Growing healthier New Brunswick with Community Farmers Market

Each Thursday, the space outside of the College Avenue Student Center is transformed into a market full of colorful tents containing a wide selection of produce. Some students are regulars, while others just happen to be stumbling back from classes, looking for a quick snack. Either way, the New Brunswick Community Farmers Market (NBCFM) provides something that residents don't fully take advantage of.

The NBCFM takes attendees out of the city and into a world of fresh, grown meals, with its spread of fruit, vegetables, plants and baked goods. It plays an important role in providing New Brunswick with healthy food options. Grocery stores are harder to get to in New Brunswick and dining halls don't always provide the most nutritious options for students.

There's bound to be something for everyone with offerings that are constantly changing. On Thursday, they had pumpkins and gourds. There were even scarecrows for those looking to get into the fall spirit.

A main draw of the event is the opportunity to interact with local vendors. Vendor Bob Klobusicky's tent, Flaura, is a favorite, selling house plants and herbs. 

Over at the Cox Corner Market, baked goods such as cherry pies and cookies are sold alongside fresh foods like quinoa rice, fruits and vegetables. The Snapping Turtle Farm of Cranbury is more than just a cute name — they prioritize organic vegetables and herbs. Stillwell Farms from Roosevelt has fresh produce as well, along with honey and gorgeous flower bouquets. Asprocolas Acres is alongside other vendors at the NBCFM.

In addition to promoting nourishing food, the event addresses healthy habits. There's a health screening tent, which can test cholesterol and more. The table is run by Rutgers volunteers from student health organizations.

Residents can gain hands-on experience at the community garden on Jones Avenue. There, community classes are offered on food preservation, cooking, gardening and nutrition, giving citizens the tools they need to lead balanced lives.

Rutgers alum Kiran Ganesh, who now works as a market ambassador and web developer, shared the ways the organization helps students financially.

"We try to work with all of these different food assistance programs to help people who are food insecure because of income reasons," said Ganesh. "(This) is part of why, for example, the food pantry exists, right? So we also try to bridge that gap, but specifically in the context of fresh produce for students."

They also make things a little more affordable — the venue accepts food assistance programs like senior benefits, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. 

The Market also has a generous rewards program through its Market Card. With it, points are awarded for shopping, getting health tests done, following them on social media and more. Shoppers can get one by visiting the information table.

In addition to the Market, students in need are able to go to the Rutgers Student Pantry and receive 10 to spend at the NBCFM. The Pantry is located inside the College Avenue Student Center and every Rutgers student is able to access it once a week. 

But, as suggested in the name, the Market is not just for Rutgers. The organization is a joint initiative between the City of New Brunswick, Rutgers Cooperative Extension and Johnson & Johnson.

Ganesh explained the importance of these farmers markets for the citizens of New Brunswick, who may not have many other places where they can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.

"The mission is to be able to provide locally grown fresh produce to the New Brunswick community," he said. "Because, as you may know, outside of places like the farmers market, New Brunswick has many of the characteristics of a food desert."

A food desert refers to a region with limited access to food, especially the healthy kind. While New Brunswick is plentiful in late-night corner stores, they're lacking in substantial meals. Supermarkets like ShopRite or Trader Joe's exist nearby, but they require transportation.

The available array of fruits, vegetables, plants and baked goods at the Market go above and beyond anything you could get at the grocery store, but it's more than that. The NBCFM helps fight food insecurity by stepping into a role long neglected.

Whether you plan on attending a nutrition class or you just want to pick up a pumpkin, you can depend on the NBCFM for your produce needs and more.

The market appears on College Avenue on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the exception of October 10 and October 17, until November 14.

Editor's note: The article has been updated to correct the mention of "organically grown meals" in the second paragraph and the mention of blood pressure testing in the sixth paragraph.