Why aren’t there any Black Farmer’s markets in New York City? Not every Black person patronizes Crown Fried Chicken and Chinese Restaurants. Some of us are vegetarians, pescatarians or just health conscious. But we’re subject to eating harmful foods in our neighborhoods because of economics and the plethora of bodegas selling sugary products. There’s nothing wrong with eating junk food in moderation, but, some of us don’t understand the concept because of a family history of eating bad foods, our failure to educate ourselves and the lack of literature promoting healthy living in black communities.

We’ll eat a honey bun and a Big Mac every day to feed a sweet tooth, instead of nutrient rich foods to properly satiate one’s appetite. This leads to an obesity epidemic in the hood. Excess weight causes internal and external issues. It not only puts added pressure on the heart and causes hypertension it can also damage the knees. The solution is awareness and setting up clinics to educate Black people about healthy eating habits. We can educate and monetize our efforts by establishing Farmer’s Market’s in the hood.

In New York City, white people have the Farmer’s Market industry under lock and key. They’re selling fresh fruits, meats, vegetables and pastries. We’ll its supposedly organic. By the way, can organic pastries really be healthy for you? Anyway, we can do the same thing. Granted white folks, hire mostly their own and Mexican people to sell organic foods. Maybe in Brooklyn, there’s a slightly higher percentage of Black workers. Not sure. Black people should learn how to cultivate fruits and vegetables to improve mental and physical capacity. It’s a skill that can lengthen our lifespan and create a sense of economic independence from the dominant society. It can be used as a tool against White Supremacy, in case there’s an attack on our food supply due to modern warfare (Ferguson). However, it’s obvious that the black diet is different than the white man’s due to cultural differences, ignorance, and limited exposure. But we’re creative people; we add style and innovation to whatever we do whether it’s food, sports, fashion, etc. Just think of a sweet potato and parsnips pie using agave. It’s just an example. If you happen to try it and it tastes good, let me know. First, before we get started in the Farmer’s Market business we must learn the correct conditions for growing food: How much sunlight does a certain crop need? What time of year is best to plant a particular seed? How do we set up a greenhouse and a composting area? Who are the key distributors of fruits, vegetables and meats? and What areas of land can we purchase for Black farmers to cultivate foods? and other relevant questions.

Also, are we willing to volunteer at a local Farmer’s Market to learn the business? or doing extensive online research? This can help us sell cabbage, collard greens, yams and other foods we enjoy. Then, we wouldn’t have to worry about depending on Key Food, Bravo and other neighborhood Supermarkets for holiday and everyday shopping. Black people can use them for basic toiletries. The health conscious black people in our communities can gradually recommend or suggest alternative foods and cooking recipes that may be palatable to melanoid people. Another idea, is to network with smaller entities ie the Mexican and Indian street cart vendors if we decide to start our independent businesses on a smaller scale before creating a Farmer’s market.

Russell Sproutz