Petersburg residents, age 60 and up, may be eligible to receive free produce, herbs
PETERSBURG — River Street Market announced they are participating in Virginia's Farm Market Fresh for older adults program. Senior citizens who reside in Petersburg may be eligible to receive $50 worth of farmers market vouchers to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and fresh-cut herbs from approved vendors.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition federal and state program administered by the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services is offered in certain areas of the Commonwealth. Farmers who provide the produce are certified by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
At this time, River Street Market has four farmers that accept vouchers: All Good Things Farm Market of Dinwiddie, Healing Hope Urban Gardens of Petersburg, Herb-N-Spice Soaps of Emporia and Hill Crest Farm of Warsaw.
Senior Farmers Market Nutrition program
Benefit checks are provided to qualifying seniors to purchase locally grown produce. To qualify to receive 10 $5 vouchers the following statements must be true:
60 years of age or older
Resident of locality that participates in program
Marketgoer does not live in the same household and is not an immediate family member of the farmer who grows the produce
Program’s income requirements are met [applicant must certify his/her household income]
To find out if you are eligible to receive free produce/fresh-cut herbs, visit River Street Market on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. - noon. Vouchers are issued to eligible participants through September 30 and can be redeemed through November 18. Once issued, vouchers may be presented to authorized Farm Market Fresh farmers/vendors at River Street Market or any other participating farmers markets.
Currently, there are 233 authorized farmers across the state of Virginia, according to Kelly Wright, Nutrition Program Coordinator with Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
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Which foods are eligible?
Vegetables such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, greens, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, edible pumpkins, root vegetables, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes and mushrooms
Fruit such as apples, berries, melons, nectarines, peaches and pears
Cut herbs such as basil, dill, parsley, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme
Which foods are not eligible?
Edible Flowers
Honey
Preserved products such as jam, jelly, apple butter, apple cider, juice, pickles and relishes
Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, pecans and products made from nuts
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit or tangerines
Tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapple and mangoes
Animal products such as meats, poultry, eggs, cheeses, milk, ice cream and dairy products
Baked goods such as bread, cakes, pies and cookies
Plants such as flowers, bedding plants and potted herbs
Produce purchased from other retailers for resale
Dried herbs or teas
Produce not grown in Virginia
Applications may be submitted each year and are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit vda.virginia.gov for a list of participating markets and to learn more about the program as well as how to become an authorized Farm Market Fresh farmer/vendor.
River Street Market located at 30 River St. in Old Towne Petersburg is open year-round on Saturdays from 9 a.m. - noon. Visit riverstreetmarket.com for more information.
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg residents 60 and older may be eligible to get free produce