Opening day of the Oak Park Farmers Market is still three weeks away but the three-year-old market is already tempting me with at least three reasons to switch my farmers market shopping day from Sunday to Saturday starting May 5. Reason 1: Site improvements. The market site in McClatchy Park at 35th St. and 5th Ave. has been spruced up for its 2012 opening, with improvements like concrete walkways, granite paving for vendor stalls, landscaping, shade trees and benches. Reason 2: Dollar-for-dollar food stamp match. Market customers can use their EBT cards to purchase tokens that are redeemable for purchases from market vendors. Thanks to a contribution from Rabobank, the farm-friendly le

ELK GROVE, CA – February marked the beginning of the CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) processing booth at the Laguna Gateway Farmers’ Market. Alchemist Community Development Corporation (CDC) has been offering this service at other Sacramento County farmers’ markets since September 2011. Fresh, healthy food is difficult to come by in some parts of the greater Sacramento area, where a dearth of grocery stores can create a so-called “food desert,” or the price of produce at stores can be high enough to drive people toward readily available unhealthy options. Farmers’ markets can provide accessibility to more affordable produce, especially when purchased seasonally or in bulk, which

Editor's Note:  Edits have been made to this article after publication.    The crisp morning air fills with the aroma of California grown fruits and vegetables as farmers unload trucks filled with their freshly picked bounty. Locally produced meat, egg and cheese vendors join the seasonal varieties of colorful produce. Alongside local farmers, the Alchemist Community Development Corporation (CDC), sets up shop to bridge two communities—an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer)/CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) project for qualifying low-income individuals. Since early autumn, the Alchemist CDC’s EBT/CalFresh project has enabled recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Now in its second season, the Oak Park Farmers Market provides neighborhood residents with fresh produce, live music and a sense of community, Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at McClatchy Park. The market was started by NeighborWorks Sacramento, an organization whose mission it is to strengthen communities and create opportunities for affordable housing. NeighborWorks has made it possible for vendors at the market to accept EBT payments, and, thanks to funding from the Sacramento Hunger Coalition, EBT recipients receive an extra market dollar for every dollar they spend there.  The Sacramento Press staff paid the Oak Park Farmer’s Market a visit on Saturday and was not disappointed. W