Forsyth Farmers’ Market Takes Food Stamps

The Forsyth Farmers’ Market is in its getting bigger each week.  It’s where the local farmers who used to sell their produce in the Starland District are now setting up tables and serving up yummy fruits, veggies and much more.

As News 3’s Randi Hempel explains, the crowds are getting bigger and more diverse as everyone is in search of quality food to put on their dinner table.

Eugene Monts talks to a customer about the price of all of the produce she’s purchasing.  Monts drives all the way from Fort White, near Gainsville, Florida to sell his fresh grown produce.

“I had cancer, colon cancer and it made me concentrate on the foods that I eat and the things that I drink so I in return would like for the public to be aware of what they eat and know that when they buy from us that they’re eating organically grown produce, no chemicals, no insecticides, no pesticides and natural fertilizer,“ explains Eugene Monts of Monts Produce, also SAAFON, Southeastern African-American Farmers Organic Network.

It’s Monts’ fourth week at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market, which moved to the park for the shade, the central location and making the produce more available to more people.

“Its more about being out here to make a dollar.  I enjoy seeing the smile on their face.  I enjoy seeing it when they come purchase something that they like,” adds Monts.

There are usually about 11 vendors here in Forsyth Park for the Farmers’ Market each Saturday.  And, they’re making it easy for every income level in our community to buy the fresh grown produce.

“We are able to take food stamps here, so we have a token exchange where you can use your EBT, debit or credit card and shop with the tokens and then we reimburse the farmer, so that we’re really trying to make good fresh food available to everyone and you know from the farmer’s standpoint that’s a great thing because they want as many shoppers as can come and so if we are able to take different kinds of payment, then more people can shop,” explains Kristin Russell, a member of the Savannah Local Food Collaborative.

“People have to eat, regardless of how you pay for it, or when you pay for it, you definitely have to eat.  So, for people to come, to be able to spend their food stamp, their EBT or whatever the case might be, It helps us because it doesn’t restrict them,” continues Monts.

There’s more than just food at the Forsyth Farmers’ Market.  On every second Saturday, they have a health pavilion with free lectures and screenings.

Today’s lecture was on hurricane preparedness and there were blood pressure, diabetes and other screenings.
 
Here at WSAV, we’re On Your Side with more information on the Forsyth Farmers’ Market which is held every Saturday, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.  Click here for their website.