For those of you not familiar with our local Farmers’ Market, it is now a year round market open on Wednesdays rain or shine. You can find it:

May-Oct
3:00-6:00
Franklin & Laurel Streets

And

Nov- Apr
3:00 – 5:00
Old Recreation Center Gym – Franklin & Laurel Streets (Indoors)

The farmer’s market features seasonal fruit and vegetables, organic and free range beef and pork and free range eggs. They also offer artisan goat cheese, cheesecake, freshly baked breads, pies and goodies. In addition to organic nuts, fresh-cut flowers, and ornamental plants and nursery starts.

Starting May 4th, the Fort Bragg farmers’ market will also begin its new EBT Market Match Program that doubles the spending power of EBT/CalFresh recipients. Market Match is the single most effective way to support local farms and make local food more affordable for low-income community members. The program successfully redirects the subsidies away from industrial food in supermarkets and corner stores to local farmers by giving EBT users an additional dollar for every dollar they spend at the market.

How it works:

The farmers’ market will have an EBT machine, like a debit or credit card processor, and an EBT/CalFresh recipient may use their benefits by simply swiping their card, indicate how much they want to take out, and receive tokens to spend at the market. The program will then match up to $15 worth of tokens for the person to purchase additional fruit and vegetables.

For Example:

If a customer spends $15 in EBT funds, they’re given an extra $15 ($30 total) in market tokens to spend on fruit and vegetables. These tokens can then be used the same day or the recipient can save them and use them on another occasion. This doubles the amount of fruit and vegetables that a person can buy and each recipient can return to the farmers’ market each week to participate in the match program.

So take some time to visit your local Farmers’ Market, and if you know of anyone that has EBT/CalFresh who can benefit from the market match program, please spread the word!