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“$15 in fresh produce was given away on Friday,” said Susan Grove, manager of the City of Poughkeepsie Farmers’ Market, and Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP) executive director.
The market, which returns to its home near the corner of Main and Market streets each year, launched a new program on June 6 during its 2008 debut.
“The Poughkeepsie Farm Project is excited to bring the NY Fresh Check Program to our community. The checks are like an invitation because we’re confident that once new customers visit the market, they’ll want to return,” Grove said.
Through the program, food stamp customers who purchase a minimum of $5 in food stamp tokens to use at the market receive an additional $5 in the form of a NY Fresh Check. The Fresh Check program, which began in May and will run through Nov. 15, is part of a statewide initiative to attract food stamp customers to farmers’ markets.
Market farmers are able to redeem the checks for 100 percent of their value through funds from the Humpty Dumpty Institute and the Farmers’ Market Federation of New York.
Beginning in July the City of Poughkeepsie Farmers’ Market will also begin accepting debit and credit cards.
The improvements are part of the PFP’s efforts to increase patronage at the market, which featured a number of vendors, including the PFP, Kessman Farms, Three Sisters Farm, Hummingbird Ranch and the Groovy Baker. Among the items offered were chemical-free and fresh vegetables, baked goods – including organic and vegan specialties – fruits and plants. More vendors are expected to participate later in the season.
“The farmers’ market is a mixed-income market that relies on a wide range of customers,” said Grove.
The Poughkeepsie Farm Project is a nonprofit organization that works toward a just and sustainable food system in the Mid-Hudson Valley through operating a member-supported farm, providing education about food and farming and improving access to healthy, locally-grown food. The PFP began managing the farmers’ market five years ago, and according to Grove, the group hopes to accomplish three main objectives.
“We hope to provide access to locally grown, healthy food, while supporting local farms and contributing to the revitalization of downtown Poughkeepsie,” Grove said.
Grove recently relocated from Brooklyn to Poughkeepsie, when she joined the PFP in January. She has more than a decade of experience working with nonprofit organizations, and prior to her move she was involved in founding and managing Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) organizations in Brooklyn.
Community members, vendors and local politicians gathered this past week to celebrate the market’s annual opening.
“We have an exceptional city council, and though they all have their differences, they all work hard to make the City of Poughkeepsie the best city,” said Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Charlie North. “This is a true testament to what shopping local is all about.”
The market will run every Friday, rain or shine, from June 6 to Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and a number of events are planned throughout the summer, including a health fair, kids’ day, Mercado Latino, an Afro-Caribbean festival, a harvest and art festival, and a fall environmental fair. Live music is also planned.
“This is a magnificent event, right here in the heart of downtown Poughkeepsie,” said City of Poughkeepsie Mayor John Tkazyik, at the ribbon-cutting. “To be able to provide locally grown produce and plants, while linking food, farm, and community – this is what downtown revitalization is all about.”
For a full schedule, visit www.farmproject.org.
