Visited: July 30th, Thursday Early Afternoon.
Opens: 8-6, Sundays and Thursdays, Year Round.
SIZE
Large! Around 15 stands.
VENDORS
Really nice vendors. Helpful and patient.
Samples: Not very many. Only Jam, Biscotti, Cheese.
QUALITY OF FOOD
Delicious. Blueberries are perfectly ripe and ready to eat, Pizza is fresh and tasty. Some vegetable stands are all-organic. All homemade/farm grown. Chicken, pork and beef are all grass-fed and/or on vegetarian diets, and hormone and antibiotic free.
VARIETY
Vegetables:
Whole: Arugula, Basil, Beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Corn, Chard, Cucumber, Garlic, Herbs, Kale, Lettuce, Onions, Potatoes, Shallots, Squash, Zucchini.
Vegetable Products: Canned Vegetables, Zucchini Bread.
Fruit:
Whole: Apples (Lodi, Macoun, Geneva Early, Ida Red, Fuji, Vista Bella, Golden Delicious, Cameo, Mutsu, Jonagold, McIntosh, Empire), Apricots, Blueberries, Cherries, Gooseberries, Peaches, Plums, Strawberries, Tomatoes.
Fruit Products: Apple Cider (Peach-Apple, Apple, Pear-Apple, Cherry-Apple), Apple Sauce, Assorted Jams.
Bread Products:
Baked Goods: Pizza (Tomato, Artichoke, Goat Cheese, Four Cheese, Olive, etc.), Brownies, Biscotti, Chicken Pot Pie, Quiche, Dog Biscuits, Scones, Muffins, Pies, Cakes, Breads (Sandwich and Baguettes), Apple Cider Donuts.
Meat:
Chicken: All cuts, or simply whole chicken available.
Pork: Pulled pork available, all cuts, sausage.
Beef: All cuts, Beef Jerky.
Animal Byproducts:
Ronnybrook Farm: Milk (2%, 1%, Skim, Whole, Cream), Butter, Ice Cream.
Millport Dairy: Cheddar Cheeses.
Miscellaneous:
Honey
Flowers.
SEASONAL CONSISTENCE
The only produce the market was missing that was in season at the time was beets, cabbage, carrots, radishes and spinach.
CENYC.org Information for this market
WHAT’S UNIQUE?
This market is the only Greenmarket that is so close to a University. There is a huge benefit in having young, ravenous, open-minded students pass by the market, because they are always looking for places to buy food and groceries. Moreover, what better convenient food for college students than pizza? This is the first farmer’s market I’ve seen to have pizza – and it’s delicious, too! The market’s apple selection is grand as well – it rivals that of Union Square.
PRICING
Mediocre pricing – a bit on the expensive side.
½ Chicken: $3.50
Corn: $0.50/ear
Pizza: $3.75/small pie
Blueberries: $4.00/pint
Muffin: $1.75
ACTUALLY LOCAL?
Fairly local. Ex. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Cambridge, NY.
CONVENIENCE
The placement of this market is fantastic, because traffic from the students and faculty of Columbia University merges with traffic from the corporate population of the area to form hungry pedestrians eager and willing to try something new. There is definitely a great deal of business at this market, and it is not near any major grocery stores/stands.
NAVIGATION
Easy to navigate – two blocks long, but a piece of cake to get to each and every stand.
EBT STAMPS Accepted.
FINAL COMMENTS
The quality of this farmer’s market surpasses many of the rest. It serves fantastically as a resource for groceries (perfect for the residential area around Columbia). Also, the time in which it is open is optimal, for people’s breaks range from morning to late afternoon; thus, 8 AM to 6 PM is ideal and smart for this market. I only wish the market sold seafood and there were someplace to sit. I suppose one could go into the university and have a meal there, but otherwise there is no seating area, which sometimes attracts people as they can make the market a social gathering and resting destination.
