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Date: 3/31/2021
HILLTOWNS – The Hilltown Mobile Market organizers are making plans for the 2021 season of weekly stops in Blandford and Huntington on Fridays, and in Cummington and Worthington on Thursdays, bringing fresh, local and affordable produce to residents, beginning on July 21 for 12 weeks.
“What we’re doing is we’re taking produce from eight to 10 local farms. They all have their own farm stands, and this is a way to bring it to people. By aggregating, there’s more variety,” said Kate Bavelock, director of community programs for the Hilltown Community Development Corporation.
A limited number of farm shares are available for the mobile market that supports the farms upfront, and guarantees shareholders a share of the week’s harvest.
The 12-week farm share sales began April 1. Last year, the 20 shares per town quickly sold out, so the mobile market is increasing the number this year to 30 shares per town.
The share costs $15 per week, with a sliding scale available that is also eligible for Healthy Incentives Program reimbursements.
The share consists of approximately five items chosen each week from the market stand and is designed for senior and small households (larger households were welcome to sign up for more than one).
To purchase a farm share, go to hilltownmobilemarket.info.
Customers without a farm share may also shop for produce at the “veggie van” using cash, credit, SNAP, HIP, WIC and Senior FMNP Coupons.
In its second year in 2020, the mobile food market collaborated with nine participating hilltown farms, averaged 115 weekly customers, and sold $20,936 of local produce, increasing fresh food consumption in the hilltowns by 39 percent.
Farms participating in the 2020 Hilltown Mobile Market included Berniche Blueberry Farm (Chesterfield), Clark Brothers Orchard (Ashfield), Crabapple Farm (Chesterfield), Four Corners Farm (Worthington), Good Bunch Farm (Charlemont), Hart Farm (Conway), Hickory Hill Farm (Worthington), Intervale Farm (Westhampton) and Sawyer Farm (Worthington).
This program is a collaboration between Healthy Hampshire, the Hilltown Food Council and Hilltown Community Development.
The Hilltown Mobile Market is guided by the work of the Hilltown Food Council and made possible with grants from Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Collaborators include: Healthy Hampshire, Hilltown CDC, Hilltown Community Health Centers, Hilltown Food Council, Hilltown Food Pantry, Northern Hilltown COA Consortium, Huntington COA, Blandford COA and Chester COA.