Farmers markets in NYC: Union Square and Grand Army Plaza
Phillips Farms of New Jersey sells a wide variety of produce at the Grand Army Plaza farmers market in Brooklyn. (July 27, 2013) Credit: Nancy Borowick
If you're at all interested in food, August is by far the kindest month on the calendar. The corn, tomatoes and peaches that you have dreamed of all year are finally ripe and ready. And NYC's farmers markets are the place to get them, as well as a million other summertime delectables. Though the city has dozens of farmers markets (check out grownyc.org for a list and the schedule of each), certainly the legendary Union Square Grennmarket and Brooklyn's flagship version at Grand Army Plaza are the most extensive. Here are the purveyors to sample at each on Saturdays, the best marketing day of all.
* Go as early as possible, since that's when the items are freshest and the lines the shortest.
* Produce can be bulky and heavy -- and you can't always predict what will look good -- so bring big, reusable shopping bags or totes.
* Don't be afraid to gently squeeze tomatoes and smell the melons and peaches to see if they're ripe; purveyors expect it.
* Buy the truly perishable items like fish, meat and dairy last, since you may be wandering around for a while as you get the lay of the land.
