Let me start by reassuring customers that regardless of the icy weather conditions, the Market will be open tomorrow and operating during the regular winter Market hours of 9am-Noon.  Greg Fishel reports this wintry mix to be extremely mild at best, but watch out for slick spots in the morning!

As for other updates, if you were out of town for the holidays and/or missed the Carrboro Farmers Market story coverage on WUNC's morning edition earlier this month, let me take this opportunity to share with you just some of the exciting food outreach work that is being done at the Market due to a collaborative partnership that has taken place with our friends at UNC-CH. 

Over the past 3 years, over $25,000 has been spent at the Market by low-income customers thanks to the Market's partnership with UNC's Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, the UNC School of Public Health, and UNC Health Care.  Starting in 2009, the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention partnered with the Market on several grant proposals including many student projects to make this food outreach possible. These efforts have resulted in innovative programs that increase healthy eating for lower-income community members. 

One such program, The Carrboro Farmers' Market's Market Match program, started in April 2010 and provides low-income shoppers with extra food dollars in matched market bucks each time they shop with their food assistance benefits, thereby incentivizing healthy food purchases and stretching food dollars spent at the Market.  In fact, the Carrboro Farmers' Market is one of the few markets in the country that provides Market Match food dollars for multiple programs including: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients (SNAP, formerly known as "food stamps"), as well as the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program's Women, Infant and Children (WIC) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (SENIOR).

In July of 2012, UNC Health Care joined on board as a Market Match food incentive sponsor, resulting in big increases in local food purchases among low-income shoppers. Since the start of UNC Health Care's contribution to Market Match, the Market has experienced a 38% increase in low-income shopper spending on local fruits, vegetables, and artisanal products. 

Because of programs like Market Match, farmers also benefit from increasing food outreach throughout the community.  By bringing new shoppers to the Market, farmers are now able to capture income from government food assistance dollars, rather than losing that additional income to chain superstores.  In fact, USDA data shows that almost 85 percent of SNAP spending is done at superstores and supermarkets.  The Carrboro Farmers Market and our partners at UNC would like to play a role in redirecting those spending patterns to local farmers.

Along with UNC, the Market works with many key community partners to reach new market shoppers and increase access to local healthy food. Those interested in applying for food assistance programs can visit www.nutritionnc.com and the NC Division of Health and Human Services or call the Orange County Department of Social Service Office at 919.245.2800.  For more information on using your food assistance dollars at market, stop by the market info booth, visit www.carrborofarmersmarket.com or call 919.280.3326.  EBT, WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program benefits are accepted year-round, and the Market Match Program is available while funds last.

Market Match is made possible by

Brrrrr....Its been pretty cold in Efland at McAdams Farm this week!  In spite of the frigid weather, we will be at market with our winter vegetables and frozen beef and lamb.   We have lettuce and onions coming in this week.

Visit our website below or call for more information.  We look forward to seeing you at the farm or at the Farmers' Market.  

Howard McAdams and Family
http://www.mcadamsfarm.com

(919)309-5935