Tuscaloosa Providing Mobile Farmer's Market Through September

Some Tuscaloosa residents will now have increased access to fresh produce as the city moves forward with its Pop-Up Farmer's Market initiative. Debuting last week and made possible by federal grant money, the mobile farmer's market will make stops in five different neighborhoods once each weekday.

The city of Tuscaloosa — who is heading up the effort — said in a press release that funding for the program was awarded through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. The city says the market will support 70 direct vendors and will be anchored around three local farms: Belle Meadow, Norris and Hale farms. The Pop-Up Market is expected to operate through September, weather permitting.

According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the city received $159,299 for its grant award, along with agreeing to match $55,602 toward the program. The city's application for the program says it will also increase access to healthy food options for economically-disadvantaged neighborhoods by increasing access to farmer's markets that will also serve as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pickup locations where patrons can pick-up online produce purchases.

City Venues Operations Manager Alexis Clark expressed her team's excitement for the program in a statement as the USDA grant will be used to ultimately expand the capabilities of the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market, which also remains on its normal Saturday schedule at the Tuscaloosa River Market.

“The River Market is a great central location that will continue to provide fresh fruits and vegetables on Saturdays, but having these additional Pop-Up Markets around the city Monday through Friday will make local produce even more accessible to our citizens,” Clark said.

The mobile farmer's market will accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) payments.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox also praised the Pop-Up concept, saying everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food.

“We are very pleased to have this opportunity to expand accessibility to the Farmer’s Market throughout our City and to continue to grow our support of local farmers,” he said in a media release.

Those with questions about the Pop-Up Farmer's Market are asked to call Tuscaloosa 311.

The following locations will be stops for the Pop-Up Farmer's Market from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the corresponding days:

• Mondays: McDonald Hughes Community Center, 3101 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
• Tuesdays: Harmon Park, 2901 Greensboro Ave.
• Wednesdays: Annette N. Shelby Park, 1614 15th St.
• Thursdays: McAbee Activity Center, 3901 Loop Road.
• Fridays: The Gateway Innovation and Discovery Center, 2614 University Blvd. E.