The Bidwell Farmer's Market and using SNAP

The Bidwell Farmer's Market - Two large sweet onions, five jalapenos, six large tomatoes, 6 peaches, 8 oz. of dill, 3 lb. zucchini, 3 pale green squash, 3 large cucumbers, and 2 sticks of homemade pasture raised heritage pork chorizo sausages. All 20 pounds of food was purchased with $15 worth of SNAP credit plus $6 worth of free SNAP coupons!

SNAP and Farmer's Markets - "As demand for wireless service grew and as the technology evolved, the farmers' market wireless EBT project continued to expand to new cities and more farmers. In 2005, the pilot changed focus from providing terminal access to individual farmers to providing terminal access to market managers. Under this new paradigm, markets are authorized under FNS to be food stamp agents. They are able to "sell" EBT tokens (specially designed wooden tokens) that can be used with any vendor in the market selling food stamp eligible products. Farmers are able to accept the tokens, same as cash, but with no change back, and then redeem them with the market manager at day's end." 

At the Bidwell Farmer's Market when you exchange for tokens, you receive 2 extra for every $5 worth of tokens you purchase, thus allowing anyone with an EBT card to increase their options for purchasing local, seasonal and organic products. But this market is not the only one that participates with SNAP. Go to this website to find markets close to home that will take your card and you too can commit to a life of local, seasonal, and organic.