Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] WIC & seniors programs & Davis CA vegetables

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Petersons family <petersns AT whidbey.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] WIC & seniors programs & Davis CA vegetables
  • Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:24:19 -0700

Mary and the list -
I enjoy selling to the folks who use WIC and senior coupons. I my experience, the WIC moms are often confused by vegetables and at first choose a fruit they recognize, but at least they are at a farmer's market and being exposed to real food. They branch out to trying vegetables pretty quickly. The seniors are some of the best customers, in that many of them know and value fresh produce. They remember eating out of gardens instead of eating fast food. Seniors can be picky, and they certainly insist on getting their money (coupon)'s worth. Even better, they frequently are brought to market by a son, daughter, daughter-in-law, or caregiver and that person is also introduced to the market and fresh vegetables. Our markets are usually a great entertainment source too, with music, dancing (the Morris Men come next Saturday) and lots of kids playing. I like seeing older people out having a good time at market and I like knowing that low income people have a chance to enjoy the organic produce I bring. Some days I cringe when I see that our parking lot is full of new Volvos, BMWs and Mercedes Benzs. I'm glad everyone gets to try the produce this way.
The only negative of the coupons is signing each and every one of those $2 slips, and dealing with the bank if you forget to sign one. But that's minor.

And thanks to the helpful people who responded about finding real vegetables in Davis, California. My daughter says really most of her purchases were great - she mentioned a pepper and some bok choi and lots of fruit that we don't have - but she did wonder about the cuke.
Molly Petersons
Molly's Island Garden
Whidbey Island, WA
On Sep 18, 2007, at 9:13 AM, Mary Shepherd wrote:

<x-tad-smaller>After hearing about the good, the bad and the ugly about WIC and senior programs from the manager of my local farmers market and from reading the comments on market-farming, I realize I need to know a lot more before writing an article about the use and abuse of the coupons and/or debit cards. I would welcome opinions from any of the parties involved in the transactions – governing body (state), vendor, buyer.</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller> </x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>Mary Shepherd, Editor</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>Farmers' Markets Today</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>800-959-3276, ext 8</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>mshepherd AT cfu.net</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>www.FarmersMarketsToday.com</x-tad-smaller>
<x-tad-smaller>********************************************</x-tad-smaller>
_______________________________________________
Market-farming mailing list
Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page