Boalsburg Farmers Market seek administrator to implement key USDA grant

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 10/21, 2014 at 08:42 AM

The activities funded by the grant will serve as a test of ways to increase the consumption of local food in general. The local chapter of Buy Fresh Buy Local will submit a grant application next year drawing upon the results of the Boalsburg Market’s experience to expand the program to include all of Centre County’s farmers markets. According to Boalsburg Market Co-Manager Tony Sapia of Gemelli Bakers, “We are proud to be a prototype program for all farmers markets in Centre County. We will be in a position to undertake a more ambitious program to help all of our farmers markets thrive in the next few years.”

Presently, no Centre County farmers market accepts SNAP benefits. The grant will establish a system for allowing SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase fresh local products. The cooking demonstrations that will be conducted will help all patrons of the market learn new ways to prepare the local vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meat available at the market.

The grant will enable the market to expand its school outreach programs. It has already participated in nine “Farmer Comes to School” presentations in local elementary schools, and will now be able to go to middle schools. It will also conduct “food safety and food preparation” in-school programs for older students in local schools and continue its support of school gardens at Grays Woods and Mt. Nittany Elementary.

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