Grown On LI Farmers Market Debuts

Excerpt from Long Island Weekly - July 24, 2020

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Long Island Farm Bureau (LIFB) has partnered for the first time with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE Nassau), the Queens County Farm Museum, the Agricultural Society of Queens, Nassau & Suffolk Counties and the Nassau County Department of Parks and Recreation to host a Grown on LI Farmers Market. The Grown on LI Farmers Market will debut on July 25 and July 26 and August 1 and August 2 to promote local farmers and producers.

Grown on LI will connect Long Island and New York City residents with local farmers across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This program was developed to strengthen the connections between consumers and the lifecycle of locally grown food.

The first Grown on LI Farmers Market is scheduled on Saturday, July 25th and Saturday, August 1st at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County and the second market is scheduled on Sunday, July 26th and Sunday, August 2nd at the Queens County Farm Museum from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm at each location. These events are rain or shine. Parking will be available at both locations and no entry fees are required.

There are 550 agricultural operations on Long Island which produce a vast and diversified crop of local food and products. Grown on LI Farmers Market offers a great opportunity for consumers to personally connect with the farmers and producers and learn about the many delicious foods that are made locally. These markets can help create relationships and new connections for consumers to buy their own food directly from producers.

The recent COVID-19 health crisis exposed many issues related to food insecurity and in the food distribution system in our community from shortages of food in the initial days of the crisis to long term supply chain issues. An interruption to the food distribution chain has repercussions not just on the community’s ability to buy food but can trigger an economic crisis.

From Long Island Farm Bureau Administrative Director Rob Carpenter: “We are excited to join forces with the Queens County Farm Museum as well as Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau to bring this farm market event to the residents of Nassau and Queens. Long Island farms produce an impeccably high quality and diversity of agricultural goods. We hope consumers take advantage of this opportunity to learn from and shop with their neighboring East End farmers at this event and throughout the summer and fall seasons for years to come.”

“I am thrilled to partner with the LI Farm Bureau and introduce more farmers directly to New York City,” noted Jennifer Walden Weprin, Executive Director of the Queens County Farm Museum. “Queens Farm actively works to shorten the distance from farm to fork. Local food is delicious and reduces our carbon. It’s nice to meet the people that grow your food.”

“CCE Nassau is excited to take part in the Grown on LI Farmers Markets taking place at the CCE Nassau Headquarters in Eisenhower Park and at the Queens Farm,” said Greg Sandor, CCE Nassau’s Executive Director. “During these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that Long Islanders take the time to learn about where the food they consume is grown and produced. Also, during these difficult economic times, it is crucial that all of us support our Long Island farmers and buy LOCAL as much as possible— this helps strengthen our LI agricultural industry while helping to build a more sustainable local food system.”

Source:  https://longislandweekly.com/grown-on-li-farmers-market-debuts-this-weekend/

Last updated August 25, 2020