If you’re one of the many Hartford area residents who frequent the Farmers’ Market during the summer on the green, next to the Firebox Restaurant on Broad Street; it’s likely you’ve come across some of the delicious healthy vegetables grown by Pablo Liriano.
Liriano, an 84-year old retired police officer from the Dominican Republic is one of the many urban farmers providing locally-grown food through a program sponsored by Forge City Works.
Hartford is home to several Fortune 500 companies, and yet 35% of the city’s 125,000 residents live below the poverty line, according to Forge City Works. Connecticut’s capital is also ranked the worst of the state’s 169 towns in population at risk of food insecurity.
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Knox, Inc., a local non-profit improves the lives of Hartford residents through horticulture by providing gardening space to 500 farmers harvesting fresh and often ethnic produce, like callaloo, Mexican gherkins, and Hungarian peppers.
Video by Claudia Hilario, CTLN
Several of Hartford’s farmers markets accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in order to increase access to healthy, locally-grown food. Many also participate in the Double Value Coupon Program (DVCP), providing customers with double the value of SNAP benefits they spend on produce.
Summer 2020 Vendor Application
Contact Jocelyn at 860-548-9877 ext. 404 to become a vendor or learn more about the Farmers’ Market or send an e-mail to jocelyn@forgecityworks.org
