Summer 2019 Issue
CELEBRATING MIRACLES
Each spring, with the winds of March, I get the brash idea to turn my backyard into a full-on mini-farm. I picture obedient rows. Organic strawberries. Defiant sta...
Jersey City Farmers' Market - A Bumper Crop
A tour of Jersey City’s eight farmers’ markets, which emphasize local sourcing and diversity
When I moved to Jersey City in 2013, part of the attraction (aside from the proximity to New York City, which offers a zippy commute for my husband) were the farmers’ markets. I savor the vibe and open-air experience of a local farmers’ market and appreciate the ability to, as the saying goes, shake the hand of the farmer who feeds me.
In the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City, where I now live, the weekly Wednesday farmers’ market is a major community event. It’s a family neighborhood; kids play in the park adjacent to the gazebo where parents mingle with neighbors and shop. Hamilton Park offers expansive lawns on which you can spread a picnic blanket and enjoy dinner al fresco. Local vendors serve up empanadas, arancini (Sicilian rice balls), onigiri (Japanese rice balls) and even fresh-baked pizza, courtesy of Carmine’s Pizza Factory, which has a brick and mortar shop a few blocks west. For me, the draw is the organic farm stand, Circle Brook Farms, where I purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables and get to taste new offerings as the season progresses. Ground cherries were a favorite last year. Because of this local market, both my larder and cooking repertoire change with the seasons.
Jersey City supports eight farmers’ markets. As a nod to the city’s diversity—JC is proud to be the most ethnically diverse city in America—a variety of culturally driven foods is available, in addition to the tables offering fresh Jersey produce. Each market is a reflection of its neighborhood, providing a unique experience for the shopper, especially one who frequents different markets like I do. While the Hamilton Park market caters to local families, the Historic Downtown market, less than a mile away, serves busy commuters at the entrance to the Grove Street PATH station. The Riverview market shows a special affinity for neighborhood dogs, who even have their own costume parade come Halloween. Jersey City is not only diverse, it’s friendly, too. I feel welcome at every market.
Though each of Jersey City’s farmers’ markets is independently run, the market directors work together to address common challenges and opportunities. Items on the table for 2019 include:
- Single-use / non-recyclable bag ban.
The Jersey City bag ban, effective in June, lands Jersey City with 17 other progressive localities that have established a bag ban. This ordinance prohibits both single-use plastic bags and non-recyclable paper bags at points of sale. This season, a number of local groups plan to distribute reusable bags. The Historic District market got a jump start last year with its Bag the Habit event. The Office of Sustainability plans to give away 6,000 canvas and nylon bags, and Greener JC’s Take a Bag–Leave a Bag program encourages residents to donate reusable bags to those in need. As a nod to Jersey City’s diversity, these programs will be advertised in Spanish, Hindi, Urdu and Arabic as well as English. Farmers’ market vendors can also sell reusable bags at their stalls.
- Sourcing and ingredient transparency.
Market directors will require vendors to display point-of-origin labeling, making it necessary for farmers to indicate any products not grown within a 300-mile radius.
- A focus on fresh.
By Jersey City ordinance, each farmers’ market in the city must contain at least 55 percent farm products by volume. This can include fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats and foraged foods. The rule ensures that the ideal of fresh food at a farmers’ market is upheld, as opposed to a preponderance of prepared food and food-truck items.
Hamilton Park Market
Hamilton Park, 8th St. and Jersey Ave.
Wednesdays, 3–7:30pm
Hamilton Park won the 2018 award for Best New Jersey Neighborhood, a reward bestowed by the New Jersey chapter of the American Planning Association, based in part on its expansive and community-minded farmers’ market. Come Wednesday afternoon, the park becomes a magnet for residents who show up to socialize as much as they do to shop and eat.
Journal Square Green Market
Journal Square Fountain, near the PATH Plaza
Wednesdays and Fridays, 2–7pm
This market, another commuter hub, promises an exciting season. In addition to alternating produce vendors Alstede and Stony Hill Farms, this year will bring the addition of various local artisans. Also planned are snack food vendors and rotating food trucks, possibly starting during lunch hours to cater to the working crowd.
Each market is a reflection of its neighborhood, providing a unique experience for the shopper.
Historic Downtown Market
Grove Street PATH Plaza
Mondays and Thursdays, 4–8pm
All you’d expect at a farmers’ market, and more, is available at what is commonly known as the Grove Street market. Centrally located in the downtown area, it hosts more than 20 vendors, including organic and conventional produce and locally prepared foods. I like to go there for the foraged food vendor Dining Wild, not only to choose from a plethora of mushrooms and other wild edibles, but also to seek advice on preparation methods. At this market, there is also pastured meat, fresh bread and locally made desserts to complete a cook-at-home meal.
Arlington Park Market
Arlington Ave. and Grand St.
Saturdays, 10am–2pm
Not far from downtown, in Bergen-Lafayette, the Friends of Arlington Park hold a weekly farmers’ market. Produce is sourced from Common Market, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit consortium of local farmers. Specific produce varieties are selected to satisfy the community, while care is taken to keep prices competitive with local supermarkets. This makes the access to fresh food a win-win for residents and farmers alike. After the market, stop by one of the numerous new, hot restaurants on Communipaw Ave. that have staked a claim in this emerging neighborhood. (My personal favorite: the laid-back Pinwheel Garden Dumpling & Noodle Bar, which offers a unique and delicious fresh food–centric menu.)
Riverview Park Market
Riverview Park, Palisades Ave. and Bowers St.
Sundays, 10am–3pm
My first trip to the Riverview farmers’ market was for dinner party ingredients. The Heights neighborhood is up and coming (actually, it’s already arrived), and I was charmed by the friendliness of everyone I met. The market features free yoga and live music, parades and a petting zoo. I bought all that I needed, and then some. But, I was most impressed by the market’s aesthetic. A community compost tent accepts kitchen scraps; nearly 1,400 pounds were donated last year. The compost is used to fertilize the Riverview Park Community Garden, which is next to the market. (Ask for a tour— you’ll be delighted, as I was, by what’s behind the garden door.) The garden is planted and tended by volunteers, who reap what they sow. In addition to composting and gardening, volunteers also collected more than 1,000 pounds of food for the Jersey City Food Pantry in 2018. Everywhere here, the buzzword is community.
Paulus Hook Market
Washington St., south of Dudley
Saturdays, 10am–4pm
The Paulus Hook farmers’ market isn’t big, but it sure is beautiful. Located at the entrance of Morris Canal Park, the vista of Lower Manhattan, the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty mesmerize while you wait in line. Though small, this market provides residents of this charming enclave with both conventional and organic produce, as well as an assortment of gourmet nuts and dried fruit. After the market, walk a few steps south to the Jersey City Korean War Memorial. Views are an added bonus.
Van Vorst Park Market
Van Vorst Park, Jersey Ave. and Montgomery St.
Saturdays, 8am–3:30pm
Lovely Van Vorst Park beckons on Saturday mornings, as vendors line the meandering pathways of its leafy grounds. Prior to picking out produce, you can drink a cup of fresh coffee and be tempted by delicious baked goods at the Pie Social or Schmonuts stands. There is even a knife sharpener at this market. After shopping, you can find me relaxing on one of the park benches, taking in the local scene.
Lincoln Park Market
Lincoln Park, near the fountain off West Side Ave.
Sundays, 10am–3pm
A relaxing, and productive, Sunday morning can be had during a visit to Lincoln Park. Begin your day with farmers’ market yoga, a free outdoor class that starts at 10:30 am. Afterward, peruse the local fare, including organic produce from Circle Brook Farm and local honey from the Common Market. Specialty items, such as gelato and smoothies, are featured throughout the season, as well as creative activities for the kids. The WSCA (West Side Community Alliance) runs this market, where annual highlights include a chili cook-off in October and a holiday craft fair each December.
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