First 5 was the initiator of the Farmer’s market (with assistance from Marilyn Marsh-WIC) in 2006.
They learned that WIC Farmers Market dollars ($20k +) were not coming into Madera County, but rather going to other counties because Madera County did not have Certified Farmers’ Market. They run the farmer’s market from 2006 until 2016.
During summer 2019, Madera Community Hospital Foundation in partnership with County of Madera Health Department, re-established the farmers Market. We assist our farmer’s to get their producers certificate, WIC permit and through the whole process to become part of our farmers market vendors.
2022 goals:
• Increase local access to affordable, healthy food in our community.
• Continue supporting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs.
• Maximize WIC vouchers redemption.
• Support our local farmers.
• Promote local agencies and organizations resources.
• Bring the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program.
• Promote our Farmer’s Market.
We offer fresh fruit and vegetables to our community.
Payments accepted are cash, EBT card, WIC vouchers, and hopefully this year we will be able to receive the senior vouchers as well.
Our great team will be promoting the market, on radio, social media, posters, flyers, and a billboard located on highway 99 near gateway and ave 16.
- Challenges 2021:
-Retain and recruit farmers. Our Market is small farmer’s prefer to go to bigger towns or cities.
-Covid-19 restrictions. Covid limited the amount of people we could have in our marker.
-Improve sales. This was related to covid as well. We couldn’t advertised market as we should’ve due to covid restrictions.
Accomplishments 2021:
-Market Match Grant.
(For every dollar you spend of CalFresh you get and additional dollar of Market
Match up to daily maximum. $10 dollars in our market)
- Increase variety of products offered. (We recruited more farmers)
2021 sells:
Market Match & SNAP:
$8,710.00
WIC:
61.70% Vouchers redemption.
$15,722.00
Total Sales $24,432.00
Madera Ca. is a small community, most of the population is Latino. we had many indigenous languages.
Our farmers market is hosted at Madera community hospital. MCH Doctors & employees enjoy coming out to buy fresh fruit.
Our priority is to offer affordable access to fresh fruit and vegetables to the community, promote healthy eating and improve nutrition, while we support our local farmers.
MCH Foundation is a non-profit organization. They don’t make a dime out of Farmers Market. They would like to have some income to offer incentives or do more for the community.
Share what’s great about this farmers market: