What’s New at the Market: Increasing access to healthy food

By April Hammerand For the Sequim Gazette • May 29, 2019 1:30 am

Sequim Farmers Market

Open: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 1

Location: Sequim Civic Center Plaza, downtown Sequim

More info: manager@sequimmarket.com or 360-582-6218

Summer is definitely in the air at the Sequim Farmers Market! Three long time vendors will be back starting June 1: Woodworking by Kevin with Lady and the Carpenter, a range of lavender products by Susan with Let’s Do Lavender, along with soaps, bath products and rugs from Sheila with Smoothie Essentials.

The long, sunny days along the Strait of Juan de Fuca make this an ideal location for farming or backyard gardening. At the summer equinox this region is blessed with 16 hours of sunlight, which means plants grow more quickly in the field.

You might want to change your grocery shopping routine this time of the year and head to the farmers market first to stock up on local, sustainably-grown vegetables.

Joy Farm will be tempting us with the first strawberries of the season. There will also be vegetables from River Run Farm and Sea Basket Farm, eggs from Sativa Valley and honey from Garry Flynn and Sequim Bee Farm.

Sequim Farmers Market will continue to run our SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) program along with the Fresh Bucks and Market Match program for a second year, which gives shoppers using federal food assistance dollars more buying power for the purchase of fresh, local food.

Here’s how it works: EBT redeemed at the market booth is matched with two market tokens: Fresh Bucks tokens, a market currency supported by a Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture and Market Match tokens funded by Sound Community Bank.

For each $10 market shoppers spend on their EBT card, they receive an additional $4 in Fresh Bucks tokens to purchase fruit and vegetables and an additional $5 Market Match token to purchase from farmers. There is no limit on the amount of EBT dollars that can be matched with Fresh Bucks and Market Match. EBT/SNAP tokens may be used to purchase eligible foods such as vegetables, fruit, bread, eggs, honey, meat and more! Prepared foods are not eligible. Fresh Bucks match tokens may only be used for produce and vegetable starts.

Market Match tokens may be used with any farm vendor.

The market will also distribute Market Match tokens to families who receive Women Infants and Children (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers, and senior citizens using Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers. Bring your full packet of FMNP vouchers to the market booth and the market will give you $20 in Market Match tokens that can be used with any farm vendor.

A special thanks to Bell & Davis Law and Brokers Group Real Estate for supporting the Sequim Farmers Market.

April Hammerand if the Market Manager for the Sequim Farmers Market. Reach her at manager@sequimmarket.com or 360-582-6218. For more information, visit www.sequimmarket.com.