Farmers Market Prepares for 2023 Season with New Locations, Continues SNAP EBT Double Bucks Program
Ben Geiger of Garden Window Farm of Denton, NC and other vendors of fresh, local produce and other local foods are meeting Monday, March 13 to plan the 2023 farmers market season in Davidson County.{Contributed photo}
The Lexington Farmers Market will sign up new and returning vendors for the 2023 farmers market season an its annual spring organizing meeting on Monday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Davidson County Cooperative Extension Auditorium. Anyone interested in vending at locations managed by the Lexington Farmers Market is encouraged to attend.
Farmers, food producers, and artisan crafters must be based in Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Rowan, Randolph or Montgomery counties to participate in the Lexington Farmers Market. Vendors must grow, make, bake or create what they sell with few exceptions.
In addition to Saturday mornings at the Depot at 129 S. Railroad Street in Lexington from May to October, the Lexington Farmers Market will also hold markets at Weathervane Winery on selected Sunday afternoons and behind Conrad and Hinkle Food Market on selected Wednesday mornings this summer.
The Lexington Farmers Market is also negotiating with the owners of Parkway Plaza near I-85 for a new Tuesday night outdoor farmers market location near Planet Fitness. Those negotiations should be completed within the next month and additional details will be forthcoming then.
“We’ve worked really hard over the last several years to take our local food scene to a whole new level. We want to create even more convenient access for Davidson County residents to experience all the benefits of fresh and local foods,” says Kivi Miller, president of the Lexington Farmers Market, of the interest in creating new farmers market locations.
This year, the Lexington Farmers Market will also continue its “double bucks” program for recipients of SNAP EBT benefits. For every SNAP dollar spent at the farmers market, the Lexington Farmers Market will provide tokens worth two dollars to spend with vendors, up to $20 per day. “The pandemic supply chain issues made local foods much more cost competitive, but the double bucks program is another way to help ensure that everyone, regardless of income, can enjoy fresh and local food,” says Miller.
Last year, due to grant requirements, the double bucks program was limited to fruits and vegetable purchases. This year, the Lexington Farmers Market raised funds through its Farm Fest event in October 2022 and other sources to expand the program to all SNAP-eligible foods including meat, eggs, dairy, and baked goods.
To use SNAP EBT, customers should see the market manager on duty to swipe their cards. Customers will receive wooden tokens in return that food vendors will accept as payment. With the double bucks program, if a customer swipes their SNAP EBT card for $20 with the market manager, they will receive $40 in tokens to spend.
To learn more about becoming a vendor, visit https://www.lexingtonfarmersmarketnc.com/ and click on “Sell at the Market.” You can also follow the Lexington Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram at @lexingtonfarmersmarketnc.
Davidson County Farmers Market Opening Dates
Thomasville Farmers Market April 22, 2023
The Depot in Lexington May 6, 2023
Weathervane Winery May 21, 2023
Behind Conrad & Hinkle June 14, 2023
