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Community Corner

Farmer's Market Wrapping Up Until Next May

Residents stock up on everything from cauliflower to raviolis at the Kennedy Plaza market before it closes Nov. 24.

What began as a small Farmer's Market in 2008 has grown into an island attraction that's bringing shoppers to Kennedy Plaza from as far as Farmingdale, and some of them simply for the pickles.

As a former farm inspector for Manhattan's GrowNYC program, a non-profit organization designed to instill healthy living programs in communities, Bernadette Martin recognized a need for a local market when she moved to Long Beach in 2007.

Finding the open space at Kennedy Plaza ideal, she united with the City of Long Beach, went after local farmers and Zagat rated-companies such as Horman's Best Pickles, Papa Pasquale Ravioli and Pasta Co., and Bread Alone, and launched a business that is open each Wednesday and Saturday.

"The markets brought in a lot of awareness about eating fresh and eating locally," Martin said. "We're preserving space and local agriculture here."   

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Lee Marone drives over the Long Beach-Michael Valente Bridge from Oceanside every Wednesday just for the lobster ravioli's at Papa Pasquales.  

"They're amazing," Marone said. "I'm addicted. I started with the ravioli and now I get my grated cheese, pasta and salami from them too. I just might have to drive to Brooklyn to buy from them when the market closes."  

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For Long Beach residents like Kristen Hjellegjerde, the countdown to Nov. 24, the last day the market is open, has them frantically filling their pickle jars, taking one last bite of the summer tomatoes and sharing their disappointment with fellow shoppers. 

"I'm going to have to drive all the way to WholeFoods to keep my food as fresh and organic as this," Hjellegjerde said.  

But for others, the market's closing is a sign that costlier grocery bills are on the horizon.  

Long Beach native Kathleen Puglisi has shopped at the market since the summer to help keep down the expense of feeding her family.

"It's comparatively cheaper to purchase your produce here than Waldbaum's," Puglisi said. "It's going to be hard times when it closes, not even the Fruit Warehouse [in Island Park] is this cheap."  

Though the end might be temporarily at hand, the smell of warm baguettes, jars of honey, and iced cider have kept customers happy and relishing the final fall days ahead.  

"I have a household full of people coming for Thanksgiving this year," Atlantic Beach resident Carol Han said. "Keeping the market open until the day before the holiday is going to allow me to feed my guests fresh vegetables and bread, which is going to make it so much better." 

Though the market is coming to a close, Ronnybrook Dairy's vendor George Cafiero plans to continue selling his milk, butter, and ice cream at Kennedy Plaza each Wednesday and Saturday.  

"Weather permitting, I'm staying here until Christmas," Cafiero said. "I'm putting up a tent and supplying the demand for our customers."

* The Farmer's Market at Kennedy Plaza runs from May through Nov. 24.  The hours of operations are Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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