factors, coupled with the environmental challenges of growing in New York--rats, contamination, legal obstacles to obtain growing spaces-- make non-profit partners essential.

This is especially true for schools in underserved communities.

If we look at communities disproportionately impacted by Covid-19, they have the following in common: all are located in low socioeconomic areas with the least access to green space and the highest rate of diet-related diseases, primarily impacting people of color.

And yet the possibilities for gardens to flatten the curve in inequality are endless. In Corona, Queens, the garden at PS 14 was built in a concrete schoolyard after a science teacher, Bianca Biblioni, attended a Raised Bed Building workshop and picked up tools and seedlings from GrowNYC giveaway events outside of school hours. The garden is used for outdoor yoga, as a performance space for band and violin, and to teach culturally responsive-sustaining STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics.

For Bianca, the garden has been pivotal in engaging students with disabilities and English Language Learners because her students can observe concepts that are difficult to grasp in textbooks. Through the garden, Bianca introduces the ways in which plants are used across cultural diasporas from the Huichol people of Mexico to the Ashanti people of West Africa. They have also grown corn, beans, and squash, known as the “Three Sisters” in Native American culture, to learn about Lenape companion planting.

And last year, after the tragic passing of a student, classmates grew lavender, lemon balm, and mint for the school’s crisis center, where scent was used to soothe grieving students.

Without support from community partners, Bianca says the garden would not exist for her Title One school.

“I’m not sure how we would fund the garden, let alone train future teachers as garden leaders without partners like GrowNYC...Our kids would miss opportunities to connect our garden to the wider world.” Before Covid-19, nutrition education programs were already lacking in forty four percent of all elementary schools citywide according to A Is For Apple, a study of nutrition education programming conducted by Teachers College in March 2018.

Cutting garden programs erases years of work by dedicated volunteers like Bianca, making it disproportionately harder for under-resourced schools to receive the free materials they rely on to keep gardens growing, furthering the gap in education inequality. It is vital that our elected leaders, foundations, and individuals invest in these outdoor learning labs and nutrition education programs now more than ever. The health and wellbeing of our city’s children depends on it.

Author: Kristin Fields is the Director of GrowNYC’s School Gardens program, a former high school English teacher, and the author of two novels. All opinions are her own.

Change starts within. We hear the voices of the many who are coming together to cry out for long overdue corrections to unfair systems that too often and for too long have resulted in loss of income, opportunity, liberty, and life. GrowNYC does not want to pay lip service to concepts critical to our collective survival like justice, equality, police reform, and the end to systemic racism. We want to effect real and lasting change from within.

We say as an organization that Black Lives Matter.

We are committed to listening to and working side by side with our BIPOC colleagues to determine what comes next, and to developing an action plan to build, change, and grow our organizational culture. Accountability is key. We are pledged to:

• Evaluate actions and resources that increase opportunity, reach, and services for internal and external stakeholders
• Develop goals and metrics to measure that progress
• Diversify our Board of Directors and staff in decision-making positions
• Create a values statement and action plan with the help of a facilitator
• Ensure that all staff and board have undergone anti-racism/anti-bias training
• Create accountability guidelines
• Examine and expand GrowNYC’s programmatic service delivery for greater equity
• Engage in open conversations

In solidarity,
GrowNYC

***

El cambio empieza dentro de nosotros. Escuchamos las múltiples voces de quienes se están uniendo para clamar por correcciones muy atrasadas a los sistemas injustos que, con demasiada frecuencia y durante demasiado tiempo, han dado lugar a la pérdida de ingresos, oportunidades, libertad y vida. GrowNYC no quiere darse a la palabrería respecto a los conceptos críticos para nuestra supervivencia colectiva como son la justicia, la igualdad, la reforma policial y el fin del racismo sistémico. Queremos efectuar un cambio real y duradero desde dentro.

Declaramos como organización que las Vidas de los Negros Importan.

Estamos comprometidos a escuchar y trabajar hombro a hombro con nuestros colegas del BIPOC (Negros, Indígenas, y Personas de Color) para determinar lo que viene después, y a desarrollar un plan de acción para construir, cambiar y hacer crecer nuestra cultura organizativa. La rendición de cuentas es clave. Nos comprometemos a:

• Evaluar las acciones y recursos que aumenten las oportunidades, el alcance y los servicios para los interesados internos y externos;
• Desarrollar metas y métricas para medir ese progreso;
• Diversificar nuestra Junta Directiva y el personal en puestos de toma de decisiones;
• Crear una declaración de valores y un plan de acción con la ayuda de un facilitador;
• Asegurarnos de que todo el personal y la junta hayan recibido entrenamiento en anti-racismo y anti-prejuicios;
• Crear directrices de rendición de cuentas;
• Examinar y ampliar la prestación de servicios programáticos de GrowNYC para una mayor equidad;
• Participar en conversaciones abiertas;

En solidaridad,
GrowNYC

Due to school closure and social distancing measures, our Education Programs are currently not operating our Zero Waste and Food & Nutrition programs in schools, School Garden workshops and giveaways, Greenmarket tours or Teaching Garden field trips. For a list of all COVID-19 related program changes, please click here.

BUT we miss seeing the students and educators we work so closely with throughout the year! We’re in awe of teachers and students as they undertake the immense task of continuing to teach and learn through new distance learning platforms. To provide some continuity for Green Teams and all those who do so much to promote sustainability work in their schools, we have created a Distance Learning Resource page with online activities, lessons and “virtual” field trips.

We look forward to seeing you all in person soon!

Go to GrowNYC's Distance Learning micro-site!

[Updated 8/7/20]

Food Scrap Drop-off sites and Curbside Composting service were suspended throughout NYC in spring of 2020 due to budget cuts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please see the following for more information on Zero Waste program suspensions:

• Notice on the Suspension of GrowNYC’s Recycling Programs (PDF)
• NYC Sanitation Service Changes Related to COVID-19 Budget Cuts - April 17, 2020

The good news? Due to broad public support, the City Council restored some funding to allow GrowNYC and our partners at NYC Compost Project to resume limited services this fall.

Visit our Compost Program page for updates as our food scrap drop-off sites re-open. For a list of currently-open food scrap drop-off locations and residential pick-up services, see @ahealthyblueprint's crowd-sourced NYC Food Scrap Drop-off During COVID-19.

Clothing collections at Greenmarkets remain closed. To schedule a pick-up of textiles for a fee, please contact Wearable Collections. 

How to Keep Composting When Food Scrap Drop-Off Sites are Temporarily Closed

1)      Reduce Food Waste

Creating less waste is always best.  Learn how to store produce, check the shelf life for fruits and veggies, use up or preserve what you can’t use right away, get creative with your cooking, and learn some foods you can regrow from scraps! 

2)      Compost at Home

Compost the way New Yorkers did “back in the day” with a home composting system.  Dust off your backyard bin,or order an indoor worm bin.  Either way, composting is a great activity to keep busy, teach kids science, and finally get that pet you’ve been wanting! 

Outdoor Composting

If you have access to private outdoor space, this is an option for you! If you already have an outdoor compost bin, all you’ll need to get started are some leaves and food scraps.  Brush up on outdoor composting with this guide from the NYC Compost Project.  If you don’t yet have a bin, you can purchase online, find plans to make your own, or simply drill holes in a metal trash can. Remember that composting is an active, controlled process that requires effort beyond simply separating your food scraps and putting them outside. Scraps must be covered and properly managed--especially important in an urban environment! 

             Indoor Composting

No outdoor space? Do not despair! You can feed your food scraps to red wigglers, the most adorable and most voracious worms out there.  If you have a lidded plastic bin and a drill, this can be a very cheap DIY project for just the cost of some red wiggler worms, which you can purchase online. If you’d rather buy a ready-to-use worm bin, search online for a bin that suits your needs and style.  

To get started composting with worms, check out the NYC Compost Project’s  indoor composting guide and keep a troubleshooting guide handy for reference as you go.  We recommend freezing fruit scraps to prevent fruit flies and adding small amounts of food at a time as your worms adjust (Note: worms can be picky. They love apples, but aren’t so fond of citrus rinds).  Stick with it and you’ll have fun watching the process and creating food for your plants. 

 

The coronavirus outbreak has suspended many of the zero waste programs New Yorkers have come to rely on, including GrowNYC’s zero waste programs, DSNY’s curbside compost program, and the citywide network of food scrap drop-off sites. 

While GrowNYC’s zero waste services are not currently operational, we know our community continues to care about the long-term sustainability of our city and looks to us for information.  The resources and updates below are subject to change--please check host information before you go and be patient as the city works through this public health crisis.  Remember, it's great to recycle and rot, but it's best to reduce and reuse to prevent waste!

Household Recyclables

• NYC’s curbside recycling program is still in effect. Thank a sanitation worker, and make sure to check recycling rules and rinse containers! 

Food Waste

• Read our blog post: Keeping Up Composting During COVID-19.
• Check our Compost Program page for updates as GrowNYC food scrap drop-off sites begin to re-open.
• Reduce food waste by learning about expiration dates, food preservation, using up leftovers, and other tips from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
• Curbside Composting is suspended until at least July 2021. 
• Some grassroots organizations, microhaulers, and commercial vendors are providing food scrap drop-off and residential pickup services. See @ahealhyblueprint's crowd-sourced NYC Food Scrap Drop-off During COVID-19 List for locations and residential pick-up services currently accepting scraps.

Clothing + Textiles

• GrowNYC’s clothing collections are cancelled until further notice and the city’s refashionNYC program is suspended.
• Our partners at Wearable Collections are continuing to serve NYC through their Drop Spot in Carroll Gardens and contactless home pickups for large quantities (check minimum quantities and fill out the request form). 

Electronics

• The LES Ecology Center’s E-waste Warehouse is no longer accepting donations, and collection events are paused.
• The city’s ecycleNYC program, SAFE Collection Events, and Special Waste Drop-Off Sites are suspended. 
• As NYC goes back to business, other e-waste donation and recycling options may become available. 

Reusable Items

• Avoid overburdening thrift stores and charities during this crisis - check before you donate.
• Big Reuse accepts home goods, clothing, books, furniture and more. 
• GrowNYC's Stop ‘N’ Swap® events are cancelled until further notice.

Dear GrowNYC Greenmarket Community,

Many of you have heard recent calls by elected officials to further increase social distancing at parks and other outdoor gathering places. Be assured that GrowNYC is committed to implementing stringent social distancing at our food access points; it is a vital action everyone must take in our shared efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Also please know that the safety of our customers, our staff, our farmers – and all New Yorkers - remains our number-one concern during this extremely difficult time. These are not just words. We have taken (and will continue to take) decisive action to create the safest places to access fresh produce. We have been ahead of the curve. Our current protocols are being used as a model for farmers markets across the nation.

To give just a few examples, we have already banned the public from touching produce, and we require that only gloved farm staff handle the selection and bagging of products. We’ve discontinued product sampling and reconfigured our markets, barricading food from direct public access and dictating additional space for social distancing. (A full list of our current food safety and social distancing protocols, as well as those we are in the process of implementing, are listed below.)

And, with the support of the city, we are doing more each day to increase social distancing. This includes spreading our farmer tents further apart; taking over additional public space to expand market footprints; increasing safety signage; and redeploying staff from our other programs to enforce social distancing. We are working hard on all of these and other safety protocols. In fact, GrowNYC is temporarily pausing (for two days only) its Greenmarket operations until this Wednesday, March 25, 2020. During this time, Greenmarket staff will prepare additional measures we can take to ensure your safety, as well as that of our farmers and staff.

While it may be easy to confuse our essential operations at parks and other public spaces with non-essential public activities that have been prohibited or discouraged, it is a simple fact that people must eat -- even in a crisis, especially a crisis that has shuttered many usual food access points.

Healthy, fresh produce is more vital today than it ever has been. For example, our markets process over $1 million in SNAP/EBT (formally known as food stamps) and Health Bucks (a city SNAP incentive program) each year, as well as $2 million in Farmers Market Nutrition vouchers, which serve WIC recipients and seniors. These programs are only redeemable at farmers markets like Greenmarkets and cannot be used online or at grocery stores. (Go here for more information on these programs.)

It is important to note that under Governor Cuomo’s recent Executive Order, food outlets like our Greenmarket Farmers Markets and GrowNYC’s other food access outlets are designated as an “essential business.” (A copy of the governing language is copied below, and the full Order can be found here.)

We are in constant contact with state and city health officials, and we continue to adapt and modify our operations. We believe that open-air farmers markets, with transparent chains of custody, reduced travel times from farm to table, and proper safety and social distancing, are critically important places for the public to access the food they need. And we are making them safer and better each day.

Our farmers and staff appreciate the outpouring of support that we’ve received over the past several days on social media regarding our intense efforts to keep our markets open as a way for New Yorkers to get fresh, healthy food during this crisis. We’re also taking note of all concerns that have been expressed and folding them into our evolving safety measures and policies.

These are difficult times for everyone. It’s important that we all support each other and treat each other with respect and kindness.

Thank you for your support in these challenging times.

We invite you to contact us with any questions or concerns at info@grownyc.org.

 

Stay safe and be well.

Marcel Van Ooyen

President/CEO GrowNYC

 

GrowNYC’s/Greenmarket’s Safety and Social Distancing Protocols:

In addition to the already implemented safety protocols listed below, we are planning further safety measures. At all markets where we have the ability to spread out (down a sidewalk or into other adjacent vacant space), Producers’ tents will be separated at least 10 feet from one another. For those markets where this is not an option (like the Union Square Greenmarket), we will reconfigure markets and limit the number of customers shopping at any given time. At all markets we will provide clear demarcations to keep shoppers at least 6 feet apart, and we will engage additional staff on the ground to help customers and Producers navigate these new systems.

Already implemented safety protocols:

• Only Producers and their staff may handle products. Customers must not touch any produce or products until after they have purchased (as mentioned above)
• Market staff will separate farm stand spaces with at least 2 feet of distance between the tents, more where possible, to reduce congestion
• There is no sampling of products at markets until further notice
• There is no selling of apple cider by the cup
• All Producers must wear protective gloves
• All farm stands must use vinyl or plastic table covers for easy sanitizing
• All producers need to be sanitizing their stands regularly, primarily wiping down tables, terminals, cash boxes, etc.
• All GrowNYC staff and Producers must stay home if they are sick
• All staff processing credit/debit/snap transactions must wear protective gloves
• We will provide hand sanitizer at our market manager stations

Please respect our market staff on the front lines and the farmers behind the stands who are coming into the city to feed us.

Governor's Executive Order

Earlier today, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced he is signing the "New York State on PAUSE" executive order, a 10-point policy to assure uniform safety for everyone. It includes a new directive that all non-essential businesses statewide must close in-office personnel functions effective at 8PM on Sunday, March 22. Guidance on essential services under the executive order is as follows:

…

ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES OR ENTITIES, including any for profit or non-profit, regardless of the nature of the service, the function they perform, or its corporate or entity structure, are not subject to the in-person restriction.

For purposes of Executive Order 202.6, "Essential Business," means:

4. Essential Retail, Including:

• grocery stores including all food and beverage stores
• pharmacies
• convenience stores
• farmer's market
• gas stations
• restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)
• hardware and building material stores

On this day 50 years ago, 20 million people across the country joined together to fight for a better future for our environment in what became the first Earth Day. The Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC), now GrowNYC, was born out of the spirit of that day in 1970. 

CENYC was initially a policy-based organization, writing comprehensive reports about quality of life issues like air pollution, traffic, and noise. Our city has changed a lot since then and so have we. As the largest and most established environmental organization in NYC, we are proud to have played a pivotal role in helping New York City transform over the past five decades. 

Now, 3 million New Yorkers each year participate in our programs. We envision a New York in which every New Yorker can flourish. Every garden. Every school. Every street. Every neighborhood. Every borough. 

As we all do our part to stay home and stop the spread of the coronavirus, there are still many ways you can have a positive impact on the environment: 

• Support your local food system, either by buying from small farms at your closest Greenmarket or Farmstand or through direct delivery options; 

• Reduce waste at home by growing food from scraps or making something by reusing materials around the house; 

• Try your hand at home composting; 

• Become a master recycler; 

• Plant green spaces; 

• Donate to GrowNYC! 

We believe collective actions make a difference. Together we can create a city and a planet that are sustainable and resilient for generations to come. 

Happy Earth Day!

For our celebration of Women’s History Month this year, we asked GrowNYC staff and producers to tell us about those women, famed or unsung, who influenced their passion for food, gardening, and/or the environment.

We’ll be adding more magnificent women throughout the month as submissions come in. Check back soon!

 

Maria (Baldassarre) Naglieri, (1902-1997) born in Santo Spirito, Bari, Italy, submitted by GrowNYC's Green Space Director, Gerard Lordhal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Eldest of five, my maternal grandmother was raised on a Mediterranean farm with olive groves, vineyards, and an almond orchard. She first introduced me to arugula, focaccia and dandelion and mint omelette. She lived through WWI, raised 5 children, four sons returned from WWII.

Her cooking secrets included: nothing out of a can, good Italian olive oil, semolina flour, anchovies, and sea urchins (to tease her grandchildren with), homemade cavatelli pasta, and, of course, her own homemade tomato sauce. Canning plum tomatoes, making wine in the fall and planting a spring garden with basil, arugula, and mint were annual events in my childhood.

Cipollini onions were her holiday favorite, which I would often find for her in the Belmont section of the Bronx."

 

Dolores Huerta, submitted by GrowNYC’s School Gardens Coordinator Laura Casaregola 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When I moved to California for college, I was surprised to find that classes were canceled on March 31st for Cesar Chavez Day. I started looking into the farmworker labor movement in California in the 1960s and was inspired by a key figure: Dolores Huerta. She was at the forefront of the Delano grape strike and co-founded the United Farm Workers. She coined the famous organizing phrase, "Sí, se puede!" Her activism for a more just food system includes a fight for labor, civil, LGBTQ, immigrant and women's rights, and even at age 89 these days, she is still active on the scene. Although classes and work are not cancelled for it, California recently declared April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day.” 

 

Dorothy Darlene Donoghue Schupp Crawford, submitted by GrowNYC’s Communications Specialist, Catherine Crawford

“Growing up in the 80’s in the suburbs of San Francisco, Mom always had two huge compost piles going in our back yard.  All of our food scraps went in one of two bowls: dog or compost. I felt like the only 7-year-old in the Bay Area regularly brandishing a pitchfork after dinner (from the only family in town that had dogs but never bought dog food).”

 

Suzie Carollo, submitted by GrowNYC's Food Access and Agriculture Assistant Director, Liz Carollo

"While most of the other girls my age were learning important life lessons like how to dress and look presentable, my mom was cramming as many neighborhood kids as possible in the station wagon and taking us to the beach to fish and hunt for shells, or picking up a pack of raw chicken wings and teaching us how to set a trap for blue crab. In this photo she is leading a lesson for me on operculums."

 

Frances (Fannie) Griscom Parsons, submitted by GrowNYC’s School Gardens Director, Kristin Fields

“She started the first school garden in 1902 in Hell’s Kitchen, right next to the Hudson River railyard - aka "Death Avenue" -- and a bunch of factories, because she wanted to teach kids to be urban citizens. It was such a hit that there's still a garden on site today at De Witt Clinton Park.” 

 

Lynn Loflin, submitted by Lela Chapman, Sales and Relationship Manager for GrowNYC Wholesale

“Lynn is retiring from Lenox Hill Teaching Kitchen this year. She has been a huge partner to GrowNYC Wholesale and instrumental in helping NYC institutions incorporate more fresh food and a farm-to-table model.”

 

Wendy Rizzo, submitted by her husband, Joe Rizzo of Blue Oyster Cultivation

“She's the co-owner and founding farmer of one the farms that started the current wave of small mushroom farms. Twelve years ago, she quit her executive position in Manhattan, moved to the Finger Lakes and helped start Blue Oyster Cultivation from scratch.” 

 

Mary Emmett, submitted by Jodie S. Emmett de Maciel of Beth’s Farm Kitchen

“At two years old, my parents purchased 100 acres in SE Michigan and started planting apple trees. My father worked for General Motors while my mom transformed the land from an abandoned field to a thriving cider mill business.  I played under the table at farmers markets in the fall while she connected with all the growers in the Ann Arbor area - and eventually built not only a viable farm-based business but a cultural phenomenon that has created fond memories for generations of fall-time visitors."

 

 

In June 2019, the New York State Legislature passed historic legislation, the Farmworkers Fair Labor Protection Act (FFLPA), making New York one of a handful of US states that provides overtime, housing protections, and a series of other rights to the people that harvest the crops grown in our state.
 
Farmworkers, along with domestic workers, have been excluded from the federal labor protections established in the 1930’s, and the FFLPA begins to address this inequity. 
 
While this legislation is essential, the FFLPA will result in a 30-50% increase in labor costs to our New York farms. Additionally, the federal guest worker program that so many of our farms rely on for its labor force increased its base wage by 7.5%. Accordingly, some of these farms will have to increase prices on certain items in order to survive. And because these policies went into effect January 2020, the time of the year when our farms bring in the least amount of income, you may see these price increases implemented over the next few weeks.
 
We thank you, our incredible community, for continuing to support the 240 Greenmarket Producers who drive into the city every week. You ensure that the 38,000 acres represented at Greenmarkets continue to produce more than 12,000 varieties of fruits and vegetables, thus preventing the land from being paved over. Without you, over 85% of these farmers, fishermen, and bakers would be out of business, having to rely on the industrial, wholesale system that prioritizes profits over people and land. 
 
We thank you for shopping with your values and buying your fresh food directly from the farms paying the most equitable wages in the world while promoting biodiversity and land stewardship. 
 
Time after time we have come together as a community: most recently after the destruction upstate caused by Hurricane Irene, and when our neighbors were devastated here by Superstorm Sandy. Our fates are interconnected, and despite the narrative of a national rural-urban divide, our community proves what is possible when we engage and truly prioritize what unites us.
 
If you have any questions, we encourage you to talk to the farmers at market, go to the Market Information Tent and speak with a Greenmarket Manager, call the office, or write to us at info@greenmarket.grownyc.org.