Farmer Highlight: The Astor Place Greenmarket

The Astor Place Greenmarket is in full swing for the season! Every Tuesday from 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, now until November 26th, Grow NYC brings a rotating selection of local farmers, bakers, and vendors to The Village. 

Read on to get to know about what’s on offer from the best source there is: the farmers themselves!

A staple of the NYC Greenmarket, Kernan Farms started as a tomato farm in the 1950s and has been serving NYC farmer’s markets for over 38 years, visiting the Astor Place Greenmarket since it first opened August 2020. Winn, an employee of the farm, gave us the rundown on the fresh produce they bring up from South Jersey every week. Their hand-picked produce starts the day bright and early 134 miles away at their farm in Cumberland County, South Jersey, where it hits the road for Astor Place at 3:00 AM. 

The warmer weather they get down by the Delaware Bay gives the farm a head start on growers closer to New York. Their popular items include peaches and blueberries, but right now they have over 30 different produce items on offer:

Leaving Soon: Strawberries and Asparagus.

In Season: Cling-stone peaches, yellow peaches, green beans, basil, Kirby cucumbers, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, stone fruit, and cherries.

What to Look Forward To: Sweet corn, nectarines, free-stone peaches, and white peaches.

A newcomer to Astor Place and NYC Greenmarkets, the family-run flower farm Rancho Hermanos Luna just started visiting farmer’s markets three weeks ago. We spoke with Fernando, named after his grandfather, about working with his father’s farm and what Villagers passing by Astor Place can look forward to this season. 

All of Rancho Hermanos Luna’s flowers are grown from seed to bloom—cut, and delivered fresh to NYC on the market day. New flowers and arrangements are in each week, featured in beautiful mixed arrangements that change with the season.

Bring the warmth of summer inside with their sunflowers, which are in full bloom this month!

Anyone who’s tried Wave Hill’s cinnamon-sugar monkey bread knows not to miss a Tuesday at Astor Place. From Norwalk, Connecticut, Wave Hill Breads sells artisan bread and fresh pastries using all-natural, organic ingredients including seasonal nuts, fruit, and berries. 

We asked one of their workers, Brendan, for the inside scoop on what to pick up next time you’re passing by. Their miche sourdough is something special—slow-fermented for seventy-two hours using wild yeast, the final product is a healthy, unique, and delicious upgrade from your typical loaf. For comparison, most sourdough goes through just six to twelve hours of fermentation. Brendan’s personal favorite is the semolina bread, made with Italian flour and dusted in sesame seeds. 

Check out Grow NYC’s thoughtful selection of farmers each week at the Astor Place Greenmarket, every Tuesday from 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. To see who’s visiting, check out the market’s website!