One thing New York City grows well is farmers' markets. With community gardens sprouting on rooftops and green spaces, and small farms flourishing outside the city, farmers' markets are neighborhood clearinghouses for nature’s bounty, ensuring residents of every borough have access. Better yet, most markets and farmstands have a mission beyond delivering the goods.

Norward Farmstand, in the Bronx, partners with GrowNYC to provide both nutritious food and employment opportunities for young people. From July through November, the farmstand is run by neighborhood youth. At the Jackson Heights Greenmarket, in Queens, the Department of Health conducts weekly bilingual nutrition education workshops and cooking demonstrations.

The Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, in Brooklyn, is one of many farmers' markets in NYC that partners with Wearable Collections, which accepts clean, dry clothing for distribution to second-hand markets or recycling into rags or fiber products like insulation. Another Wearable Collections partner, Tompkins Square Greenmarket, in Manhattan, also partners with LES Ecology Center to accept food scraps for composting. 

But one thing all farmer's markets provide is a place for neighbors to gather and connect. These days, that may be the most important mission of all.

To find a comprehensive list of markets or farmstands in your area, go to