The New Castle County Department of Community Services Division of Community Resources is once again the recipient of a USDA grant award through its Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The $125,109.00 award will be administered over three years from 2022 through 2025.
The Division of Community Resources will use these grant funds to develop, coordinate, and expand farmers markets, increase economic opportunity, and expand access and availability of fresh agricultural products specifically through New Castle County’s Bellevue Farmers Market and the new Reader's Café Farm-to-Table, Farm Fresh Market Initiative.
This project will also target outreach, marketing, and promotion to engage farmers and producers and promote agricultural products available at the Bellevue Farmers Market and the Reader's Café Farm Fresh Market. “The goal is to create new economic opportunities for regional and local farmers and producers by recruiting new and established repeat customers through partnerships and community engagement, especially in areas the USDA has designated as having “low access” to fresh foods” said Jane Rattenni, Division Manager of Community Resources.
The Bellevue Farmers Market is located behind the Bellevue Community Center at 510 Duncan Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19809; and adjacent to Mt. Pleasant Elementary School. The market is open weekly on Fridays from 4-7 p.m. May through October.
The Reader’s Café Farm Fresh Market will operate during normal business hours of the Reader’s Café beginning in May and will be an ongoing initiative. The Reader’s Café Farm Fresh Market is in The Route 9 Library and Innovation Center at 3300 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, DE 19720.
In addition to the markets covered by this grant, the Division of Community Services operates two additional seasonal farmers markets at Carousel Park at 3700 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, and Glasgow Park, 2275 Pulaski Highway, Newark, Delaware 19702. You can learn more about these markets, as well as learn about becoming a market vendor at newcastlede.gov/farmers-markets.
New Castle County Farmers Markets are presented by New Castle County Department of Community Services Division of Community Resources.