Farmer's Market is back on the menu

With the Spring season firmly in her place, Winter well behind her, and Summer waiting patiently in the wing, exciting things are once again upon us. Not the least of which is the well-loved Farmer’s Market! Beginning again on Derby Day, May 4, it will run every Saturday through mid-October. As usual, it will be held under the pavilion at the entrance of Flat Run Veterans Park on 364 Oddville Avenue in Cynthiana.

The Farmer’s Market can be a microcosm of the town in which it resides, showing off the people within it and all they have to offer, both in product and character. You will find not only fruits, vegetables and crafts, but partnership and community.

At the helm of the Farmer’s Market is Arie Mars who, in addition to secretary Lisa Hurst, has done a wonderful job getting things going. “The work should be accredited to [Arie],” spoke Hurst, who detailed just how much work Mars put into the Market not just this year, but last year as well. “There’s no telling how many hours she put into getting SNAP up and running.”

SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is one of several benefits offered at the Farmer’s Market, along with WIC (Women, Infants, Children program) and Senior benefits.

“If you have WIC or SNAP, we double that through Double Dollars,” Hurst explained. You can get “twice as much [fresh produce] from the market as you would the grocery.”

But it isn’t just to maximize your benefits that they have done all of this. “We’re trying to offer healthier food options,” said Hurst. And if you’re looking to improve the quality of the foods in your diet while taking a smaller punch to your wallet, then the Farmer’s Market is the answer.

The Farmer’s Market is about as fruitful a program as any town can have, if supported. It helps people in the ways that matter most when it comes to food: health and budget. If those things matter to you when making a grocery list, consider stopping by Flat Run Veterans Park on Saturdays this spring through early fall.