Almost every day of the week, a farmer near you is unloading crates of spinach and kale, setting out coolers of free-range chicken and grass-fed beef, and assembling tiny seedlings ready to be adopted by the curious and savvy farmers’ market shopper. Farmers’ market season is upon us in Hancock and Washington counties, and Healthy Acadia has assembled resources to help you find a farmers’ market or farmstand near you, including those that accept SNAP, WIC, and Maine Harvest Bucks so that you can make the most of your benefits.
In Hancock County, Ellsworth Farmers’ Market (Saturday mornings on Main Street), Blue Hill Farmers’ Market (Saturday mornings at the Fairgrounds), Bucksport Farmers’ Market (Thursdays 1-3 p.m. at 99 Main Street), and Stonington Farmers Market (Fridays 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Island Community center) each accepts SNAP, WIC, and Maine Harvest Bucks. Eden Farmers’ Market in Bar Harbor, on Sunday mornings on 21 Park Street, is open for the season and will roll out SNAP authorization in early June. The Eden market will also begin enrollment soon for a pilot version of Senior FarmShare through which eligible seniors can receive $50 to spend on produce from any farmer at the market.
To use your benefits in Washington County, head over to Machias Marketplace, which will be moving from its current location at 291 Main Street to 167 Dublin Street in late June. SNAP and Farm Fresh Rewards are accepted at Machias Marketplace, open Thursdays through Saturdays. Rime nor Reason Farm in Charlotte also accepts SNAP, WIC, and Maine Harvest Bucks; they are open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning in July. You can use your WIC benefits at a number of farms and farmers’ markets in Washington County: look for vendors displaying a “WIC accepted here” sign at the Milbridge Farmers’ Market, Machias Farmers’ Market, and Calais Farmers’ Market.
Beyond Hancock and Washington counties, the Hampden and Belfast Farmers’ Markets each accept SNAP, WIC, and Maine Harvest Bucks. And across Hancock and Washington counties, many farm stands are authorized to accept SNAP and WIC. Visit https://healthyacadia.org/hffa-fm to learn more about the farms and farmers’ markets in your area, and how you can use your benefits to eat locally.
Healthy Acadia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that engages in a broad range of initiatives to build healthier communities and make it easier for people to lead healthy lives across Washington and Hancock counties, Maine. Learn more at www.healthyacadia.org.
