Arrona Ettienne

Professor Krondal

11/13/18

             It was my first time at the Union Square Green market, and what made it more special was that it was on a Wednesday. I usually go to the one at Grand Army Plaza, which are usually open on saturdays and are more crowded. Due to the fact that it is more crowded I tend to leave earlier rather than visit the many of the stalls. But at this (Union sq) market I enjoyed it more. This market had a flow since it started off with the fruits and vegetables and went on to the baked goods, honey, and meats. Since it was Halloween one of the vendors had a large variety of pumpkins, which made me very happy and calm. I got the chance to experience many different foods like duck bacon and cheddar bread unlike when I am at Grand Army Plaza. The vendors were welcoming with majority of the offering free samples. I thought that many of the goods that was being sold was going to be expensive but it was at a fairly better price than what I see at my local supermarket.  My favorite part of visiting this market would be  tasting the Maple cream. It was something I never tasted before and it was something that I kept thinking about all day. Visiting with my classmates made it more special because our professor went more into depth about things we wouldn’t even pay attention to on a regular basis. One thing I do regret is going on an empty stomache and not bringing a tote bag. The plastic bags they provided weren’t strong enough. But since I was hungry I just grabbed the first thing that was edible, and didn’t get to compare my choices. Next time I will.

Gissell Hernandez-Silva

HGMT1103

Prof.Krondl

11-12-18

Extra Credit Blog

                                                Union Square Greenmarket

     I have been to this Green Market so many times. I have gone mostly on Saturdays when It has been super busy and full of noise. Although each and every time I go I find a new experience, I’ve never actually gone from stand to stand seeing what they offer. I would usually just pass by, buy a croissant and continue my shopping for clothes. Going on this trip I discovered the different type of apples (other ingredients as well that I did not try) that it offered and they were delicious! What caught my attention was the black chicken, yes black chicken. I have never heard let alone seen a black chicken but it sure does exist. A lot of restaurants might want to shop here because a lot of the ingredients sold are very fresh and appealing to the eye and that could boost up sales and taste of the food. There are some challenges to having one or more of a greenmarket ingredient on the menu, one challenge being that you have to deliver what you promote. In other words if you say you make home fries  using the Purple Peruvian Potato then they have to be made of that potato or else its false advertising. Also the food has to taste exactly the same, not only look so if you try to be slick and use another kind of ingredient similar to the one you use, there’s a chance the taste might not be the same. A way to communicate to the customer about the item you are using is putting it on a special or giving free samples. Having people taste a bit of what they might get is so much better than having an angry customer who bought a whole course and ends up not liking it. Greenmarket ingredients have changed the way I look at other ingredients, overall this trip was very educational and I enjoyed it very much.

Sarah Hemmerle

Professor Krondl

11/11/18

Oozing local honey with buzzing bees, purple potatoes, freshly baked bread, and funnily shaped pumpkins are just some of the fun finds at this local market. Union Square Greenmarket can be found on 14th street and is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It was founded in 1976 in order to protect farms upstate and the lands being destroyed. Greenmarket is a farmers market made up of 70% NY state farmers and other local farmers from VT, CT, and NJ. I thought it was interesting that the items and produce brought to the market has to be 250 miles within driving distance of the city.

At this market, there is so much offered, from baked goods, soaps, to floral bouquets, local beer, and apples of all shapes and sizes. I loved how many different varieties of apples and potatoes there were. I had never heard of a Mutsu apple or a goldrush potato. I enjoyed learning about the foods offered and how texture, taste, and smell plays a big role when picking out produce. What I thought was unusual was the local honey stand had bees flying in every direction around the goods. It was hard to get near an item or even smell the soap they had without touching or getting in the way of a bee. What I thought was interesting is that there were so many people at the market on a Wednesday morning. I saw a lot of individuals shopping with their carts and mothers with small children as well as young hipsters.  

My favorite part was seeing all the different varieties of foods and seeing what good quality looks like in fresh produce. I enjoyed getting to try the honey, jams and smell the lavender. This is definitely something I recommend to people of any age because it’s interactive and a good learning experience.

Laurel Polanco

Prof. Krondl

Union Square Green Market

I have never been in a green market, at least not in the United States. The Union Square Green Market is open in the Union Square Park. Even though they do not use the whole block, the market is huge. It is easy to walk, and the stands are well organized and identified. I felt like a house woman doing shopping for home, those were the vibes. I found interesting the variety of goods you can find there, they go from honey soap to maple butter, and cactuses. All the vendors know what they are selling, and the process from the farm, to the counter. With this experience I learned that there is not only one, but more than 15 varieties of apples; the bread and its different forms, colors, and flavors, and don’t talk about the finger potatoes. That was the most impacting thing to me. It is also interesting how a big city like New York, which is not really recognized for being a farm, but for being a financial state, is producing their own goods. This market sells products grown in the city, and that is an advantage for restaurant owners. It is an advantage because you know, meaning owners and customers, where their produce is coming from. But the owners and chefs have to be aware of the availability of certain products that can be found in the city, but only in specific seasons. Otherwise, they will have to buy it from another place. All in all, I enjoyed the experience, it gave me an opportunity to explore new things I did not know existed, and a new place to go and buy local food.

Marian Cepeda

Professor Krondl

11/07/18

Visiting the market located in 14th street has opened up my eyes to new things and learn more. This market place was created to protect farms, it was founded in 1976. There were about 230 producers, selling fruits, vegetables, meat, fresh fish, bread, and more. At this amazing place I noticed the different varieties of apples of apples such as, honey crisp, Mutsu, jonagold, Fuji, and many more. I also also saw different kinds of potatoes like, Austrian crescent, satince (yellow flesh), and last but not least parsnips. What caught my attention the most which I bought and took home with me was, the apple cider it was great!. And it taste different from the apple juice I am used to drinking. The black chicken was another thing that I was very curious about. I had so many questions. The lady at the stand was very communicative and was able to answer all my questions. At the market I also saw huge pumpkins and of course I can’t forget about the dog posing for a picture like if he was a model,  between the pumpkins. I was enjoying the colors, the different smells, shapes, and tastes. As  was walking i also noticed the different flowers they had in one of the stands, I love flowers! They make happy. This trip was fun I was able to learn about a lot of things and interact with a lot of my classmates, share our opinions on some of the things we tried at the market. I was fascinated and wanted to buy a lot of things but I was able to buy, honey, apple cider, apple cider doughnuts, bread, honey soap, strawberry jelly, and cheese. Visiting the market was truly amazing, and I would go and visit again.

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