Myrtle Farm Stand Kicks Off July 8th

MARP will be launching a community-run farm stand to be held every Thursday in front of the Ingersoll Community Center (177 Myrtle Avenue) from 4pm-7pm from July 8th through October 28th. The farm stand will be staffed by three youth and two elders from the neighborhood, and will bring local produce from the Hunts Point wholesale market to the western end of Myrtle Avenue to help address the limited access to fresh produce. The Myrtle Avenue Farm Stand is part of the Myrtle Eats Fresh program, a 3-year food access initiative funded by the Community Experience Partnership, a collaboration between New York Community Trust, Atlantic Philanthropies, and United Neighborhood Houses. Other efforts of the Myrtle Eats Fresh program include expanding and creating community gardens to grow fresh food at Ingersoll, Whitman, and Farragut houses; a community chef training program whereby several residents who have a passion for healthy cooking have been trained as certified Community Chefs and will now conduct cooking demonstrations at neighborhood events; and the formation of a neighborhood ‘Healthy Food Task Force’, bringing together representatives from interested organizations and other groups to help synergize efforts around improving food access in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.