Farm to Fork: Spring Valley Farmers' Market—First in County to Accept SNAP/EBT

Know what garlic snapes or Mediterranean zuchinis look like? Go to the newly-opened Spring Valley Farmers' Market to buy them for a great price and find out how to cook and prepare these unique vegetables.

The opened Wednesday, July 6 with plenty of fresh produce and a new feature. This farmers' market is the first and only market to accept state issued Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, the electronic delivery method for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—aka the Food Stamp Program.

The market will have an EBT booth all season with representatives from the Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) available to answer questions in English or Spanish and give out information and recipes.

"The produce is fresh and picked the day before," said Michelle Kleinman, a registered dietician and public health nutritionist from the RCDOH. "It doesn't get any more fresh than that unless you grow it yourself and the prices here are very reasonable."

Located at the corner of Route 45 and North Church Street in Spring Valley, it runs every Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. rain or shine through Nov. 16.

SNAP recipients simply need to swipe their card by the terminal operator at the EBT booth for their desired dollar amount and receive that amount in EBT tokens in return. Tokens will be issued in $1 increments for use with participating vendors throughout the farmers’ market.

"We bring fresh produce to the underserved," said Sandra Hernandez, an EBT booth operator. The two markets that were there opening day were Glebocki Farm from Goshen and Alex's Tomato Farm all the way from Carlisle, NY, which is about 160 miles north of Spring Valley.

"And you get to talk directly to the farmers. You don't have that at the supermarkets," said Kleinman.

Eligible items include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Meats
• Fish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• Baked goods
• Jams and jellies
• Honey
• Vegetable plants
• Potted herbs

SNAP is a federally funded program delivering monthly benefits to 28 million Americans nationwide, according to the Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH).

In 2010, about 10 percent of Rockland residents received SNAP benefits. Now, Rockland Food Stamp recipients can increase their access to locally grown and locally produced food items with the Spring Valley Farmers’ Market's participation in the SNAP/EBT Program.

Behind this farmers' market is:

• Community Markets, the operator of the Spring Valley Farmers’ Market: (914) 923-4837
• Village of Spring Valley
• Rockland County Department of Health's new initiative called "Healthy Places to Live, Work, and Play."