Our Activities

CitySeed consistently operates one of the most acclaimed Farmers Markets in Connecticut, the Wooster Square market in New Haven. We also run a three-season market at Edgewood Park, a summer market on the Downtown New Haven Green, a summer market in Fair Haven, and in Indoor Winter Market. CitySeed Farmers Markets have one of the highest redemption rates of federal, state and local food assistance benefits in the state of Connecticut – in 2018 we redeemed nearly $100,000 in food assistance benefits! We also support a Mobile Market, operated by Common Ground High School, which acts as a farmstand on wheels, bringing local produce to neighborhoods across New Haven with limited access.

Through CitySeed Incubates, we deliver wraparound food business incubation services for early-stage food entrepreneurs, providing mentorship and training, making connections to local farmers, and offering resources, including shared commercial kitchen space, to help businesses succeed. CitySeed Incubates aims to remove barriers to food entrepreneurship for all, supporting leadership by people of color and immigrant food entrepreneurs, and strengthening our local food system.

CitySeed launched its Sanctuary Kitchen program in 2017, partnering with immigrant and refugee chefs to build economic opportunity and intercultural understanding through food. We facilitate immigrant-led culinary events, and run a catering social enterprise that offers employment and professional development opportunities for rising chefs and food entrepreneurs.

We also fiscally administer and offer programmatic support to the Master Cooks Corps program, run by Global Local Gourmet, which operates in cooperation with the NHFPC’s Working Group on Cooking & Food Education. These cooks from within the community are peer-based educators trained to teach culturally relevant, affordable, healthy cooking across New Haven.