By Miles Hilton
Summer is in full swing, which means that farmers’ markets across the county are filling with fresh produce, meats, and craft goods. In Jamestown, the Jamestown Public Market’s (JPM )flagship farmers’ market runs every Saturday from 10am-2pm, on Third Street in downtown. JPM’s mission is “to build the city of Jamestown’s local food system through the promotion of locally grown, raised, and crafted foods and goods, the encouragement of a healthy, nourishing lifestyle, and the offering of related educational and economic opportunities.”
Shoppers who qualify for SNAP, the USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, find extra benefits at the farmer’s market. The Double Up Food Bucks program, run by Field and Fork Network, gives a dollar-for-dollar match up to $20 to shoppers who use their SNAP benefits at the market. Double Up Food Bucks can only be exchanged for fresh fruits and vegetables, increasing access to these nourishing foods for low-income community members. The program recently gained $2 million in funding from New York State, and serves 240 locations statewide.
Nutrition Assistance Program, find extra benefits at the farmer’s market. The Double Up Food Bucks program, run by Field and Fork Network, gives a dollar-for-dollar match up to $20 to shoppers who use their SNAP benefits at the market.
Double Up Food Bucks can only be exchanged for fresh fruits and vegetables, increasing access to these nourishing foods for low-income community members. The program recently
gained $2 million in funding from New York State, and serves 240 locations statewide.
At a recent press conference outside Silvertree Senior Apartments, Field and Fork program director Josh McGuire spoke alongside State Assemblyman Andy Goodell, State Senator George Borrello, and Jamestown Public Market Director Linnea Haskin about the growth of the Double Up program at the Jamestown Public Market. “We’ve grown by 67% [in Jamestown] alone between 2020 and 2022” he said, adding that Field and Fork has recently launched a program with nearby Carlburg Farms, also a market vendor. Haskin thanked Field and Fork Network for “advocating for our most vulnerable”, and continued, “we at Jamestown Public Market are so thankful to be a part of the Double Up program. We do our best to advocate for food systems change, and hope to empower all to find the way they can influence our food system for the better.” Many people come together to deliver produce through the Double Up program, and Haskin called attention to the contributions of “the migrants who tend our fields, the individuals who drive produce to the grocery store, the farmers who tend market stands” as well as “the Governor and those at the state who made this investment in Double Up possible”.
“Our community deserves healthy, fresh and local food access”, she affirmed, “and Double Up makes this a reality for so many facing food access barriers! We hope this is the first of many investments in such a vital program!”
Shoppers can spend their benefits at many of the market’s dozen vendors, who offer not only fresh, local fruits and vegetables, but also meat products, baked goods, maple syrup, honey, locally-made crafts, prepared foods, and tea. Conklin Family Ranch, a meat and eggs vendor at the market, says “it’s so exciting to serve our community at the market. We love providing affordable, healthy, and accessible pork and black angus beef products”. Many shoppers do much of their weekly shopping at the market, and come back next week with stories or snapshots of their meals. For the Conklin’s this is one of the best parts of their work – “knowing we’re part of their dining experience is pretty special.”
Shoppers who can’t get downtown on Saturday mornings can still enjoy shopping at the market by visiting one of JPM’s Mobile Market locations. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the Jamestown Mobile Market visits hubs around Jamestown, many located in areas without reliable access to fresh food and produce. The Wednesday afternoon stop at the Prendergast Library is especially well-attended.
As if all of this weren’t enough, the Jamestown Public Market also runs a Community-Supported Agriculture program, or CSA, which provides community members with a box of local produce each week. Other JPM programs include a community garden on Lakewood Avenue, elementary school gardens around the city, and collaborations with festivals and other community events at the market, including Jamestown Pride Fest, the Scandinavian Folk Festival, and the Children’s Market.