Thanks to many volunteers, the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center (JBOLC) community garden farmers’ market celebrated its 3rd anniversary beside DeWitt Clinton High School, located at Sedgwick Avenue between Goulden Avenue and Mosholu Parkway South in Jerome Park on Saturday, Aug. 19.

 

Adults, families, and kids came along to join in the celebration as they shopped at the market while children played with large, Lego-type blocks, and there was also a choir and open mic session.

 

Besides the fresh produce available on the day, which included both vegan and vegetarian items, local organizations set up tables, with some offering free health information. JBOLC also hosted a slew of art and family-centered activities.

Farmer Jeremy Schultz of the Clatter Valley Farm in New Milford, Connecticut was one of the first vendors to set-up on the day and said his products have become a staple of his growing success. Schultz said he regularly makes the journey to The Bronx, bringing with him mixed vegetables, eggs, and honey.

 

“I’m sold out of honey,” Schultz was overheard saying to customers. He continued, “I’m sold out of eggs. I’m sold out of half the things I would normally have.”

 

Bartholomew Staalman of Hunts Point, a JOBLC volunteer, later got busy preparing a dish of “Gnochi,” which he described as, “a soft Italian pasta that’s potato based.” Staalman explained he was filling in on the day for “Katie’s Kitchen.” He said the group grows its own food, sells what they cook, and hopes to open a food truck in the near future.

Lucia Marin of Norwood had just visited Schultz’s table where she purchased lettuce, corn, carrots, zucchini and bread. Marin said of her purchases, “Whatever he has, I get.” She added, “I make a big pot of vegetables with tofu usually because I work, so my week is pretty busy.”

 

Asked if she had participated in any other events hosted by the JBOLC, Marin said, “I’ve been to a few events. They had a ‘Mushroom Walk’ that I participated in.” She continued, “She [the organizer] showed us around… like where you can find what types of mushrooms. It was pretty interesting.”

Van Cortlandt Village resident Michael Gary later said of JBOLC, “I just like the ambiance of these people here.” He added, “I think it’s wonderful. Parents bring their kids here, and they all play… They couldn’t have more fun if they tried.”

 

Another unnamed attendee mentioned, however, that she felt the prices were high at the market and that she would probably sooner go to the supermarket to buy her fruit and vegetables.

Norwood resident and JBOLC volunteer Danielle Guggenheim is a teacher with NYC Department of Education (DOE) and is vice president of the Unity Democratic Club which, as reported, launched in October 2022. She told Norwood News, “I have been part of the Farmers’ Market since the beginning. COVID, the shutdown, going through a lot of trauma, and walking the neighborhood, I happened upon the market and there were children here. The fact that I’m a teacher, I thought, ‘How can I give back?’”

 

Besides reading to the children, on the day, Guggenheim watched over them as they played with the giant blue building blocks. She later explained that she submitted a proposal, which was subsequently approved by the City Parks Foundation, to fund the blocks.

Of JBOLC community garden and market, she summed them up, saying, “It really is a beautiful space that we created here in The Bronx, an oasis.”

 

Ray Pultinas, a former DeWitt Clinton High School teacher, and JBOLC founder and director, said of the program, “We just keep expanding,” adding that the group has recently included more art, kids, and family-friendly programs to their events. He added that the market also offers “healthy bucks” to participants and volunteers and accepts SNAP/EBT.

 

According to Pultinas, the JBOLC and farmers’ market runs until the end of October, but the group is also collaborating with Rap for Bronx, another community group which hosts a ‘Tuesday Market’ at The Museum of Bronx History at the Valentine-Varian House, located at 3266 Bainbridge Avenue in Norwood, where free food is also donated to the community.

 

Read our previous story on the temporary closure and subsequent reopening of the JBOLC community garden here, the reopening the result of sustained organization by local community advocates, and the support of District 11 City Councilman Eric Dinowitz.

Before the annual “first frost,” when the JBOLC farmers’ market shuts down for the winter, the group said they will host a ‘City of Forest Day’ on Saturday, Oct. 14, and will close out the year with the ‘Dance and Clean Air Festival’ on Saturday, Oct. 21. The farmers’ market runs every Saturday until Saturday, Oct. 29, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

For more information on JBOLC, visit their website at www.jamesbaldwinoutdoorlearningcenter.org.

 

*Miriam Quinones contributed to this story. 

 

Editor’s Note: In a previous version of this story, it was reported that Jeremy Schultz, a farmer from Clatter Valley Farms, said he sells beef and poultry in addition to other produce. However, Pultinas pointed out that the JBOLC market is strictly vegetarian and vegan and no meat or poultry is sold at their market.