21 New York City Winter Farmers Markets Open

We're only half way through winter and even the most die-hard of locavores are challenged to find fresh local food in New York City and Long Island (unless of course you have a double-wide freezer or canned and dried foods that you preserved last year stashed under the bed).

In preparing for a presentation I gave last Saturday at the Mohonk Mountain House Locavore Theme Weekend (Hudson Valley), I was pleasantly surprised to discover there are 180 farmers markets in New York State that are open all year long. Twenty-one of those markets are right here in New York City with an impressive 15 accepting electronic benefits cards/food stamps (EBT).

And, good news for Manhattanites — you can shop at a Greenmarket seven days a week (daily schedule below). Look for me at Upper West Side market on 79th Street and Columbus Avenue Market on Sunday — I'll be stocking up for the Giants vs. Patriots game.

21 New York City Winter Farmers Markets

(For times, exact locations and a list of vendors, check out GrowNYC's website)

Manhattan:
97th Street Friday (EBT)
; 82nd Street Saturday (EBT); 
79th Street Sunday (EBT);
 Abingdon Square Saturday Bowling Green Tuesday & Thursday; 
Columbia Thursday & Sunday (EBT); 
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza Wednesday; 
Inwood Saturday (EBT)
; Port Authority Bus Terminal Thursday; 
Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal Tuesday & Friday (EBT)
; Tompkins Sunday (EBT); 
Tribeca Wednesday & Saturday; 
Tucker Square Thursday & Saturday
; Union Square Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday (EBT)

Brooklyn:
Brooklyn Borough Hall Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday (EBT); 
Carroll Gardens Sunday (EBT); 
Cortelyou Rd Sunday (EBT); Fort Greene Park Saturday (EBT)
; Grand Army Plaza Saturday (EBT); Greenpoint McCarren Park Saturday (EBT)

Queens:
Jackson Heights Sunday (EBT)

Now Open in Long Island (Weekends, check for dates and times) ••••G&G LI Farmers Market Huntington, Melville and Northport (Western Suffolk County) Newsday and Facebook listings ••••Sag Harbor Farmers Market, (Hamptons, Eastern Suffolk) Facebook page

New York State Directory **** Farmers Market Federation of New York Market Listings — Open for Winter

Some of my winter locavore favorites....seafood, milk, ice cream and cheese, dried beans, wheat and corn flour, baked goods, pork, beef, chicken, duck and turkey (especially turkey sausages), apple juices, canned goodies (tomato sauce, sweet and savory jams and jellies, pickled veggies) and, of course, wine and beer. I also like to talk to the farmers about the upcoming season and share recipe notes with other locavores. See you at the markets.