Park Slope is a neighbourhood in northwest Brooklyn, and derives
its name from its location on the western slope of beautiful Prospect Park.
Only four years ago, New York magazine rated Park Slope the
most desirable neighbourhood in New York City, owing to its enviable architecture,
diverse historical and cultural treasures, and its up-and-coming bar and dining
scenes. You can see the full article here.
Fast forward to 2014 and you’ll find that Park Slope is
still a dynamic and diverse community and definitely worth a visit. It’s a
decidedly residential neighbourhood, full of “Sesame Street” brownstones lining
quiet avenues. It also has its share of trendy bars and cafés, favourably
reviewed on sites like Yelp and Time Out New York, and they’re all an easy stroll
from Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Park Slope is obviously the kind of place that takes good
care of its visitors, but its residents seem pretty proud to hang around
too. Residents can check out the blog “Here’s Park Slope” (also on Facebook and Twitter) and get the latest gossip on
neighbourhood happenings and local events.
And it was in celebration of this kind of community spirit that I came to
Park Slope last night.
Annette Slonim has lived in Park Slope for a little over two
years, and she loves its wide, leafy streets and family atmosphere. A long-time foodie and farmers market
devotee, Annette also loves eating well, supporting her local community, and
meeting other people who share these values.
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| Farm freshness with Farmigo - image credit |
A few months ago, Annette volunteered to be a community
organiser with a company called Farmigo (pronounced Farmeego). With
operations in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now in New York, Farmigo is more or less a giant,
online farmers market. New York
customers have access to about 35 local farmers and food artisans that sell
their wares online. Each week the
producers fill online orders of the freshest, seasonal ingredients and they deliver them to a range of pick-up points across the city. And because the products are all from nearby, purchasing them supports
New York’s economy and local industry.
As a community organiser in Park Slope, Annette has about 15-20 regular customers in her network, but this number
is steadily growing. Every Wednesday
night from 7-9pm, Annette’s customers meet her at Café Dada, a charming
French-Hungarian placed not far from the Grand Army Plaza subway station, and
collect their online orders. Annette’s only kick-back for being a Farmigo community
organiser is a small discount on her own orders. As Annette puts it, her real reward is the
chance to meet her local customers face-to-face, and even a quick conversation can transact a shared love of
good food, eating healthy, and celebrating the local produce of the area.
Of course there are other farm-fresh food co-operatives in Park Slope and across New York, but I think
smaller ventures are always worth a try.
They’re a great way to support local businesses, but also to meet local
residents in your neighbourhood who know the social, economic, and environmental value
of sourcing fresh, locally-grown produce.
There is no fee to join Farmigo, no minimum order, and no
pressure to order every week. You can
shop whenever you like, and arrange a pick-up for whatever location suits you
best. But if you’re in the Park Slope
area, make sure you sign up to Annette’s Farmigo pick-up site – she’d love to
meet you and welcome you to the neighbourhood.
