More Veggies for All: Farmers Market Nutrition Program
We are quickly approaching opening weekend at the market, June 4 in Glen Cove, NY! Our team is preparing with much excitement to bring our harvest to market and to see those of you who swing by our stand. The fields are bursting with vibrant colors and our harvest totes are brimming with early season crops (salad greens and snap peas, anyone?!).
If you have been following along, you know that 2021 was Valentine Farm's first farmers market season and we so enjoyed connecting with you, our local community. It’s not just about bringing you nutritious, local, sustainably-grown produce, nor about packing up our wide range of hand-crafted jams, on-farm honey, tinctures, and salves to share. It’s about building wholesome and nourishing connections through food! The feedback from our first market season was amazing and it felt like the VF team gained so much in return by talking with, and learning from our customers, community members, and other market vendors!
We recognize that sustainably-grown, fresh, local food is not accessible to everyone and we believe it should be. A main goal of VF is to make available our exceptionally delicious and nutritious food, to those who have limited access. We are proud to be a part of New York State’s Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) and hope that this program will allow our farm, and other vendors like us, to nourish more of our communities with healthy, seasonal produce.
What is FMNP?
This federal program was originally established by Congress in 1992 with the goal of providing fresh, unprepared, locally-grown fruits and vegetables to those in need, and to expand the awareness, and sales at farmers markets. FMNP vouchers in New York State are issued to seniors via the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and to members of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and can be accessed through your local Senior Center or WIC clinic.
How Do I Receive FMNP Vouchers?
To learn more about these programs: click here for WIC or here for CSFP. If you are able to sign up with one of these programs, a booklet of FMNP vouchers will be mailed to you. For more information on FMNP specifics, check out this useful guide developed by Cornell University. Vouchers can be redeemed for fresh, unprocessed produce at farmers markets and farm stands wherever vendors (like us!) are authorized to accept FMNP vouchers. This is a wonderful program that expands access to healthy food while at the same time supporting those growing it!
Where can I use FMNP Vouchers?
Please keep in mind that not all Farmers Markets accept FMNP vouchers, and if you’d like to check markets near you, check out this resource through the NYS Department of Agriculture. At our market, Deep Roots Farmers Market, all produce vendors accept FMNP vouchers!
We welcome you to say “hi!” to one of our staff members and let us know you’re shopping with FMNP — we’ll be more than happy to assist you! Whether you’ve got your eye on a crisp head of lettuce, some crunchy cukes, or a pint of our sweet-as-pie cherry tomatoes, we’re happy to help you fill your basket! Please introduce yourself, as well as we love to meet and connect with all who share our love of fresh, locally-grown veg.
See you soon, meet you at the market!