Kensington YM

Kensington YM sits within GrowNYC’s wider nonprofit effort to fund education, food access, farming, and green space work across New York City, which gives this Brooklyn market a clear mission beyond weekly shopping. In Kensington, that mission shows up as a seasonal neighborhood stop on Ft. Hamilton Parkway between East 5th and East 4th, where shoppers can buy directly within a Greenmarket system built around farm-based sales. The setting is straightforward, but the structure behind it is notable: GrowNYC runs its markets with producer-only standards, so the emphasis stays on farm products rather than general retail.

Why it matters locally

GrowNYC describes its Greenmarkets as a way of nourishing New Yorkers with fresh food from regional farms, and Kensington YM is one neighborhood expression of that citywide work. The organization also states that its markets maintain strict producer-only standards, meaning farmers and food businesses sell farm-based products they grow or make themselves. That matters in a place like Kensington because the market is not just a resale stand on Ft. Hamilton Parkway; it is part of a system designed around direct exchange between growers and city shoppers.

The local impact also runs through access. GrowNYC’s nonprofit model explicitly ties donations to food access work, and this market accepts SNAP EBT along with several nutrition benefit programs used at Greenmarkets. For nearby households, that connects a regular market day with a broader city effort focused on fresh food and practical affordability.

What you'll find there

Kensington YM is defined more by the Greenmarket model than by a published vendor roster here: direct farm-based selling, nutrition benefit use, and a market setup tied to GrowNYC’s producer-only standards. Specific vendor names are not published in this market packet, but the organization’s own market framework makes clear what the shopping mix is built to support.

• -Look for farmers and food businesses selling farm-based products they grow or produce under GrowNYC’s producer-only rules.

GrowNYC’s calendar also places this market inside an active network that includes book signings, garden education, and food-access programming across the city.

Know before you go

No dogs is the clearest on-site rule to plan around at Kensington YM. The market is set on Ft. Hamilton Parkway between East 5th and East 4th in Brooklyn, and it operates on three days during its May-to-December season, so timing your visit matters more than at a year-round market. Restrooms are not available, which can shape how long you stay and whether you combine the trip with other errands.

If you are using nutrition benefits, head to the green market information tent for help; GrowNYC notes that staff there can answer SNAP-related questions. The organization also lists main office phone numbers at 212-788-7900 and 212-788-7913 if you need administrative contact tied to GrowNYC operations.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP EBT is accepted at Kensington YM. Across GrowNYC Greenmarkets, SNAP EBT is converted into market currency, and staff at the green market information tent can help shoppers use benefits and answer SNAP questions. GrowNYC also lists FMNP, eWIC, FreshConnect, Health Bucks, HealthFirst OTC on select plans, and Greenmarket Bucks among accepted nutrition benefits at its markets.