Hattie Carthan Farmer’s Market

This past weekend I visited the third of Bed-Stuy’s new farmer’s markets, the Hattie Carthan Farmer’s Market adjacent to the Hattie Carthan Community Garden (Clifton Place just west of Marcy Ave).

Yes, it's true. I am a fan of the handpainted farmer's market signs.

First, let me express my love for the Hattie Carthan Community Garden. It’s a quiet, beautiful oasis right across the street from Herbert Von King Park and an active playground. Together with the park and the playground and a schoolyard (which also connect to the Kosciuko Pool), it’s part of what I think of as Bed-Stuy’s green infrastructure. I love walking by it on my way to the G train and I was thrilled when I heard that the gardeners were going to be selling their produce (although, I admit, initially I got my wires crossed and thought it was just a one-time thing).

L-R: Market volunteer, artist Katrina Jeffries, Yonnette Fleming of the Hattie Carthan Garden, Katie Joiner, Market Coordinator.

I’m always impressed by what I can see through the fence, and when I get a chance to walk around during the garden’s open hours (usually on weekends, but often during the week as well). I think it’s one of the nicest community gardens that I’ve seen in Brooklyn, in part because of its size (it’s basically about twice or maybe three times larger than average) and also its accessories (a quonset-hut-style greenhouse, a gazebo, and lots of statuary).

Foreground: Vounteer Coordinator and Just Food member Daniel Lawler, leading candidate for "Hotties of Sustainable Bed-Stuy Calendar" (Sorry Daniel, I could not help myself. Ladies, he's there every Saturday!).

In addition I have lots of admiration for Hattie Carthan herself, the woman whom the garden’s named after (for more info, see here).

While at the Hattie Carthan market, I met some of the volunteers, drank refreshing lemon balm tea, and purchased carrots, raw honey, a head of redleaf lettuce, beets, turnips, and cherry tomatoes. Everything except the honey and the tomatoes were grown in the garden next door. The market also offers produce and other items from farmers in Lancaster, PA, so there is a combination of vegetables from Brooklyn and from professional farners outside the city.

On the advice of volunteer Katrina Jeffries (photo above) I made a salad of grated beets (which turned out ot be striped red and white “candy” beets — delicious!), turnips, and carrots, atop a bed of red-leaf lettuce with a vinaigrette of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Then I used the remaining grated vegetables for a soup stock and topping for soba noodles. Absolute yum!

A panorama of the vegetable plots at Hattie Carthan Community Garden. (click on it to see full-size--it's IMPRESSIVE.)

I got there later (around 1 pm) but the Hattie Carthan Market also features street chef demos earlier in the day (around 10 am).