Descriptions Of Organizations Denied Beacon’s $20,000 Community Investment Grant So That Committee Member Could Receive $7,550 To Ship Globally

Picking one or three or eight local organizations in a small city town to receive grant money will always be hard. Scrutiny will exist no matter what the choice. Jealousy will be around every corner. But the awarding of Beacon’s 2024 Community Investment Grant was just odd. Brazen, in fact. Of the $20,000 Community Investment Grant, $2,450 was left un-awarded. Saving the money for a rainy day? Two applicants were farmers. Farmers can use rain.

Let’s take a look at the five other organizations who applied for the City of Beacon’s $20,000 Community Investment Grant, but were denied. But first…

Background On The Scrutiny

(If you didn’t read yesterday’s article covering this in depth, a recap is below)

The following five Beacon local organizations applied for and were denied funding for this hyper local grant. The three organizations who were awarded funding by the City Council at the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Committee either share an office with the Recreation Department, or are on the Recreation Committee itself who made the award recommendation.

Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White said half of the Recreation Committee members were not “interested in this task” of vetting and recommending organizations for awards. Yet, they recommended Recreation Committee Member Sarah Dwyer-Shick to get $7,550 for her organization The Sports Bra Project that a newspaper article says has an office in Beacon, but mainly ships sports bras to people all over the world. Sarah’s name was nowhere on the Application Log, nor on her organization’s website, nor brought up during the City Council Meeting, despite City Administrator Chris, Mayor Lee Kyriacou and Councilperson Amber Grant vouching that this was a Beacon-specific organization. The Sports Bra Project’s impact to adults and children living in Beacon, or how it exceeds the other applicants, has yet to be determined.

City Administrator Chris agreed with Beacon’s attorneys at Keane and Beane that Common Ground’s application, on behalf of its markets, which include the Beacon Farmer’s Market by way of the food benefits program Green4Green, which gives people with low income money to shop farm fresh produced and baked goods, would serve people outside of Beacon. It is not clear how the Sports Bra Project, which seems to ship product manufactured elsewhere to people primarily in other countries, is not not serving people “outside” of Beacon. If it is because the organization’s founder might live in Beacon (not confirmed), then it should be noted that the other leaders of the organizations who applied also live in Beacon, so this qualification does not seem dominant.

After City Administrator White pushed to close this part of the meeting so that it could move to a legislative vote, he mentioned that the Recreation Department needed to get back to bigger projects, like South Avenue (by Loopers basketball and tennis courts) and Wee Play (the tot park at Memorial Park that received City investment for upgrades). Of the applicants, both Land to Learn and Compass Arts work with kids and teachers at South Avenue Elementary in their programming. The financial diversity Parks and Recreation Director Mark Price speaks of doesn’t seem to be represented here, when published in his 2024 CIG Application Memo: “We have selected three applicants that we would recommend awarding funding to in 2024. This recommendation, I believe, allows for a diversity of funding across several initiatives.”

Organizations On The Recreation Department Cutting Room Floor

Bannerman Castle Trust
The Trust is dedicated to bringing together resources and funding to stabilize the buildings on Pollepel Island. The Trust raises awareness and educates the public and government organizations on the value and history of the island. The Trust raises funds for repairing the island, and creating a master plan and eventually stabilizing the structures.
Contact: Kelly Ellenwood
Purpose: 30th Anniversary Community Cruise to Bannerman Castle
Proposed Use Of Funds:
Community Outreach, Flyers, Postcards, Bulk Mailing, Community Outreach, Programming Tour guide
Requested Amount: $2,000

Common Ground Farm
Common Ground Farm supports and engages the community by fostering access and connection to fresh food and local agriculture through farming, education, and farmers’ markets. Common Ground runs the Beacon Farmer’s Market, located on Main Street in Beacon.
Contact: Sember Weinman
Purpose: Common Greens Partnership
From Common Ground’s website: “Greens4Greens is a food benefit incentive program, started in 2016, that creates greater food access for shoppers at the Beacon Farmers’ Market, the Newburgh Farmers’ Market, and the Common Greens Mobile Market. Eligible state funded food benefits are matched dollar for dollar through Greens4Greens, making the farmers’ market more accessible to a wider base of consumers. The program has been completely community funded through contributions made by local businesses as well as the annual 'Soup4Greens' event. Our 2024 Soup4Greens event raised over $8000 thanks to the generous soup and pottery donations.”
Proposed Use Of Funds:
Greens4Greens coupons to be redeemed across our markets, doubling the purchasing power of many people who use benefits
Requested Amount: $6,400

Compass Arts
The mission of Compass Arts is to create healthy, just, equitable, and resilient communities through arts based classes, performances, and events rooted in exploration, collaboration, creation, and play.
Contact: Gina Samaridge
Purpose: Free Community Arts Activities Table Program
Requested Amount: $6,500

Land To Learn
Land to Learn is growing a movement for food justice and community wellness through garden-based education. Land to Learn’s in-school program brings garden-based education to 2,000 k-2 students in 10 public elementary schools throughout New York’s Hudson Valley region.
Contact: Stefan
Purpose: SproutED Program for Beacon Schools
Proposed Use Of Funds:
South Avenue Garden Revitalization Spring/Summer 2024
Requested Amount: $5,000

Roll Out FBS
(Assuming this is Foundation For Beacon Schools (FBS), but it’s not indicated on the Applicant Log)
Foundation For Beacon Schools (FBS) vision is for Beacon’s public schools to be at the leading edge in creating a learning environment in which all students are able to find and cultivate their talents, live purposeful, fulfilling, and vibrant lives, and carry their gifts into the future.
Contact: Lauren Adelman
Purpose: Community Art Event
Proposed Use Of Funds:
School workshops, community workshops, public event, teaching artists, supplies
Requested Amount: $3,500

Grant Winners

Sports Bra Project
The Sports Bra Project increases access to sports for women and girls by removing barriers to participation. They provide sports bras to athletes who don’t have access to such a basic piece of equipment.
Contact: The contact on this was an email for the generic admin@thesportsbraproject. But we we now know is Recreation Committee Member Sarah Dwyer-Shick, thanks to a newspaper article mentioned by Councilperson Amber Grant. However, Councilperson Amber did not mention Sarah’s name when she referred to the article. No one spoke Sarah’s name during the meeting.
Purpose: Sports Bra Bank
Proposed Use Of Funds:
Storage bins, bras, support and outreach materials
Awarded Amount: $7,550

Beacon Repair Café
(Located inside of the Recreation Department Office)
The Repair Café idea was born in Amsterdam in 2009 and was brought to New Paltz by volunteer organizer John Wackman in 2013. His dedication, enthusiasm and success inspired others to launch Repair Café events in their communities.
Contact: fromer@sustainhv.org (Repair Café’s fiscal sponsor is Sustainable Hudson Valley)
Purpose: Repair Café
Proposed Use Of Funds:
Materials and Supplies, lunch for volunteers, outreach
Awarded Amount: $1,000

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County
(aka Green Teen, located inside of the Recreation Department Office, but nowhere in the Applicant Log does it specify Green Teen…This was only stated in the City Council Meeting…So it is not confirmed if this is going to Beacon’s Green Teen, or Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Positive Youth Development Program at large)
Contact: jr825@cornell.edu
Purpose: Positive Youth Development Program
Proposed Use Of Funds: Youth wages, Staff wages
Awarded Amount: $9,000

Beacon Recreation Committee and City Face Scrutiny For Allocating 37% of $20,000 Community Investment Grant To Committee Member's Global Organization, Denying Food Benefits To Farmer's Market And More

During Monday’s combined Workshop/City Council Meeting, where the Council blends two meetings into one night during the summer months (first the brainstorming Workshop meeting, followed by the voting in of some of those items discussed), the Council was presented with recommendations from the City of Beacon’s Parks and Recreation Committee on who to award $20,000 of the City’s Community Investment Program to, a program in its third year.

According to the City Administrator Chris White, half of the Recreation Committee was disinterested in this vetting and voting process, yet did award one of their own committee members 37% of the available funds. To announce the recommendations of which organizations should be awarded during Monday’s July 1st City Council Meeting, the Park and Recreation Director Mark Price, who led the process, was not in attendance. When Mayor Lee Kyriacou mentioned Mark, City Administrator Chris responded: “I think Mark forgot.” Mayor Lee asked if Chris wanted to delay the presentation, to which Chris answered: “No. We were going to award these in April or May, so we are well beyond that. I don't think this is that hard.” Chris then presented the recommendations.

The three recommended organizations were awarded just shy of the total available ($17,550):

• Beacon Repair Cafe, which shares an office with the Recreation Department, received $1,000.

• Green Teen, which shares an office with the Recreation Department at 23 West Center Street, received $9,000.

• Sports Bra Project, run by Recreation Committee Member Sarah Dwyer-Shick, received $7,550.

The Recreation Department’s memo from Recreation Director Mark Price to City Administrator Chris states that it is up to City Council to make the final decision: “Ultimately, we know the decision to which applicants are funded lies in the hands of the Beacon City Council. In a review of all of the applications, we have selected three applicants that we would recommend awarding funding to in 2024. This recommendation, I believe, allows for a diversity of funding across several initiatives.”

City Administrator Chris told the Council that half of the Recreation Committee was disinterested in this vetting and voting process. He stated: “The Council asked that the Recreation Committee vet these applications and come back with recommendations. They did that this year. We did have trouble getting them engaged in this. About half the Committee really was not interested in this task. I do want to let the Council know. People who signed up for Recreation were probably more thinking about how to direct the future of Recreation, rather than a grant program.”

Those who did vote, voted for Committee Member Sarah Dwyer-Shick’s organization, the Sports Bra Project, which received 37% of the grant, totaling $7,550. Sarah herself did not seem to vote, according to the Applicant Log. The Sports Bra Project aims to help girls all over the world receive sports bras.

Listed on the Sport Bra Project’s website is an address of 369 Main Street #1082, Beacon NY 12508, which is the Beacon Post Office. The organization’s summary for what the money would be used for was “storage bins, bras, support and outreach materials.” City Administrator Chris stressed: “Their goal is to facilitate participation for females in sports and physical actives by making accessible sports bras. This [grant] would be for storage containers and the actual bras themselves.”

It was not clear if the organization makes sports bras, or accepts donated sports bras and ships them all over the world. Sarah’s name is also not on the Sports Bra Organization’s website.

Sarah Dwyer-Shick of The Sports Bra featured in the Highlands Current.

Councilperson Paloma Wake asked: “Can you just describe the sports bra project a little bit more? It's not totally clear to me what the program does. Probably helpful for the community to hear how they can access this if it applies to them.”

City Administrator Chris answered: “Their goal is to facilitate participation by females in sports and activities for accessibility.” On the Sports Bra Organization’s website, girls from all over the world are holding bras in pictures.

Councilperson Amber Grant stated: “I will also say that this program was featured in the Highland Currents for their work in Beacon. I just looked them up. I was like: ‘Is this a Beacon based organization?’ And they are. If anyone wants to see the article in the Highland Currents, I'm sure you can Google it.”

The article, which was published in December 2023 and the grant application process opened 2 months later in February 2024, shows Sarah in a photo with storage bins in what the newspaper says is her one-room office in Beacon in a building on Henry Street. There is one office building on Henry Street. The Beacon Post Office, which is listed as the Sports Bra Project’s address, also abuts Henry Street. Mayor Lee Kyriacou also weighed in on the Beaon-ness of the organization, by saying: "I know it's a Beacon-specific organization." Neither Councilperson Amber, nor City Administrator Chris, nor Mayor Lee mentioned at this point, or at any point during the meeting, that the organization they were asking about was founded by Beacon Recreation Committee member Sarah.

City Administrator Chris was eager to end the discussion and move on to vote on it. “We have a proposal that we have a Resolution lined up for you to vote on this. We have $20,000. We didn't quite award the whole thing. I think at this point, our Rec Department needs to move on.”

Who Serves On The Recreation Committee These Days?

Serving on the Recreation Committee are Benjamin Swanson (Executive Assistant for the City of Beacon), Larry Clark, Justin Lynch, Christina Ricottilli, Heidi Kitlas (Executive Director of Soul Ryeders, married to Highlands Current reporter Jeff Simms and hiking buddy of Sarah’s over at Soul Ryeders ), Jim Eve, Hayley Richardson, Sarah Dwyer-Shick (Founder of The Sports Bra Project and DOC of East Fishkill Soccer Club (recreation).

Of this Committee, it was not mentioned who may not have voted at all, which seems to be half of the Committee not voting. From the Recreation Committee’s Applicant Log, not voting were Sarah Dwyer-Shick, Hayley Richardson, Justin Lynch, and Jim Eve. The Applicant Log was included in the Council’s packets, but not read aloud to the public.

How Many Organizations Applied?

City Administrator Chris did not mention how many applicants applied, nor did he name them. Even though they were in the Council’s packet and on the City’s website. Only people who were digging for this information would have to find this on the City’s website and click to download it. Normally, when the Council wants to make sure something is heard, they read it to the public.

City Administrator Chris stated: “We did get enough responses, that Mark Price is recommending that we fund 3 projects.” Eight applications came in total.

Which Organizations Were Denied?

Applicants who were not awarded were organizations heavily invested in Beacon, especially the youth, and included Bannerman Castle Trust, Common Ground Farm, Compass Arts, Land to Learn, and Roll Out Of FBS.

Common Ground was voted for by those in the Committee who voted, but City Administrator Chris said that Beacon’s attorneys deemed Common Ground ineligible because it “benefits people outside of Beacon.” However, Common Ground manages the Beacon Farmer’s Market, which sets up in the heart of Beacon on Main Street each Sunday.

Common Ground’s application stated that the funding would double the food benefits that people with low income use at the Beacon Farmer’s Market. They stated: “Greens4Greens coupons to be redeemed across our markets, doubling the purchasing power of many people who use benefits.”

But, City Administrator Chris added another reason for why Common Ground was denied: “Also, this was just a gift to people.” It is not clear what a “gift” is and why a gift of farm fresh food at the Farmer’s Market landing in the hands of many people wouldn’t count, since storage bins to one person are certainly a gift to anyone, especially ones that can be purchased for $7,550.

Initially, City Administrator Chris did not mention that it was Common Ground which was denied. Councilperson Dan Aymar-Blair asked which one it was. At that point, City Administrator Chris moved to wrap up the discussion.

The Council voted unanimously to award the three organizations that the Recreation Committee recommended.

Soup4Greens 8th Annual Soup & Ceramic Bown Fundraiser - This Sunday, April 7, 2024

Soup4Greens 8th Annual Soup & Ceramic Bowl Fundraiser is happening this Sunday, April 7, 2024 at the Beacon Farmers Market from 10am-2pm.

Shop savory soups & handmade bowls for a good cause. Purchase soup donated by local restaurants & homemade bowls crafted by local artisans. 100% of proceeds contributes to GREENS4GREENS food benefit program. This program contributes to a community where fresh, healthy food is accessible to all.

The goal is to reach $6,000 to fund the GREENS4GREENS program - an internal food benefit program.

See the delicious menu below…

Beacon Farmers Market Closed For Anticipated Snow Storm - January 7, 2024

In anticipation of the first snow storm of the season, which is predicted to drop 4”-8” of snow, the Beacon Farmer’s Market is closed. Said the Beacon Farmer’s Market via their Instagram: “When there is snowfall in Beacon, cars must be removed from Main Street to allow plows to come through. When this happens, parking lots like the DMV Lot must be made available for public/resident parking. We’re happy to do our part for the residents of Beacon.”

City Of Beacon Allows Beacon Farmers' Market and Flea Market To Be Open On Spirit Of Beacon Day Rain Date

“When I adopted the role of Chair for the Spirit of Beacon Day last year,” said Katie Hellmuth, “I and the new Committee members learned that both the Beacon Farmers’ Market and Beacon Flea Market were ordered by their contracts with the City of Beacon to be closed on the Spirit of Beacon Day. Which was an agreement set up years ago, before this administration. This was to open up parking in both the DMV parking lot and the Henry Street parking lot - which are both free municipal lots - on those days,” Katie told A Little Beacon Blog.

“Beacon has a parking problem. Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.”

— Katie Hellmuth, Chair of the Spirit of Beacon Day

“From our first organizational meeting with the City of Beacon last year, which included the City Administrator Chris White, Police Chief Sans Frost, and Lt. Jason Walden, we asked for both markets to be open. Knowing that if you open the Farmers Market, you have to also open the Flea Market,” Katie said. “Opening both markets would enhance the whole day, and connect the west end of Beacon’s Main Street with the Spirit of Beacon Day blocked off section. Often what happens is that the middle of Main Street is a bottle-neck of people. We want the people to also experience both ends of Main Street. The east end near the mountain is a whole different story but we want people there too.”

Beacon has a known parking problem. The city is running out of space to absorb cars wanting to park near Main Street. A parking garage has been floated, but has not yet been accepted by the public.

“For so many reasons, the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee wanted the Beacon Farmers’ Market to be open on the big day. But, Police Chief Frost and Lt. Walden were afraid of a repeat scenario of the Cupcake Festival,” Katie told ALBB. “During that festival, so many tourists came in, and parked all over the place. In organizational meetings, Lt. Walden was adamant that we keep the DMV and Henry Street parking lots closed but open to the public,” Katie said.

According to Katie, Chief Frost was willing to consider opening the parking lots for the following year, but he wasn’t comfortable for 2023. A huge fan of the Spirit of Beacon Day, Chief Frost anticipated a lot of people, and he wanted to accommodate them.

“Beacon has a parking problem. Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.”

— Katie Hellmuth

However, the DMV parking lot is consistently under-used. On regular weekends, tourists don’t to know to park there. Despite new signage designed by the Main Street Access Committee. On their 2022 de-briefing, sources say that Katie asked Lt. Walden if the DMV lot was full on Spirit of Beacon 2022. According to sources, he confirmed that it was not.

This year, when the Spirit of Beacon Day went to rain date, which was possibly the 2nd time in its 46 year history, it forced a reconsideration of the rain date. “Once the tropical storm was strengthening, we didn’t know what direction the storm was going to go in. We feared the kids being out in that weather. We had done our homework and knew which of our service vendors and performers were still available the following weekend. So we quickly postponed the Spirit of Beacon Day and alerted all of our vendors so that they could prepare for the following weekend instead,” Katie said.

As for the Farmers’ Market, the procedure for the rain date maybe be unprecidented between the City of Beacon and the Farmers’ Market and Flea Market. “We knew this postponement would impact the Farmers Market. That they would still be closed on our original date because of the short notice. In my own heart of hearts, I knew that there was no way the Farmer’s Market was not going to be open on the rain date. I was texted by my farmer friends, asking what was going to happen for the rain date. I told them I didn’t know. I didn’t know if this was spelled out in their contract,” Katie said. “This is not an agreement between the Spirit of Beacon Day and the Farmers’ Market. It is between the City of Beacon and the two markets. Closing the markets is not the Spirit of Beacon’s preference.”

“What I didn’t tell them,” she continued “was that I was planning a full court press to get them open on the Spirit of Beacon Day rain date. And hopefully every year after this.” The City of Beacon and Dutchess County are discussing developing the DMV lot, which if built, would result in construction in that parking lot as well as a smaller parking lot for the Farmers’ Market. The City Council and City Planner have been discussing it in their last few meetings.

“Beacon has a parking problem,” Katie continued. “Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.”

The rain date situation challenged the contract between the City of Beacon and the Farmers’ Market and the Flea Markets. “The panic that this rain date caused the Farmers’ Market participants was unprecedented. The market vendors depend on the Beacon Farmers Market (and Cold Spring, and other markets) to make payroll for themselves and their staff.”

It is unknown to ALBB at this time what the contract says about the event of a rain date. “The Farmers Market managers were inquiring with the Spirit of Beacon Committee as to how they could be open on the big day in any way. Before the postpone date happened. We didn’t know. Since the police gave their answer, and the City Administrator advised us and them to simply absorb the 50+ market vendors into the Spirit of Beacon’s 80+ vendors, without extending the closing of Main Street to accommodate that. We didn’t know what to do,” Katie told ALBB.

After the postponement to rain date, the Market managers, Hampton Fluker and Amy Bandolik, did their own full court press to get representation at the Spirit of Beacon Day. The Spirit of Beacon Committee set to their map-making of fitting in the 50+ vendors from the Farmers Market. Which was in addition to the 80+ vendors the Spirit of Beacon was responsible for. Katie agreed to take a meeting with Hampton and Amy to figure out how to make it work at 5pm on Monday.

“We tried every lot. I emailed landowner Joe Donovan for permission to use every grass space he has on the west end of Main Street,” Katie told ALBB. “Jeana Pearl Fletcher, the Spirit of Beacon Secretary and landscape architect, used her best skills to fit in all of the tables on our new map. Board Member Junior Dabashi was hopeful that maybe we could squeeze the tables close to each other. I mean, we were trying, because the City of Beacon was denying the markets use of the parking lots for the two years I asked the City to allow them to be open. But I couldn’t see how all of these tables could fit,” Katie said.

“When I inquired with farmer vendors, Farmer Carrie of Eggbert’s Free Range Farm told me that she preferred to stay at the DMV because she has a double-wide tent and needs her refrigerated van to re-supply her inventory. The Farmers Market managers confirmed to me that there were about 7 other vendors like that. This seemed crazy to fit them in a confined space, where no regular customer-base would know where to find them,” Katie concluded.

In the end, the Beacon Farmers Market managers collected many testimonials from vendors on how detrimental the financial impact was on them, and sent them to the City of Beacon, requesting that the Farmers’ Market be included in any Spirit meeting with City Officials. In addition, customers of the market wanted the Farmers’ Market open on the big day of the Spirit of Beacon. “How can they not be a part of the day?” expressed Spirit of Beacon board member Jeana.

By Monday at 3:30pm, the City Administrator Chris emailed Katie to inform her that both markets would be open, but stressed, “This does not mean it is going to be allowed next year.” Via email to Katie, he added: “While this might cause some issues with parking, it is not fair to them to lose two weekends in a row.” This meant that the Farmers Market and Spirit of Beacon did not need to have their own planning meeting at 5pm to get this desired result, and Katie did not need to have a 3rd meeting with the City to advocate for this again across the table.

The Farmers’ Market made their announcement via Instagram: “We are delighted to announce that we have emerged victorious in our endeavor to operate the @beaconfarmersmarket on (and in conjunction with) @spiritofbeaconday ❤️🥬🎉 We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you (Beaconites & beyond) for your unwavering dedication and heartfelt testimonials, which have played a pivotal role in making this possible. As the market team, we are privileged to have the opportunity to serve our small business vendors, farmers & makers and to provide fresh food (and more) to our community.”

It is the position of the Spirit of Beacon Day that both markets be allowed to be open on the Spirit of Beacon Day forever. From the Spirit of Beacon Day’s statement: “The Spirit of Beacon Day fully recommends that this forced closure be removed from both contracts of the Beacon Farmers Market and Beacon Flea Market. We need them. We need both markets to help people move throughout the city. And the markets need regularity to prosper and survive.”

Beacon Farmers Market To Stay Open Outside All Year - Bring Your Mittens, Kittens!

Featured here: Happy Belly, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

The Beacon Farmers Market was one of the first to pivot hard when the business shutdown happened when COVID-19 was first discovered and declared a global pandemic. They quickly built a extremely robust but temporary well-serving website to connect devoted customers to vendors, and opened outside, withstanding the deep snowfall Beacon experienced last year.

This year, vendors agreed that they prefer to stick it out outside in the DMV parking lot, where there is more space, possibly better internet, and that small-scale live music that helps keep the market moving.

Managed by Common Ground Farm, the organization approached the City of Beacon to seek permission to operate outside year round. The parking lot is owned by Dutchess County, and leased by the City of Beacon. The City Council approved the extended occupation of the DMV parking lot in early November. Expect to shop the market outdoors all year!

The Shred Foundation, a skateboarding organization serving under-served youth which is Black founded, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Diana Mae Flowers, a Beacon Farmers Market staple for creative bouquets.

Cooperstown Cheese Company at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Trax, a Beacon local coffee roasters with 3 locations in Beacon, also likes to serve it up at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Eggberts Free Range Farm, another Beacon Farmers Market staple and wonderful source for eggs, beef, lamb and pork.

Advocates for free New York Health Insurance, which would in theory be funded by a payroll tax on New Yorkers. Anna Brady Nuse started a Change.org petition for the cause, and has been pursuing Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou to show support for free New York Health Insurance by putting it on Beacon’s City Council Agenda, where the council can create and vote on a Resolution supporting it. So far the Mayor has not put it on the agenda.

Beacon Farmers Market Opens For In-Person, Time-Slot-Based Pickup; SNAP Available; Delivery Remains For Those Quanrantined

Photo Credit: The produce photo is by Maple View Farm.

This Sunday, May 31, 2020, the Beacon Farmers Market will open on its usual outdoor summer spot on Veterans Place, in between the Post Office and Towne Crier and across the street from Beacon Natural. For the past several weeks, the Beacon Farmers Market has been doing pre-order and delivery only, which was a huge undertaking that involved two different website builds, and order fulfillment from several vendors.

The market will remain offering online pre-orders for those who are immune-compromised, at risk, or quarantined, as well as for any SNAP customers participating in the pre-order coupon program. SNAP customers who need to use it for pre-ordering online can learn how to do that here for SNAP which includes $30 worth of groceries. Otherwise, SNAP will be accepted in person at the market on Sunday.

Like the rest of the Phase 1 opening, this will be a slow reopen, and will not be the socialness as usual. Expressed on the market’s Instagram and website: “Please be mindful that our number one priority is human health. Our mission is to make local and responsibly harvested food available to you while helping the local food economy and supply survive. It is important to remember that New York is still on pause, and undergoing a slow, phased reopening. This is not the usual social gathering space as we know it.”

While farmers markets were deemed essential businesses and could remain open, the Beacon Farmers Market opted to go delivery and pickup only. “We are taking COVID 19 very seriously,” continued the reopening message on their Instagram. “We have re-designed the layout and protocol for the safety of our patrons, vendors, and staff for this upcoming season.”

How To Shop Properly At The Beacon Farmers Market COVID-19 Style

You’ll need a shopping spot that is a 30-minute opportunity to walk the market to get your things. Sign up for your shopping time-slot here. But, according to the Beacon Farmers Market, if your desired time slot is full, or if it’s full when you arrive, walk-ins will be accommodated. In other-words, everyone is figuring it out, and you can wait in a social distanced manner around the are of the market.

Read the shopping guidelines here on the shopping signup page, so as to be prepared of how you need to be when you go to market. Highlights include:

• Wearing a mask to enter the market.

• Limit of shoppers to 1 person per household.

• Get in, get out. Shop safely and efficiently.

• About shopping: The time you pick to shop is not an appointment. It’s an approximation, according the Beacon Farmers Market: “Time slot registrations are not appointment times. If the market is at capacity when you arrive, please wait patiently for entry.”

Beacon Farmer's Market To Host Soup4Greens 2020 This Sunday!

This Sunday, February 23, from 10 am to 2 pm, the Beacon Farmers Market is hosting Soup4Greens, where 100% of the proceeds goes toward their Greens4Greens initiative. 

Come purchase bowls of soup donated by local restaurants or perhaps made by your neighbor during one of their Community Cooking Sessions! Bonus points if you get your soup in one of the gorgeous handmade bowls crafted by local artisans.

It will be a day celebrating fun, food, and community! If you are on Facebook, you can RSVP to their event here. The Beacon Farmers Market is located at Veterans Place on Main Street in Beacon, NY.

What Is Greens4Greens?

Greens4Greens is a unique food access program jointly run by Common Ground Farm and the Green Teen Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Dutchess County. Greens4Greens is a food benefit incentive program that creates greater food access for shoppers at the Beacon Farmers’ Market, the Newburgh Farmers’ Market, and the Common Greens Mobile Market.

Since 2016, eligible state-funded food benefits are matched dollar for dollar through $4 Greens4Greens coupons, making fresh fruits and vegetables more accessible to a wider base of consumers. For every EBT/SNAP purchase, and/or $4 that a family spends using federal assistance programs, such as the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, they receive a Greens4Greens coupon for $4 that can be used to purchase more fruits and vegetables, doubling their buying power! 

Farmers Market Finds: Grow-In-A-Bag-Mushrooms, Butcher's Candles

Sundays usually offer regularity at the Beacon Farmers Market, but sometimes different vendors show up offering something new. Will they be back the next week? One never knows. We’ll highlight some of the details found recently within the vegetable baskets and on the tables of the Farmers Market, which is inside of the VFW Hall/Memorial Building during winter.

This bouquet of what looks like a school of stingrays swimming through the ocean is really a mushroom colony grown from a bag from Sugar Shack Farm, who specializes in growing oyster, shiitake, reishi, lions mane, pioppino, chestnut, maitake and other mushrooms. The bag requires almost no care - or light. Just stab a hole into the plastic bag, and the mushroom growth starts. You can eat these gourmet mushrooms.

The other bouquet is the traditional wildflower bouquet from Diana Mae Flowers.

Barb’s Butchery has been finding ways to go more whole-body of the animal, and has been using the beef tallow (rendered fat) to make scented candles and balms, with lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, mint and cedar fragrances to start. Similar to using butter fat, this other fat has its benefits. Barb is particularly lit up about the surprise wicks she has hidden in the mini-cast iron candle holders for extra hours of burning. Ask her about it when you go into her shop on Spring Street (the other side of Fishkill Creek near the mountain). Don’t forget to pick up some soup when you’re visiting the table at the market.

And of course, you can’t go to market without picking up a blueberry and banana muffin (or whatever flavor of the day), the famous chocolate croissant, and cherry turnover from All You Knead’s table. Stock up on these bakery items, including the chicken pot pie, because the storefront is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Sunday at 2 pm is your last chance for the week! Well, for two whole days, at least, until Wednesday.