TAKE FIVE!

July 20, 2021

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Hello, I’m Meaghan Mullally-Gorr. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents… Take 5! Our guest today is Melinda Meddaugh, the “Ag and Food Systems Issue Leader” from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County. Welcome Melinda, thank you so much for joining us today!

Melinda Meddaugh:
Thank you for having me.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Can you tell us about the Sullivan Fresh Market Program, and how it’s going this year?

Melinda Meddaugh:
The Sullivan Fresh Market was started back in 2019 with the Mobile Farmer’s Market Program, along with the Monticello Farmer’s Market. We go out to different communities in Sullivan County with the mission of “getting fresh fruits and vegetables out to residents in the area, especially food desert communities”. And we use this van that’s right behind me, our Sullivan Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Market. And we go out every Wednesday and Thursday through the summer to Wurtsboro, Loch Sheldrake, Liberty, and South Fallsburg. And new for this year as part of the markets, we do have some dairy that we get from some local farms, includes milk and yogurt along with eggs from Brey’s Egg Farm. And then we also operate the Monticello Farmer’s Market and that’s every Monday. We do have the van there as well, but we also work with local farms for them to sell their produce at the Market. So basically, the mission is to get fresh fruits and vegetables out into the community, and at the same time, we’re helping support our local farmers: we’re buying all the products from primarily Sullivan County farms. There are some fruits that we have to get from outside the area.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Could we backtrack just for one second: you use the term “food desert”. So for somebody who doesn’t know what that is, could you describe it really quick?

Melinda Meddaugh:
A “food desert” is where there is a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables. There’s a few food deserts in Sullivan County: Monticello is one of them. There is one in Liberty, and different spots in Fallsburg. I think there was a desert in Wurtsboro, but I think that has changed. So that’s where we come in with the van.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Can you talk about the Sullivan Fresh Markets, the Market on the Move Mobile Van, and how people can shop at these markets?

Melinda Meddaugh:
When we started this, we were considered a “Mobile Farmer’s Market”, and it was really important to accept the different incentive programs that are out there. New York State and the federal government have a few programs, which people may be familiar with, and we accept all forms of those payments. So in addition to credit card and cash, there are a few programs that people participate in. One that you might be hearing a lot about now is with the Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, and that’s operated under the Office for the Aging. We partnered with the Office for the Aging to help get these coupons out at the markets. And they are only good for fruits and vegetables at qualifying farmer’s markets, which in addition to our markets, there are other markets in the county that do accept them as well. Qualifying seniors receive a booklet of $20 to spend throughout the season. There is also a General Farmer’s Market Nutrition Coupon Program that we accept , and that’s offered through WIC at Sun River Health. And then specific to our Markets and the Liberty Farmer’s Market, there is a program operated in connection to SNAP EBT. Also new this year, we received funding for the Double Up Food Bucks program where we will match dollar for dollar, your SNAP dollars at the market. So for every $2 you spend, you get another $2 token. And then in addition to that, we participate in the New York State Fresh Connect Program. So every $5 you spend at the market, you get a $2 coupon. So essentially you can come see me at the. Market, and I’ll spike your EBT card for $4 and you’ll get $10 to spend at our Sullivan Fresh Mobile Farmer’s Markets, at our Monticello Farmer’s Market with our stand, and then also at the local farms. And then as I mentioned before, Liberty Farmer’s Market accepts these programs as well. We just started this program in early July, and it’s really helping people, especially seniors in the Monticello area who may not have transportation. They can come to our Market and get the fresh fruits and vegetables that they really enjoy. And also, they can meet the farmers who grow the food.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
What is the Market Schedule this summer?

Melinda Meddaugh:
We have a full schedule this summer! Our mobile farmer’s market operates on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wednesdays, we are open at the Public Health Building in Liberty, from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Then we pack up and head on over to Loch Sheldrake, at the corner of Route 52 and Hasbrouck Road. We’re there from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM. On Thursdays, we’re in Wurtsboro, right on Main Street by the Community Church of Wurtsboro. We’re there from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. And then we head over to South Fallsburg and we park outside the Town Hall from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. And that’s our Mobile Farmer’s Market stops. And then the Monticello Farmer’s Market is every Monday from 10:30 AM until 1:00 PM. And that is right outside the Government Center, over at the Ted Stroebele Community Center. We’re partnered with the Village of Monticello on that. What’s really nice, especially about the Monticello Farmer’s Market, is we have different partner organizations that we work with. So you can come to the Market and learn about different recipes, tasting demos and food safety. You can learn what it takes to qualify to register for SNAP. We have a civic partner Office for the Aging, so they’re going to be at the Market next week, along with our Caregiver Resource Center too. You can come shop and you can come out and learn a lot about our different partner agencies and what they are doing.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
How can people stay in touch and up to date about what’s going on at each of the Markets?

Melinda Meddaugh:
We have everything on our website: www.SullivanCCE.org. The information is right on our homepage under Sullivan Fresh. And then we also have an active social media presence through Facebook and Instagram, and especially with our Facebook: if we are having any special events, for examle: a tasting demo, that will be posted on our Facebook page. So that’s under ‘Sullivan Fresh’ as well.

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Is there anything else that you’d like to share today?

Melinda Meddaugh:
I’d like to encourage you to get out to the markets! It’s a great thing to do: get some fresh air and meet your farmers! The first week of August is National Farmer’s Market Week. So in addition to our Markets, we’ll be having different things going on at the other farmer’s markets too. So even if you’re not in the Monticello, Liberty or Fallsburg areas, please try to get out to any of the other wonderful farmer’s markets!

Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Thank you so much for joining me today, Melinda, and thank you to CCE for all of their efforts in Sullivan County, and helping to make us a healthier community. Thank you again.