A new weekly farm stand is set to open in front of Queens Borough Hall next month.
On Monday, Borough President Donovan Richards announced the new joint venture with Queens County Farm Museum. From July 1 through Nov. 4, residents can head to 120-55 Queens Blvd. to pick up hyper locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and other farm products.
The farm stand is Queens Farm’s third in the borough, joining an onsite stand in Floral Park and a stand at with Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s “Axel” Building.
“We saw food insecurity hit record highs during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing a true need for access throughout our borough. Thanks to this effort with the Queens County Farm Museum, we are providing access in front of Queens Borough Hall to locally grown, nutritious food. As we bounce back from the fallout of this pandemic, we must continue to ensure we do all we can to put fruits and vegetables on Queens families’ tables,” Richards said.
Produce for all of the farm stands are locally grown on Queens Farm’s 47-acre site, which features over 200 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. In addition to a traditional farm stand, patrons can also drop off food scraps to Borough Hall, which will be used for composting back at the farm.
In 2021, the farm crop plan included the following 30 new produce varieties:
- artichokes
- Mardi Gras (blend of bush beans)
- beet greens
- Eastern Magic broccoli
- Merlot Napa cabbage
- celery
- collard greens
- cucamelons
- ginger
- Coastal Star lettuce
- mini honeydew
- mini watermelon
- Carmine Splendor okra (red)
- Poblano peppers
- Sugar Rush Cream hot pepper
- red potatoes
- Yukon potatoes
- pie pumpkin
- strawberry spinach
- patty pan squash
- spaghetti squash
- acorn squash
- two new sweet potato varieties
- two new tomato varieties
- one new cherry tomato variety
- turmeric
- Zaatar
“We thank Queens Borough President Donovan Richards for providing access to farm fresh produce at Queens Borough Hall,” said Jennifer Walden Weprin, executive director of Queens County Farm Museum. “With the increased demand for locally grown produce, this farm stand expansion supports Queen Farm’s mission to help feed New Yorkers.”
The Queens Borough Hall weekly farm stand will be open from July 1 through Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Thursday, weather permitting.
Patrons can access the stand at 120-55 Queens Blvd. via the E/F train, LIRR, three highways – Grand Central, Jackie Robinson and Van Wyck Parkways – and 16 MTA bus stops less than one mile from Queens Borough Hall.
Queens Farm accepts multiple forms of nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP/EBT benefits, WIC, FMNP Checks, Health Bucks Fresh Connect Checks along with cash, credit and debit cards at each location.
