Building off the success of the first ever East Boston Winter/Spring Farmers Market last year, the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center’s (EBNHC) Let’s Get Movin program decided to bring the program back for a second winter and spring season.
Kicking off last month, residernts can simply log onto https://app.sourcewhatsgood.com/markets/east-boston-farmers-market/products to shop for fresh produce from local farmers Fridays through Wednesdays at 1:00 pm. After an order is placed customers can simply head over to EBNHC’s Farmers Market site at 250 Sumner St. on Thursdays from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
“One of the main reasons we introduced the online Winter/Spring Farmers Market is because we want residents to be able to take advantage of their SNAP benefits and be able to buy healthy produce all year round,” said Market Manager Nancy Slamet. “That is something that we’re really trying to push again this year after a successful season last year.”
Slamet said SNAP customers get extra money through the Healthy Incentives Program, or HIP, to buy fruits and veggies at the market. Those who receive SNAP benefits are automatically enrolled in HIP, which allows Farmers Market customers to earn a dollar-for-dollar match on their EBT card when they buy fresh produce from a HIP-authorized vendor like the East Boston Farmers Market.
“For families of 1-2 people, you can earn up to $40 per month; for 3-5 people, up to $60 per month; for 6 and more people, up to $80 per month so we don’t want people to lose out on these benefits,” said Slamet.
Slamet said there will also be a limited number of Farmers Market coupons available throughout the season.
Aside from online shopping, Slamet said this year’s Winter/Spring Farmers Market will feature a “Thursday Mini-Market” series where customers can come to the 250 Sumner St. site and shop in-person.
The second Thursday Mini-Market will be this Thursday, December 9 and feature fresh fruits and veggies from longtime East Boston Farmers Market collaborator, Farmer Dave’s.
“Year after year, Farmer Dave’s is our biggest produce farmer and one of our longtime partners,” said Slamet. “So he’ll be down here on Sumner Street on Thursday for our live Mini-Market.”
Slamet said the other Thursday Mini-Market dates that have been scheduled are March 10, 2022; April 14, 2022; May 12, 2022; and June 9, 2022.
“We have the online ordering and pick-up option as well as the live Mini-Markets and hopefully by mid-February we will hopefully start offering deliveries,” said Slamet. “We are planning to partner with Eastie Farm on Sumner Street in order to provide this delivery service for customers.”
While the program hopes to boost participation among those receiving SNAP benefits, Slamet said she hopes more people living in Jeffries Point and the condos along the waterfront will take advantage of the Winter/Spring Farmers Market.
“It is open to all,” she said. “We’re really trying to bring on more customers that live in the area to help support these local farmers and keep the markets solvent.”
Slamet said customers should note that the market will be closed from December 17, 2021 to January 6, 2022 for a holiday break.
For more information contact Nancy Slamet at 617-568-4783 or [email protected].