New York State - Ulster County - City of Kingston, Westchester County - City of Yonkers

Project Partners:

• North Rivers Tugboat Restoration and Museum
• The City of Yonkers
• Yonkers Downtown Waterfront Business Improvement District
• The Hudson Valley Agricultural Partnership, which consist of:
  • American Farmland Trust
  • Lower Hudson Coalition of Conservation Districts 12 SWCD’s
  • Scenic Hudson
  • The Glynwood Center
  • NY Farm Bureau
  • NRCS
  • NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
  • New York City Watershed Agricultural Council
  • Dutchess County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board
• The Kohlberg Foundation
• Hudson River - American Heritage Rivers Initiative at Marist College

Resource Management issues addressed:

Fresh off the Barge will increase public support for a renaissance of transportation on the Hudson River as an alternative corridor for moving fresh produce and food products from upstate agricultural areas to the urban centers of the Lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island. The concept is to reduce reliance on truck traffic and the impacts that trucks have on the people of New York State and their natural resources. Such issues that are being investigated are the congestion of our roadways that leads to poor air quality, noise pollution, and water quality issues that arise from highway runoff.

Accomplishments:

September 20th during the Yonkers Riverfest, The historic 1930’s Pennsylvania Railroad Barge floated from Kingston New York to the City of Yonkers Recreational Pier. While the barge itself was a representation of how transportation methods could increase distribution of food, it was the Farmers themselves that made the most impact. The Farmers were featured in a small “tent village” immediately in front of the Yonkers Recreation Pier. Mercer’s ice cream, Lowville Dairy Producers, Lewis County Maple Producers, Schaller’s meats, Davenport Farms, Brotherhood Winery, Solomon’s Rose, Simple Solution, Garden Thyme Herb Shop, Pure Mist Soaps, Adirondack Lumber Company furniture and wooden toys, Bobolink Dairy, Ronnybrook Farm Dairy were among the participants. The purpose of the Riverfest market was to introduce the producers to the general population of Yonkers and its environs. The general consensus of those who sampled or purchased the products was that the quality of everything was exceptionally high and most indicated they would purchase these products again if they were available. Since this time a permanent farmers’ market takes place every Saturday during the summer season.

Benefits

The Barge has become an Icon a figure in the Hudson River Valley to open discussion of how we can do a better job of transporting fresh produce and reduce our reliance on vehicular transportation, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and providing an additional component for food security issues (getting large quantity of food to NYC and other densely populated areas during a crisis situation). Along with the Barge is an educational exhibit that consist of ten four foot by eight foot panels that describe the importance of preserving farms. This exhibit has been used at farmers markets, school functions and set up at regional food conferences.

Although the Barge itself has not proven to be economically feasible at this point, Fresh off the Barge “A floating Farmers’ Market” has become a buzz word around the region representing fresh local produce. A feasibility study for how water borne transportation of fresh produce can become a more feasible measure is being investigated.

Contact Information

Lower Hudson – Long Island Resource Conservation and Development Office

100 Executive Boulevard

Ossining, New York 10562

(914) 923-4866

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