What comes in a Fresh Food Box selection?
Each week's vegetables and fruit are selected based on what local farms are currently harvesting -- meaning greens, asparagus and berries in the spring; then corn, tomatoes and peaches in the summer; followed by collards, sweet potatoes, squash and apples in the fall and winter. Check out the GrowNYC calendar to get an idea of what may be coming. 

We pick each week's items with your meal-planning in mind, so you'll always get a good mix of seasonal vegetable items, lettuce greens, cooking greens, herbs or aromatic vegetables, and fruit. Each week's mix usually includes 6-8 different varieties.

Where does the produce come from?
All of our produce comes from local farmers who sell their crops through GrowNYC's Greenmarket Co. GrowNYC is the organization that many older New Yorkers call "Greenmarket," since it has organized farmers markets across the city for more than 40 years. Greenmarket Co. is a new branch of GrowNYC that sources produce from area farmers to supply programs such as Fresh Food Box, Youthmarkets and institutions and restaurants.

All GrowNYC farmers are located within 350 miles of New York City. Some of the produce is sourced from certified organic farmers, and other items are sourced from small and mid-sized conventional farms.

In the winter, when local farms are not in production, GrowNYC sources some items from partner farms in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.

How long is the season?
Year-round! We started as just a summer market -- but after the closing of Pathmark supermarket, we made the decision to run all year long.

Our Fresh Food Box runs year-round on Wednesdays, from 3-7 p.m. 

How do I sign up?
To sign up, just drop by or send a friend. Sign up one week, then get your bag of produce the next! You can also contact us at info@uptowngrandcentral.org.

Can I get a bag the same day that I sign up?
Fresh Food Box functions like a buying club -- i.e., produce is purchased for each week using money collected from sign-ups the previous week. Most people who are picking up a bag each week have signed up for that bag the week before. However, we do order a number of extra bags to sell the "day of," and each week we sell those "day of" bags until they run out. If you want a "day-of" bag, come early -- they sell out fast! 

How much does it cost? What types of payments do you accept?
The basic Fresh Food Box selection is $14. We accept cash, check, credit, EBT/SNAP (food stamps), Greenmarket Bucks & Health Bucks.

Please note that due to rising cost from the credit/debit processor that there is an additional $1 per swipe for credit/debit cards.

Do you sell anything in addition to vegetables?
Yes! We've also got pasture-raised eggs from Handsome Brook Farm or Red Gate Grocer ($4), honey from Tremblay Apiaries ($6 or $30), Greenmarket's Bronx Hot Sauce ($6), Kitchen Garden Sriracha Chile Sauce ($7.50), oatmeal from Maine Grains ($2-8), beans from Lakeview Organics ($4), and maple syrup from Platte Creek Maple Farm ($20). The maple syrup is Grade A Very Dark (the rich variety formerly classified as "Grade B"). We also sell fresh breads ($4.50) baked by East Harlem's

What if I don't know what to do with one of the items? And what is a "Greenmarket Buck" and "Health Buck?"
Have no fear! Each week you can look forward to recipe demonstrations at the plaza from our friends at Learn It Grow It Eat It. You'll get to sample our recipe of the week and ask questions -- and if you win the nutrition quiz, you may just get a $2 Greenmarket Buck coupon to use toward your next purchase! We'll also always have a printed newsletter and recipes that you can take home with you.

In the summer and fall, we also partner with the Farm To Preschool program at the Association to Benefit Children on East 126th Street near Park Avenue, Addie Mae Collins 1 on 129th Street between Park & Lexington, and Addie Mae Collins 3 on Third Avenue between 126th & 127th streets. Farm To Preschool does nutrition classes on Wednesdays using Fresh Food Box produce. If you participate in a cooking demonstration at the Farm To Preschool class, you can earn a $2 Health Buck coupon that you can also apply to Fresh Food Box purchases.

I can’t pick up my bag! Can someone else pick up for me?
Yes! Tell a friend or family member to come to the site to pick up your produce; all they need to do is give your name. If you want them to sign you up for the following week, make sure they understand that they have to order and pay for you.

What happens to produce that is not distributed?
Produce not picked up will be donated to a local nonprofit or food pantry. Recent recipients include Johnson Houses.

I love Fresh Food Box and now I have lots of vegetable peels. Help!
Have no fear: On Wednesdays, we have a GrowNYC Compost tent that can accept your food scraps for recycling. Simply keep your scraps in the fridge or freezer, then bring them back each week to dump in the compost bin. For more information on GrowNYC Compost, click here. 

Who can participate?
Everyone! Everyone is welcome.

How can I help?
Spread the word! If you would like to volunteer, send us an email at info@uptowngrandcentral.org.

What if I have a question?
Contact us at info@uptowngrandcentral.org.