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For many city residents, they love their local greenmarket for its proximity.

"I am so excited that this is so close to my house. I just bought my dinner and I bought Benny’s vegetables for the week. I bought fresh fish and there’s just such a range of good things here," says Upper East Side resident B.L. Ochman.

However, New Yorkers can benefit by widening their reach.

“If you want to cook something with a Caribbean flavor, a Latin American flavor, go to those neighborhoods, go to 175th Street, go to Jackson Heights. They know they are going to sell mountains of cilantro,” says Karen Seiger, the author of "Markets Of New York City."

No matter which market one frequents, make an effort to meet the people behind the produce.

"The best thing to do is go to your farmer, see what they have and ask them what’s coming up," says Seliger.

This goes both ways, as buyers become a source of "market" intelligence.

"Years ago, I only grew zucchinis, but I found out people love summer squash. So I get summer squash into the markets," says Claudio Gonzalez of Gonzalez Farm. "People love basil, so I start to increase basil."

Most of New York City’s greenmarkets accept food stamps, and while it’s not customary to bargain with the vendors, shopping at closing time can sometimes pay off.

"If they don’t want to bring back the peaches, they'll lower the prices at the end of the day," says Seliger.

Finally, consider taking a “vegetable vacation.”

"There are a number of farms in the New York region, New Jersey region, also up into Vermont and New England that accommodate visitors, if you want to bring your children and show them where that carrot grew," says Seliger.

Visit www.grownyc.org for more information.