Established in 1976, the Union Square Farmers Market has transformed into a mecca for all things food, signifying a social resurgence to connect cosmopolitans to the natural world by sparking an appreciation for locally grown food.
Produce is the backbone of this market, however, artisan cheese, pastries and breads, lamb, pork, and poultry run rampant as well. Since the seasons are bridged, fall is the ideal time to visit the market; sweet Jersey corn and gorgeous Heirloom tomatoes can be bought alongside plump butternut squash and juicy Granny Smith apples. As the number of farmers increase each year, the variety of produce proliferates as well. Produce options are in the thousands, as exotic varieties such as white carrots, blue potatoes, and black radishes are being exposed to the public for the first time. One farmer, Ted Blew of Hunterdon County, sells the majority of his crops at the Greenmarket, including more than 300 kinds of hot peppers and more than 100 kinds of herbs, including a dozen varieties of basil.
Not only do mainstream supermarkets lack such a vast variety, they also prevent customers from having a direct relationship with their source of food. Consumers at grocery stores aren’t aware of where there food comes from, and subsequently, unknowingly commit themselves to purchasing food from over a thousand miles instead of buying fresher, local produce.
New York City’s top chefs now tailor their menu as the seasons change, seeking out the freshest and most delicious food possible: which translates into buying local. The local food obsession does not stop there; just pick up the food section of a newspaper and find restaurant reviews lauding menu items that stress sustainable food, recipes recommending local produce, and columns encouraging home grown produce.
The Union Sqaure Farmers Market is open year-round, four times a week, a permanent source of vitality in the community. A sentiment absent for a long time in the city has finally returned each time farmers make the two hour drive to forge the bond between farmer and consumer.