The Kingston Farmer’s Market will supply the produce at a wholesale price and restock it weekly. The grant will also pay for Cornell Cooperative to have special events at the corner-store locations, such as cooking demonstrations by nutritionists, to help acquaint people with different ways to prepare the foods. “Many people have to walk to get their produce,” said Herzog. “Sometimes they have to be taught how to eat it as well — once they buy it they might not know how to prepare it. Or even if they do, they might want to learn new ways.” Herzog said that many of the corner-storeowners they have approached seem interested in the initiative, and they are hoping for four corner markets to commit. “It will be the farmer’s market in your local corner store,” she said, adding that help with advertising and kickoff events will allay shopkeepers’ worries about cutting into profits.
According to Kingston Farmer’s Market Director Lori Hylton, the Midtown Farmer’s Market will be hosted Tuesday early evenings at the former King’sInnsite to net travelers on their way home from work. The FreshConnect grant will go toward the costs of starting up the farm market. She pinned the starting date as Aug. 21, and is busy gathering merchants and vendors.
Cornell Cooperative is calling for volunteers for special tabling events to encourage residents to sample the local produce to be stocked at the stores in Midtown, or doing on-site cooking demonstrations and juicing, said Alma Rodriguez of Cornell Cooperative, who worked on the FreshConnect grant. She said with enough volunteers special events will occur weekly. For more information, contact Rodriguez at (845) 340-3990.
