Farmers Market Flash Toolkit

A Toolkit Designed to Increase SNAP/EBT Participation at Farmers Markets

1 Photo by Shannon Bachtel

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................2 The Farmers Market Flash Project...................................................................................... 2 Farmers Market SNAP Program ......................................................................................... 2 EBT Incentive Program....................................................................................................... 2

About this Toolkit......................................................................................................4 Who is the Intended Audience? ......................................................................................... 4 Why Promote SNAP/EBT at Farmers Markets? ................................................................... 4 How this Toolkit is Structured ............................................................................................ 5

Social Marketing Campaign .......................................................................................6 What is Social Marketing? ................................................................................................. 7 The Marketing Mix ............................................................................................................ 7 Farmers Market Flash Social Marketing Campaign Overview .............................................. 8 Traditional Marketing ........................................................................................................ 9 Planning a Social Marketing Campaign ............................................................................... 9 Determining Content ....................................................................................................... 10 Designing Your Marketing Materials ................................................................................ 11 Social Media Engagement ................................................................................................ 11 Print Materials ................................................................................................................ 11

Signage at the Market ............................................................................................. 13 Why Signage is Important ................................................................................................ 14 Navigational Signage ....................................................................................................... 14 i

Effective Signage ............................................................................................................. 15

Community Partners ............................................................................................... 16 Working with SNAP-Ed Contractors ................................................................................. 17 Working with Human & Social Service Providers .............................................................. 18 Resources for Human & Social Service Providers .............................................................. 18 Food From Farms............................................................................................................. 20 Washington State Farmers Market Association ................................................................ 20

Skagit PICKS .................................................................................................................... 20

Working with an Arts Community ........................................................................... 21 Partner with a Local Art Museum..................................................................................... 22 Planning an Art Lesson .................................................................................................... 22 Recipe Cards with Children’s Artwork .............................................................................. 23 Children’s Art Walk.......................................................................................................... 23

“Flash” Culinary Classes .......................................................................................... 25 Coordinating Sites ........................................................................................................... 27 Facilitating a Flash Class................................................................................................... 28 Outreach Education Staff ................................................................................................. 29 Challenges in Flash Class Delivery .................................................................................... 30 Lessons Learned .............................................................................................................. 30

Market Technical Assistance & Training ................................................................... 31 Communicating Food Access Programs to Vendors .......................................................... 32 EBT Clerk ......................................................................................................................... 33 EBT Clerk Training............................................................................................................ 33

EBT/SNAP Customer Service.................................................................................... 34 Communicating Food Access Programs to SNAP Customers.............................................. 35 ii

Working with Diverse Audiences ..................................................................................... 35

Welcoming New SNAP Shoppers...................................................................................... 36

Farmers Market Activities ....................................................................................... 37 Cooking Demonstrations ................................................................................................. 38 Market Tours................................................................................................................... 40 Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt ...................................................................................... 43 Art Activities with a Local Art Museum ............................................................................ 44

Implications/Limitations ......................................................................................... 45 Outreach to Families with Children .................................................................................. 45 Outreach to Seniors ......................................................................................................... 45

Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 46 Project Results ................................................................................................................ 46 Lessons Learned .............................................................................................................. 46

Appendix ................................................................................................................ 47

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Acknowledgements We would like to thank the peer review committee for their input on the development of this toolkit including Kate Smith of WSU Skagit County Extension, Diane Smith of WSU Skagit County Extension, Rita Ordonez of Birdsign Consulting and Washington DOH FINI, Jeronimo Squires of Food From Farms and Betty Sequin of the Concrete Saturday Market.

We would also like to acknowledge and thank the seasonal Farmers Market Flash staff, volunteers, and program partners who helped make the Farmers Market Flash project come alive:  Farmers Market Flash staff for their commitment to the delivery of the program in the community.

Staff included Janna Taylor, Susan Gustafson, Sage Petrin, Tina Shibley, Katherine Laitsch, Kaylee Wells and Rachel Dahl.  Western Washington University Community Health Program for designing the social marketing campaign.  Erica Lamson for her ongoing commitment to the evaluation of the project.  Elizabeth Bird for her phenomenal graphic design skills.  The Museum of Northwest Art, Community Action of Skagit County, the Skagit Valley Farmers Market Coalition, the Washington State Farmers Market Association, Washington State University Skagit County Extension Food Sense, and Food From Farms for their ongoing partnership and support.

This project was made possible thanks to the funding provided by the U.S Department of Agriculture Farmers Market SNAP Support Grant (FMSSG) under award number FMSSG-511944071.

Shannon Bachtel Farmers Market Flash Coordinator Washington State University Skagit County Extension

Supporting Partners

This project is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number FMSSG-1511944071. WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local WSU Extension office.

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Introduction Washington State University (WSU) Skagit County Extension engages people, organizations and communities to advance economic well-being and quality of life by connecting them to the knowledge base of the university and by fostering inquiry, learning, and the application of research. WSU Skagit County Extension has directed the Skagit Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) over the past 15 years in community settings where SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps) shoppers live, work, play, shop, eat, and learn. To promote the value of farmers markets as a community-based option to access local produce, Washington State University Skagit County Extension received a three-year Farmers Market SNAP Support Grant (FMSSG) in 2014 from the Food and Nutrition Services U.S Department of Agriculture to fund Farmers Market Flash (FMF). Farmers Market Flash was a pilot project aimed to promote the inclusive nature and unique accessibility of locally grown food available at four Skagit County farmers markets and increase SNAP transactions made with an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.

The Farmers Market Flash Project The FMF project strove to encourage SNAP-eligible seniors and families with children to shop at farmers markets in order to improve both social and nutritional health. Farmers Market Flash was designed as a vehicle to entice SNAP shoppers to frequent their local farmers market while familiarizing the consumer, market staff, vendors, and community partners with the benefits of shopping with SNAP at the market. The approach was multipronged, including 1) provide training and technical assistance to vendors and market staff on how to better facilitate EBT transactions, 2) promote SNAP participation through implementation of community-focused activities, and 3) promote the inclusive nature of farmers markets through a county-wide social marketing campaign. (See Figure 1.)

Farmers Market SNAP Program In order for SNAP customers to use their benefits at the market there are two options, 1) a farmers market will run a SNAP program, or 2) individual vendors will work to acquire a Point of Sale Machine (POS) to process EBT cards to run the transaction directly at their booth. If a market has a SNAP program, a POS machine run at a central terminal, generally located at the market information booth. A new or existing SNAP shopper goes to the info booth, asks the market volunteer/staff to charge their EBT card for the amount they wish to spend. Market tokens are issued and used as currency to purchase food from vendors selling any SNAP- eligible products. The following toolkit is based off lessons learned working with farmers markets that operate a SNAP program.

EBT Incentive Program An EBT incentive program gives SNAP shoppers additional market currency when they use their benefits at the farmers market. The amount of benefits a shopper takes out in EBT tokens is usually “matched” dollar for dollar up to a certain amount, usually around $10.00, per market day. Typically the “match” must be used to buy fruits and vegetables. A market may create its own incentive program or participate in one managed by an outside public or private agency. In Skagit County, farmers markets ran an EBT incentive program called “Double Up Bucks” with an unlimited match.

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Figure 1. Mind map visually representing the FMF approach.

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About This Toolkit This toolkit is designed to share the knowledge gained from three years of FMF programmatic activities and partnership with local entities to promote the utilization of SNAP benefits at farmers markets in Skagit County, WA. The work described in the toolkit suggests methods to mobilize SNAP recipients in local communities to shop at their nearby farmers market. This toolkit functions as a living document with lessons learned from the community. Though some strategies may not be transferable to all situations, this toolkit provides examples of models that can be tailored to meet the needs of other communities.

In this toolkit, you will find creative ideas for activities that focus on increasing participation of SNAP shoppers at farmers markets. Designed for communities with farmers markets that welcome EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer Card), this toolkit can help: Generate awareness that EBT is welcome at the market Generate awareness about the benefits of shopping with an EBT card at the market Increase SNAP participation at the market Provide markets with the knowledge and resources to support new and existing SNAP shoppers Promote inclusivity at the market Provide SNAP shoppers with the knowledge and resources to use their EBT at the market Provide community partners with the resources to promote EBT at the market

Who is the Intended Audience?

This toolkit is designed to help farmers markets and partnering organizations plan and implement activities which aim to bring more SNAP shoppers to the market, specifically families with children and seniors. The process starts with a farmers market committed to increasing access to fresh and local food and currently accepts EBT/SNAP. Committed partners, market members, and community members can then identify activities and work together to make them come alive. This toolkit provides innovative ideas and strategies to collaborate and engage others in the planning and implementation of activities to make a shared vision a

Why Promote SNAP/EBT at Farmers Markets?

In the last 10 years, the number of farmers markets nationally has increased by 86% from 4,685 in 2008 to over 8,727 in 2018 (Briggs et al., 2010). By accepting SNAP benefits farmers markets play a critical role in increasing access affordable fresh fruits and vegetables in low-income communities. In agriculture-rich communities with high food insecurity, farmers markets can provide a unique opportunity to circulate money in the local economy while improving the social and physical health of food-insecure households.

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Over the last 10 years, the number of farmers markets authorized as SNAP retailers increased by 283% with 753 markets accepting SNAP in 2008 to 2,884 in 2018 (Local Food Directories: National Farmers Market Directory). According to Kellegrew, in 2016 purchases made at farmers markets represented only 0.02% of total SNAP redemptions comes from purchases made at farmers markets. With a rise in the number of farmers markets accepting SNAP, there is a need for innovative strategies to increase SNAP participation.

How this Toolkit is Structured The FMF project took a multi-pronged approach to increase awareness and participation of SNAP/EBT at four farmers markets located in agriculture-rich communities. Each approach identified in the toolkit will include examples illustrating how the program was implemented, the target audience, as well as information needed to plan and implement similar activities in your community. Additionally, there will be commentary on lessons learned by FMF implementing in Skagit County, WA. The sections will be presented as follows:

Social Marketing Campaign Market Signage Community Partners Working with an Arts Community “Flash” Culinary Classes Market Technical Assistance & Training EBT/SNAP Customer Service Farmers Market Activities

Implications/Limitations Conclusion Appendix References 1) Briggs, Suzanne et al. 2010. Real Food, Real Choice: Connecting SNAP Recipients with Farmers Markets.

2) “Local Food Directories: National Farmers Market Directory.” National Farmers Market Directory, 15 Mar. 2019, www.nfmd.org.

3) Kellegrew, et al. 2018. Evaluating Barriers to SNAP/EBT Acceptance in Farmers Markets: A Survey of Farmers. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 1-14. doi:10.5304/jafscd.2018.081.010.

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Social Marketing Campaign

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Social Marketing Campaign What is Social Marketing?

Social marketing is the use of marketing techniques to promote socially beneficial behavior change. In recent years, the USDA and other governmental and nonprofit organizations have used social marketing to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as influence a wide variety of other preventative health behaviors (Coreil et al, 2000).

The Marketing Mix Social marketing can be a program planning process that applies commercial marketing concepts and techniques, namely “the marketing mix” to promote behavior change. Also known as the “Four Ps” of marketing, the marketing mix is a framework with key elements essential for the planning and implementation of a social marketing campaign. The Four Ps of marketing include: Product, Price, Place and Promotion (The 4P’s of Social Marketing”).

Product: Set of benefits associated with desired behavior change or service usage. Core product is what people gain when they perform the behavior. Actual product is the desired behavior. To determine the product, think about what your customers consider important. What are their aspirations, preferences, other desires or health needs?

Price: The cost or sacrifice exchanged for the benefits. Price in this way generally encompasses intangible costs such as embarrassment, loss of time, and perceived burdensomeness that can accompany change.

Place: Distribution of goods and location of service or behavior change. Place includes actual physical location, operating hours, general attractiveness and comfort, and accessibility (i.e. availability by public transportation). Place can also include organizations and/or people that can provide information, goods, services, and any other function that facilitates the change process.

Promotion: Persuasive communications used to convey product benefits and associated tangible objects and services, pricing strategies, and place components. Promotional strategy involves a carefully designed set of activities intended to influence change including 1) specific communication objectives, 2) guidelines for designing messaging that is effective and attention-grabbing, and 3) use of appropriate communication channels.

References 4) Coreil J, et al. 2000. Social and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage 5) “The 4 P’s of Social Marketing.” 26 Apr. 2019, www.orau.gov.

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Farmers Market Flash Social Marketing Campaign Overview The core product of the FMF social marketing campaign was to increase SNAP recipients’ sense of well-being, feelings of community connectedness, and pride in having fresh food. The actual product ultimately aimed for regular attendance among seniors and families with children at the farmers market, and further, the habitual use of SNAP/EBT to purchase fresh produce. The augmented products included the events on market day at each market (e.g., children’s art walk, cooking demos, scavenger hunt, and market tours). Farmers Market Flash activities took place at the participating farmers markets in Skagit County, WA. The price of this campaign revolved around transportation to and from the markets, costs of the fresh foods from the markets, and time to prepare fresh foods.

To reduce potential costs and increase benefits, the campaign promoted 1) the feeling of community that the farmers market offers (knowing the producers), and 2) the freshness, taste, and quality of farmers market foods especially compared to food banks. Pertaining to promotion, the message was delivered word of mouth by either a SNAP Ambassador or trusted member of the community. Promotion encouraged the target audience to use SNAP/EBT at the market, know how to use EBT and incentive programs, and believe going to the farmers market is a cost-effective option for purchasing produce and a way to engage with other community members. The products were promoted through advertising, word of mouth outreach, special events, social media and print materials. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. Visual representation of the marketing mix identified by social marketing students in Western Washington University's Community Health Program.

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Traditional Marketing How do you make sure that community members who do have SNAP benefits know that they can come to the farmers market and use them? In addition to social media advertising, traditional marketing avenues, such as newspaper and radio ads, bus ads, flyers and postcards are recommended. Combining these methods in a community outreach plan leaves an impression on those who are exposed to the messaging over time.

Delivering messages through multiple communication channels and in a variety of ways increases the likelihood that the target audience will act on those messages.

Planning a Social Marketing Campaign The design and development of a successful marketing campaign can take time, energy, and most of all, resources. When funds are limited, it can be challenging to wear the hat of a graphic designer with minimal guidance. One option is to partner with a local university, community college, or technical academy to recruit students who are studying graphic design or social marketing. In this case, FMF partnered with a Community Health Program at Western Washington University. In this class, students are assigned to a local organization to 1) develop a marketing plan, 2) design marketing materials to pilot test in the community, and 3)prepare the partner organization for implementation of the plan.

Steps to Planning a Social Market Campaign Formative Research – Gather information and data to develop a marketing plan for your campaign or strategy, and in doing so: 

Determine the target audience(s): Once you know your target audience(s), gather information on their demographics, readiness to change, related behaviors, values, social networks, and community assets related to the issue.

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Set objectives and goals: Set specific, measurable, achievable, relative, and timely (SMART) goals to provide structure and guidance. Determine your behavioral objectives, and, if you have them, determine your knowledge and belief objectives.

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Explore needs and wants of the audience(s): Explore your primary (and secondary, if appropriate) target audience’s needs and wants relative to your proposed campaign/strategy by using a survey and focus group(s). As you explore, consider: 

Barriers, benefits, and competition

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Needs and wants related to the problem/solution

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Knowledge, awareness, motivation, ability, and opportunity related to the problem/ solution

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Potential responsiveness to materials

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Craft a desired positioning: Determine how you want the target audience to view the determined behavior.

Tip: It is important to invite feedback from community members throughout the design and planning process to ensure that marketing materials are easy to read and understand. To create a brand for FMF that resonated with both seniors and families with children, it was necessary to pilot test the concept variations with small groups.

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Develop and Pretest a Strategic Marketing Mix – Using data and information collected in Steps 1 and 2, develop a strategic marketing mix including product, price, place, and promotion. Work to develop and understand the product, price, and place before you develop the promotional strategies.

Your promotional strategies may include: 

A Press Release

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Radio Public Service Announcements

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Bus Ads

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Poster/Flyers

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Social Media Posts

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Other tactics (e.g., posters, bumper stickers, bar coasters, TV ads, paycheck inserts, video) determined appropriate by your target audience, and secondary research

Determining Content Including appropriate content in a marketing campaign is crucial to the success of enacting behavior change.

When it comes to marketing SNAP/EBT at a market, there are necessary elements to include so that a potential SNAP shopper can move from contemplation to action (behavior change).

Essential items to include in marketing materials:  Market location  Market hours of operation  Length of market season (start and end date)  Bus route number(s), if available  Information of payment options including SNAP/EBT, Debit/Credit, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (WIC/Senior Checks), if applicable  Healthy eating messaging

Figure 3. Example of marketing material developed through the WSFMA Regional Leads Program to promote markets in Skagit County.

WSFMA worked with a local social marketing firm to design and develop a comprehensive rack card for farmers markets. Rack cards are tailored to advertise farmers markets in counties supported under the Regional Leads Program. (See Figure 3.) A full sample of the rack card can be found in the Appendix A. 10

Designing Your Marketing Materials Color schemes and fonts need to be carefully considered and should be the same across all promotional materials in your social marketing campaign. Consistency is key in marketing. Extensive research shows black, dark blue, or red text on a background of yellow or white is the most readable combination. Below we have a few more tips on what to consider when designing your marketing materials.

Design Tips: 

No more than 2 different fonts in a single promotional material (posters, bus ad, brochures, etc.)

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Identify a color palette with 2-5 colors for your campaign

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Keep objects and text in alignment

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Use contrasting colors, especially when emphasizing words

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Use a line (or two) between content to create a sense of order

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Leave enough room for negative space

Tip: When noting the acceptance of SNAP, include real life images of your state EBT card wherever possible.

Social Media Engagement Social media is an opportunity to tell your story, share news and information, and engage your local community. It is a low-cost method to focus your outreach on specific target audiences. Primary social media channels include Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Facebook was the primary channel that FMF used to reach target audiences. Facebook was used as a platform to not only share the benefits of using EBT at the market, but to also share tips on food preparation, selection, Tip: Boost Facebook posts to strengthen and storage. Recipes were also shared via Facebook to and target your social media engagement. highlight local produce available throughout the market Even $10 can help allow for posts to be season. Posts ranged from pictures and graphics to short more focused on a demographic based on videos and text. Visual content was used to enhance age, gender, proximity to the market, and messaging as it can have a more meaningful impression on friends of those who like your market’s users than words alone. Facebook posts were scheduled out Facebook page. in advance. Instructions can be found online how to schedule Facebook posts ahead of time.

Print Materials Print materials are the backbone to your marketing effort, because they can be strategically placed in locations around the community where the target audience may frequent. Print materials can be posted in community bulletin boards or placed in waiting rooms where community members can learn more about your market. Depending on what funds are available for print materials, consider strategies that will maximize reach without putting a strain on the budget. Consider bus ads or posters instead of postcards or rack cards that are taken individually. If there are funds available to spend on print materials, sending out direct mailers has been a successful strategy to recruit more SNAP/EBT shoppers to farmers markets. If direct mailers are an option, work with your local DSHS or Department of Health to coordinate how to reach SNAP participants within a certain proximity to where your market is located.

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Locations for Distributing Print Materials: 

Libraries

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WIC Clinic

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Food Banks

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Hospitals

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YMCA Childcare Centers

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Back to School Fairs

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DSHS Main Office

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Subsidized Housing

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Thrift Stores

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Mental Health Providers Office

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Faith Communities

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Counseling Centers

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Senior Centers

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Community Action Agency

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Head Start Centers

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Laundromats

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Parks & Rec Center

Bus Ads Bus ads can be a low-cost communication channel if there is an ability to post them for free. Farmers Market Flash partnered with the local transit to post print bus ads inside busses that has routes to Skagit County farmers markets. The only expense was to print the materials and drop them off to the main office for circulation in select busses throughout the farmers market season. The purpose of bus ads was two-fold, to inform community members about welcoming and fun activities hosted by FMF and the money saving power of the Double Up Bucks program when used in conjunction with SNAP/EBT at farmers markets. (See Figure 4.)

Figure 4. Bus advertisement developed by a group of social marketing students at a local university. This advertisement includes the original mascot for FMF used only in year 1 of the program.

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Signage at the Market

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Signage at the Market Why Signage at the Market is Important There is an upward trend to the appeal of local food and eating healthy. With major grocery stores and fast food restaurants marketing many of their products as “local”, “organic”, or “healthy”, consumers are becoming more aware of the buzzwords to look for when shopping. Many farmers markets in Washington State found that a segment of regular customers received SNAP benefits, and yet they were unaware of the ability to use or stretch their food dollars at the market. Clear navigational signage communicating that SNAP/ EBT was accepted at the market had positively influenced the number of SNAP transactions at Skagit County farmers markets. In 2017, four farmers markets in Skagit County assisted the University of Washington’s Center for Public Health Nutrition in administering a survey to SNAP shoppers visiting the booth to swipe their EBT card. Of the 245 new SNAP shoppers surveyed in 2017, 37% reported that they found out EBT cards could be used at the farmers market while shopping at the farmers market. This finding demonstrated that rather than focusing solely on marketing strategies to mobilize new SNAP shoppers to come to the market, efforts made to develop clearer signage can also generate an increase in SNAP transactions.

Navigational Signage For SNAP shoppers who may be new to the market, they need to understand where and how to use their EBT card.

Farmers markets in Skagit County run a SNAP program at their market information booth. To help new SNAP shoppers navigate the farmers market, each market in Skagit County placed A-boards at each entrance of the market with the message, “We Accept EBT” prominently at the top with a picture of an EBT card. (See Figure 5.).

Additionally, a banner was placed at the market information booth to direct shoppers to where the Point Figure 5. An a-board provided by the Washington State of Sale (POS) terminal was located. (See Figure 6.)

Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) Regional Leads program.

Figure 6. “Redeem Here” banner provided by the WSFMA Regional Leads program.

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Signage can also be helpful to communicate a market’s EBT incentive program. When markets work together to offer a county-wide EBT incentive program, universal signage at every farmers market helps to familiarize SNAP shoppers on what to look for. The Skagit Valley Farmers Market Coalition worked with FMF to design a banner for the Double Up Bucks program. An emphasis was placed on including a visual for both the EBT card and the market currency for Double Up Bucks. (See Figure 7.)

Figure 7. Double Up Bucks banner placed at the market information booth for every participating market in Skagit County.

Effective Signage

Effective signage is an essential component of any marketing campaign. Signage commonly used at farmers markets include banners, flags, flyers, small signs, and sandwich boards. The USDA now recommends using the language “We welcome SNAP benefits” rather than “we accept SNAP benefits”. Many markets still continue to use “accept” and “welcome” interchangeably. The important thing is that your signage emphasize that SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food at the farmers market.

Consistency in language, color scheme, graphic design and font is key to effective signage. Handwritten signs can sometimes be inconsistent, difficult to read and less aesthetically pleasing. (See Figure 8.)

Figure 8. Effective signage break down 15

Community Partners

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Community Partners Community partners can help spread the word about farmers markets, hand out flyers, and educate potential SNAP customers. Establishing partnerships with local stakeholders can help to facilitate strong community engagement. Many service providers and community partners build rapport with the clients they serve, making them a trusted member in the community to advocate for opportunities to improve individual health and well-being. Identify your local partners and work with them to provide a direct link to SNAP consumers for marketing, outreach, and transportation efforts. A successful partnership involves ensuring that shared resources and materials are readily available and accessible. If your community partners are to ever run out of print materials, make sure they are available online for download and print.

Community Partners         

SNAP-Ed contractors Tip: Partner with local agencies that distribute Faith-based organizations WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program University extensions vouchers. Clients who are eligible for the Farmers Schools Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) may also be Health agencies eligible for SNAP. Have a market representative Community groups, including local table at these locations to promote additional parent groups opportunities for accessing fruits and vegetables.

Government officials and agencies Human and social service agencies, including the Department of Health and Social Services (DSHS) Farmers market associations

*Highlighted in bold are the community partners FMF focused on throughout the project.*

Working with SNAP-Ed Contractors SNAP-Education (SNAP-ED) is a federally funded grant program designed to provide direct education and community and public health approaches to improve nutrition for individuals eligible for SNAP. Over the years SNAP-Ed has evolved from focusing on providing evidence-based nutrition education and obesity prevention interventions to a Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) approach to improve community health. Within the PSE framework, SNAP-Ed contractors can work with farmers markets to promote the benefits of using SNAP at the market. Collaboration with SNAP-Ed contractors can range from the distribution of print materials to hosting cooking demonstrations or tours at the farmers market. SNAP-Ed Program names may differ across the U.S. In Washington state, the SNAP-Ed program has been referred to as the Food $ense Program. Farmers Market Flash partnered with the Washington State University Skagit County Extension’s Food Sense Program to assist with increasing awareness among program participants that SNAP/EBT is welcome at farmers markets.

Land-grant universities, primarily affiliated state Cooperative Extension Systems, are SNAP-Ed contractors. To find your nearest SNAP-Ed contractor and discover resources available to your market, visit: https:// snaped.fns.usda.gov/ 17

Working with Human & Social Service Providers Connect with your local human service providers to coordinate distribution of marketing materials, as well as word of mouth outreach and referrals from staff. Farmers Market Flash partnered with the local DSHS Community Service Office (CSO) to reach SNAP clients. With a deep understanding of a client’s benefit allotment, staff can offer tips on when to shop at the farmers market (i.e. when benefits reload onto the SNAP/EBT card at the beginning of the month). To instill staff with the confidence to talk to their clients about the benefits of using SNAP at the market, FMF facilitated an annual training held during an all staff meeting.

The purpose of the training was to improve knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs toward SNAP at farmers markets, as well as provide resources for staff to be successful in educating their clients about local markets.

Resources for Human & Social Service Providers The New York Farmers Market EBT/SNAP program, SNAP to Market, was the lead program to inform FMF of the value in organizing and facilitating a training specifically for human and social service providers. For more information on the SNAP to Market Program, visit: www.snaptomarket.com. Farmers Market Flash developed a set of handouts based on the amazing resources that were developed first through the SNAP to Market Program.

It’s important to prepare a presentation and any reference materials in advance to equip both the trainer and service providers for success. In the three years that FMF facilitated trainings, service providers identified the following items as important to feel increased confidence in encouraging their clients to shop at the farmers market: 

Spend time explaining how the process would work for a shopper to use their SNAP/EBT card to purchase produce at the market. Paint a vivid picture of how a SNAP/EBT card is processed and where new customers can go if they have any questions while at the market. When service providers understand how the process works, they are equipped to instill confidence in their clients so that they have a positive experience their first time at the market.

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Use visual aids to detail how SNAP works at the farmers market, as well as how an EBT incentive program works. Given the varying nature of EBT incentive programs, additional handouts explaining the EBT incentive program may be useful for staff to refer to when explaining to clients how to increase their purchasing power at the market.

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Provide a handout explaining how to talk to clients about the benefits of shopping at the farmers market.

Include talking points on how to overcome perceived barriers and objections to shopping at the farmers market. Talking points ensure that staff are able to talk about market programs in a consistent and cohesive manner, helping to reinforce the branding of food access programs. An example of a discussion guide FMF and WSFMA developed based off the work of the SNAP to Market program can be found in Appendix F. Tip: Invite market managers to get Make sure promotional materials including flyers, posters, and involved with the training. Managers rack cards are available at the training so that staff can pick up can be a great source to answering what they need and immediately display the materials in the market-specific questions. lobby, as well as in their office space.

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Steps for Planning a Successful Training To offer a training for your local service providers, FMF has a few items to consider in the planning process: 

Contact your local service providers (i.e. DSHS Community Services Office or WIC clinic) at the start of the new year to discuss the opportunity to talk about SNAP/EBT at the farmers market

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When should the training be held? Training toward the start of the farmers market season allows staff to be able to share immediately with clients information that is still fresh in their mind.

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Where will your training be? Consider scheduling a 30-minute training during an all-staff meeting or annual retreat.

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Think about how often clients come to the office. For instance, when is renewal for SNAP benefits?

How many clients do you think your local DSHS can reach with word of mouth outreach?

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How often do you provide a training? Farmers Market Flash held a training two years in a row during all-staff meetings. By the second year many of the staff felt confident in promoting SNAP/ EBT at the market. In the third year rather than training, FMF staff were available to check in during working group meetings at the DSHS office.

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Prepare marketing materials in advance and make sure you have enough print materials for service providers to post at their office and share with clients

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Prepare handouts to distribute to staff during the training. Remember that handouts can be complimentary to a PowerPoint, equipping staff with reference materials to refer back to following the training. Examples of handouts created for a training is available in Appendix E.

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Do you have translated materials? Bilingual staff will be able to communicate to their clients about using SNAP/EBT at the market. Be sure that they have the necessary marketing materials and any informational handouts to give to clients.

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Do you have access to a video explaining the SNAP/EBT program at farmers markets? Your farmers market or state farmers market association may have crafted a video explaining the SNAP/ EBT program at the market. Be sure to include this in your PowerPoint. Northwest Harvest developed a video explaining how EBT incentive programs work in Washington State. To view the video search, “Shopping with EBT, SNAP Incentives, and Nutrition Vouchers at WA Farmers Markets” on YouTube, or go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjihQI7UJMs.



Establish a point person following the training to make sure resources are replenished when supplies are running low, to learn how the marketing materials are being utilized, and to get feedback on if the information is being well-received.

The Skagit Valley Farmers Market Coalition operates a website to provide resources to service providers and information about participating farmers markets and food access programs. Visit www.svfmcoalition.org and look under the Resources & Materials tab to get inspiration!

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Food From Farms Food From Farms is a a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to increase access to food from local farms and farmers markets for kids, seniors and those in need . The organization is a leading model for managing alternative currencies and accounting best-practices, in addition to providing funding to markets or market organizations which offer programs bridging food to the vulnerable population. In year two, FMF collaborated with Food From Farms to disseminate best practices in managing alternative currencies for vendors and market staff. In addition, FMF worked with Food From Farms to develop the position of EBT Clerk, which is covered in the “Market Technical Assistance and Training� section of the toolkit.

For more information on Food From Farms, visit: www.foodfromfarms.org.

Washington State Farmers Market Association The Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, membership organization whose mission is to support vibrant and sustainable farmers markets in Washington State through member services, education and advocacy. The Regional Leads Program is designed to build local capacity at farmers markets around food access programs, marketing, and general market operations. In year two, FMF began leveraging resources with the WSFMA Regional Leads Program to provide markets with further resources that increase awareness about the ability to use SNAP at the farmers market. Resources have included banners, a-frame signs, and rack cards.

To learn more about the WSFMA Regional Leads Program, visit: http://wafarmersmarkets.org/regionalleads/.

Skagit PICKS The Skagit PICKS program was a pilot program designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption for families with children receiving Medicaid. During a well-child checkup at the local pediatric clinic, Skagit Pediatrics, a doctor or nurse practitioner would reinforce healthy eating messaging with families by providing a nutrition education handout with a voucher to receive up to $90 in market currency to purchase fruits and vegetables at the farmers market.

Farmers Market Flash designed and developed the nutrition education handouts with age-appropriate information. The handouts highlighted 1) tips on how to encourage healthy eating within the family, 2) family friendly activities at the market, 3) food storage, and 4) the opportunity for families to stretch their SNAP benefits further at the market using the Double Up Bucks Program. During the well-child checkup, pediatric clinic staff also informed clients of the additional benefits to using SNAP at the market. Examples of the Skagit PICKS handouts in both English and Spanish are available in Appendix G and H. 20

Working with an Arts Community 21

Partner with a Local Art Museum To reach families with children, FMF partnered with a local art museum, the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA). The mission of MoNA is to connect people with the art, diverse cultures and environments of the Northwest.

The Museum of Northwest Art delivered art lessons in the community and tabled with FMF at participating farmers markets once a month. The creative focus for the art lessons was ‘Produce of Skagit Valley’. It familiarized youth with fresh and local food while they created works of art. At the farmers market, a monthly “art walk” was set up at the booth where both FMF and MoNA tabled, displaying the children's’ art pieces and creating a welcoming environment. This encouraged parents to visit the market. The artwork was also used to develop recipe cards (based off of USDA SNAP-appropriate recipes) for distribution during cooking demonstrations.

Photo taken by Shannon Bachtel

Planning an Art Lesson Partner with your local art museum or children’s museum to host fruit and vegetable themed art lessons at SNAP-eligible sites, faith communities, or local organizations around the community. SNAP-eligible sites are locations where at least 50% of participants reside in a household at or below 185% of the federal poverty guidelines. Examples of SNAP-eligible sites include: Boys & Girls Clubs; YMCA camps; day camps; after school programs (at schools where at least 50% of students receive free or reduced meals); Summer Meal Program sites; and churches. If you’re not sure if the site you would like to work with is SNAP-eligible, contact the site manager or program coordinator to see if any data is collected to paint a picture of the demographic they serve. The art lessons were treated as a single event, however, some locations may prefer a series of lessons.

Depending on the venue and age range of the participants, an art lesson may take longer than outlined in the lesson plan. Art lessons developed through the partnership with MoNA can be found in Appendix J to assist you in working with your local art museum to engage children in making fruit and vegetable inspired art.

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In order to have materials ready art lessons began in the March/April timeframe to have materials ready for the start of the market season. Lessons continued to be scheduled once a month throughout the season so that new artwork was featured at each “art walk”. Following each art lesson a letter was sent to the family inviting them to visit their local farmers market and see their child’s artwork on display. The letter was personalized with the location and time of the farmers market the artwork would be featured at with the goal to measure the success of this approach to recruit new families to the market. A challenge in capturing the success rate of this approach was that often times the family would not approach market staff to indicate that the child’s artwork was on display.

Recipe Cards with Children’s Art Work Personalized recipe cards are a great tool to generate excitement toward purchasing and preparing seasonal food. Farmers Market Flash designed eight recipe cards using the images of artwork collected throughout the first year of MoNA delivering art lessons. (See Figure 9.)Recipe cards were distributed during 1) farmers market cooking demos, 2) classes at the senior activity center, and 3) while tabling at organized community events. The recipe cards brought joy to the recipients as it embodied a sense of community and connection to the artistic expression of youth in the county. Examples of recipe cards developed through FMF can be found in Appendix K.

Figure 9. Example of finished product from a collage activity (left) and recipe card with the artwork (right).

Children’s Art Walk The children’s artwork can be displayed as an art walk at the farmers market, highlighting the theme of the art and recognizing each child that contributed their work of art. Following each art lesson, MoNA staff would collect the artwork and use it as a tool to entice families to visit the market. A letter is sent home to parents inviting them to see their children’s artwork at the farmers market. The letter includes information about the activity their child participated in, as well as information on where and when the artwork would be displayed.

A sample letter to parents is found in Appendix I. After the art walk the artwork was scanned and archived. The original was returned to the young artists. The archived artwork could then be used at a later date in any promotional materials or recipe cards that are distributed during cooking demonstrations at the farmers market.

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Gallery– Children’s Art Walk at the Farmers Market

Photographs taken by Shannon Bachtel 24

“Flash” Culinary Classes

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“Flash” Culinary Classes The “Flash” culinary classes or “Flash Classes” facilitated learning of methods of selection, preparation, and storage of fresh produce available at the farmers market. Flash classes were short, 30-minute culinary classes focusing on teaching two audiences- seniors and families with children. Each lesson plan was designed based on the anchor, add, apply and away approach to teaching, as described in the book “Teaching to Telling” by Dr. Joye Norris. The idea was to encourage learners to “raise their voices”, learn from each other, and gain confidence from new relationships, knowledge and abilities. Class topics varied based on food, learning, and skill acquisition. (See Table 1.) Classes were well-received by senior participants as they reportedly gained new information and inspiration for food preparation methods that they did not otherwise consider. (See Table 2.)

Class Title/Topic

Learning

Skill Acquisition

Eating a Rainbow of Color

MyPlate- make half your plate fruit and vegetables

Ways to use canned, fresh, frozen produce

Leafy Greens

Nutritional powerhouses- vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients

Selection of produce, how to regrow kitchen scraps

Favorite Fruits

Preserving fruit, nutrient value of fresh vs. frozen

Price as purchased or as prepared

Flavor Combinations

Seasoning with herbs, taste each spice to see how dish transforms

Skillet meals from around the world

Root Vegetables Wonders

superfood-one of the healthiest things to eat on the planet, antioxidants, nutrients in leafy tops

How to pair beets with other flavorscitrus, goat cheese; how to prepare; when selecting, the firmer the better with bright green tops

Pulse on Health

History of dried beans/ legumes, cost-saving techniques

Cooking with dry beans, rinsing canned beans

Table 1. Flash class framework

*Each lesson plan is available by request, so as to inspire the design and development of culinary classes in other communities. If you are interested in exploring any of the lesson topics, please contact Shannon Bachtel at Shannon.Bachtel@wsu.edu* 26

Photo taken in 2016 of Susan Gustafson, part-time FMF Senior Outreach Educator, teaching a Flash Class in the community room of a subsidized senior apartment complex.

Table. 2 Benefits for Flash Class Participants “I found this Flash class to be very helpful and I can’t wait for my husband to try it tonight when I make him some dinner.” - Class Participant at Senior Apartment Complex “Very informative. I don't eat beets but fixed in this salad was a lot tastier. I am going to try this salad at home.” - Class Participant at Senior Activity Center “Thank you for helping with the vouchers and knowing the fresh items at the farmers market.” Class Participant at Senior Apartment Complex “Thanks for helping us use fruits in a different way.” - Class Participant at Senior Apartment Complex “Class was very well prepared. I learned a lot. I will go to the market Saturday.” - Adult Participant from Diabetes Prevention Program “Great new recipes and ideas.” - Class Participant at Senior Apartment Complex “Thank you for these days of learning new ways to prepare the fruit and vegetables. I am fond of the green and fruit smoothie.” - Class Participant at Senior Apartment Complex

Coordinating Sites Similar to coordinating the art lessons as discussed in the previous section, Flash classes were scheduled at a variety of SNAP-Eligible sites. To reach seniors, FMF staff taught at senior activity centers and subsidized senior apartment complexes. To reach families with children, FMF staff scheduled classes with the local WIC clinic, gleaners, and parent nights through schools. Staff found that parent participation attendance was lower than seniors due to their busy schedules.

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Facilitating a Flash Class The following is a framework for how the Flash classes were planned and facilitated in Skagit County. Lessons vary based on the food highlighted. Additional steps needed to facilitate a lesson will depend on the lesson plan.

Planning 

Contact community partners to determine interest in hosting Flash classes. Provide an overview of the class, the demographic you are working to reach, and the potential benefit of participation in the Flash classes (i.e. social interactions, learning new skills in selection/preparation/storage of fresh food, and/or increasing awareness that SNAP benefits can be used at farmers markets).



Schedule dates and times for classes. Depending on the staffing available, classes can be scheduled at a variety of sites during the day to increase efficiency of program delivery and maximize community engagement.



Put together a flyer to advertise the class. Email flyer for distribution to point of contact or deliver print materials directly to site.

Preparation before a Flash Class (day before or days in advance) 

Determine fresh items available for cooking demonstration. Farmers Market Flash partnered with their local Community Action agency to procure food from the Food Distribution Center (FDC). A recipe for the cooking demonstration was determined days before the scheduled class as food was procured from a center which receives commodities, food from local farmers, and food from hunger relief agencies.



Choose class you will teach based on what is seasonal and available.



Develop a recipe handout based on the cooking demonstration.



Prepare all class handouts to be distributed the day of class. Handouts can be distributed during the class along with the recipe handout.

Depending on your budget, offering a small binder can help participants keep all the handouts and recipes in one place, especially if you will be offering a series. (See Figure 10.)



Prepare evaluation for class, generally a short survey following each class.



Pick up groceries needed for cooking demo.

Wash and pre-cut most of the food in advance, with the exception of food you would like to use as a demonstration for cleaning and cutting.

Figure 10. Participant referring to class handouts and recipe while watching demonstration.

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

Pack everything needed for food demo including food prep equipment and supplies for safe food handling and sampling. Make sure the proper permit is acquired from your local health department, if needed.



Procure an incentive for participation. Incentives can include jar openers, scrub brushes, or food. Sometimes the FDC had an excess of produce which could not be delivered to nearby food banks. If that was the case, FMF utilized the produce and prepared a grocery bag of ingredients for each participant. (See Figure 12.)

Produce can also be used as a raffle prize. (See Figure 11.)

Figure 11. Mixed berries procured by the FDC were used as raffle prizes for program participants.

Day of Flash Class 

  

    

Bring all necessary program materials including evaluation forms, a sign-in sheet, name tags, class handouts, incentives (if available), and photo release forms (if needed). Bring supplies and food for cooking demo. Set up cooking demonstration station with food items displayed neatly.

Set up room in advance including tables and chairs. Distribute handouts, nametags, pens and pencils, and class sign-in sheet.

Introduce yourself, your organization, and the Flash class topic of the day.

Ask if anyone has visited a local farmers market. Ask participants to raise their hand if they knew that EBT Cards (Food Stamps) can be used at the farmers market. Show a sample of an EBT card while asking the question. Share any additional marketing materials for SNAP/EBT at the market, the market EBT incentive program, or any advertisement for upcoming market activities.

Distribute “Farmers Market Shopping on a Budget” brochure. See Appendix V for example brochure.

Discuss topic of class and teach lesson, covering information on handouts.

Facilitate cooking demo and talk ask participants about what they might add or do differently to the recipe.

Give samples for class participants to try.

Distribute evaluations and incentives, if available.

Outreach Education Staff It was beneficial for FMF to have two part-time seasonal staff to focus on the community outreach and direct education component of the program. One educator focused specifically on outreach to families with children while the other focused on outreach to seniors. Time was allocated for both educators to collaborate on program activities at organized community events. Farmers Market Flash found that by having staff collaborate and work together, community engagement was richer than if each staff member worked on their own. To facilitate Flash classes, tabling at the farmers market and assisting with planning and data collection for each activity, Outreach Educators averaged about 15-22 hours per week May through October.

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Figure 12. Flash class featuring leafy greens. Produce bags in corner as incentive for participation.

Challenges in Flash Class Delivery 

The Families with Children Outreach Educator found it difficult to recruit families with children to participate in Flash classes. Many of the challenges stemmed from families being too busy during the day to engage in a Flash class, or forgetting the time/date of the scheduled class the day of.



Many participants reported that a 30-minute class is too short to engage in a cooking demonstration while learning new information on selection, preparation, and storage of fresh produce. Because there is more time available for seniors to engage in activities, FMF educators concluded that the cooking classes should be at least 1 hour long.

Lessons Learned 

Identifying a venue and recruiting enough families to participate in a Flash class proved to be very difficult, regardless of time of day. By year three, FMF found that seniors were the predominant target audience for the Flash class curriculum. Systems and environmental activities came to the forefront as a better strategy to engage families with children without requiring too much of their time.



The two primary venues to engage seniors in Flash classes included senior activity centers and the community room at local subsidized senior apartment complexes. To reach a larger audience of seniors, schedule classes either before their scheduled lunch (10:00am-10:30am) or after lunch (2:00pm-2:30pm).

Additionally, working with either the site manager or activities coordinator helped to increase the participation rate in classes.

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Market Technical Assistance & Training 31

Technical Assistance & Training at the Market The initial vision for FMF was to 1) offer training opportunities for farmers market employees, farmers/ vendors and volunteers on SNAP processes to simplify transactions, and 2) introduce strategies for creating a welcoming environment conducive for encouraging SNAP usage and return visits to the farmers market.

Topics would include bundling items to the dollar increments that the market currency was offered ($1, $2, $5), product display, signage, facilitating seamless EBT/SNAP transactions, etc. It became clear in the first year that vendors and market staff are incredibly busy throughout the market season and in the months leading up to the beginning of the season. This required FMF to take a step back and brainstorm how to offer technical support to markets and vendors, but in a format that would be easy to understand, readily available, and would not require in-person training. The result was to design and develop reference materials for market staff to share with vendors at the beginning of each market day. Prior to the start of each market day, vendors received a manila envelope to track sales and keep all the market currency collected throughout the day. At the end of market day, vendors returned their envelope to the information booth where sales are tracked and tallied based on the currency (i.e. Debit/Credit tokens, WIC/Senior checks, or SNAP/EBT tokens). A reimbursement check was issued to vendors the following week or month. Including materials for vendors to review in the manila envelope was a successful strategy to ensure that vendors were supported throughout the day when it came to SNAP/EBT transactions.

Communicating Food Access Programs to Vendors In some cases, local farmers markets may offer a variety of food access programs, making it imperative that vendors understand what market currency they can and cannot accept. In the case of a market having multiple market currencies, FMF developed a multiple currency reference sheet with not only an image of each currency, but also information on restrictions and expiration dates. (See Figure 13.) Because some vendors may speak limited English, the visual representation of the market currency and food items allowable for sale is critical to understanding. As mentioned earlier, the market manager generally provides a physical copy of the reference sheet at the beginning of each market day. This helps to eliminate any confusion for individuals who run a booth for a larger business, where there may be a cycle of staff working at the market throughout the season. See Appendix P for vendor currency reference sheet.

Figure 13. Multiple currency reference sheet for vendors.

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EBT Clerk Farmers markets in Skagit County identified the need for a consistent staff person to be at the market information booth to process EBT and to provide customer service for SNAP shoppers. This stemmed from inconsistency in market booth volunteers’ understanding on how the SNAP process works, often leaving a SNAP customer confused or frustrated. In response to that need a formalized position of an EBT Clerk was developed. Funds were available through a local non-profit, Food From Farms, to hire and train an EBT Clerk at participating markets that offered an EBT incentive program. Though your market may not have the funds to hire an EBT Clerk to process EBT and be the resource person, the FMF can help streamline the process and eliminate confusion when there is turnover in volunteer/staff. In year two of the project, FMF worked with Food From Farms and WSFMA to formalize the position of an EBT Clerk and coordinate an annual training for the markets which received funding to hire an EBT Clerk, run an EBT incentive program, and/or run a kids program. See Appendix N for EBT Clerk Position Description.

EBT Clerk Training The Skagit Valley Farmers Market Coalition markets recognized the value of having a hired and trained EBT clerk at each of the markets which offered a SNAP/EBT program.

In the final year of the project, FMF partnered with Food From Farms to develop a market-specific EBT Clerk manual. (See Figure 14.) A half-day training was offered, extensively covered the nuances of accepting SNAP/EBT; offering incentive programs with alternative market currency; providing customer service to SNAP shoppers; and policies and procedures for market and vendor reimbursement. (See Figure 15.) See Appendix O for training Figure 14. EBT Clerk manuals for training.

PowerPoint.

Figure 15. EBT Clerk Training held at the Arlington Public Library in April 2018.

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EBT/SNAP Customer Service

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EBT/SNAP Customer Service Communicating Food Access Programs to SNAP Customers A positive first experience at the farmers market can increase the likelihood that the customer will return, and perhaps even become a regular shopper. There are a variety of strategies to ensure that new shoppers, especially SNAP shoppers feel welcomed at the market. Navigational signs to help guide shoppers to where and how they can use their SNAP/EBT at the market is one strategy, as well as ensuring market staff and vendors are prepared to facilitate a seamless transaction. From swiping an EBT card for tokens to purchasing food directly from a vendor, it is imperative to have the necessary skills to educate new SNAP shoppers and the physical materials necessary to explain how the process works.

A new SNAP shopper at the market information booth learning how the Double Up Bucks Program works.

Working with Diverse Audiences If your farmers market is centrally located within a diverse community, having information readily available in the preferred language is important. Unfortunately, some markets do not have the capacity or availability of market staff or volunteers who speak the preferred language of customers who have Limited English Proficiency (LEP). In this case, written translated materials can be one method to educate about the services and programs available at the market. Even so, written language translation is not universal to individuals who speak or read different dialects. Because dialects can affect the individual’s interpretation of written translation, FMF found that visual aid was key in this process. Visual aid can serve as a universal language to convey the basics of how a program works, especially when a individual either does not speak the dialect in which the handouts are translated, or they have low-literacy ability.

Similar to the multiple currency reference sheet available to market staff and vendors, FMF designed a currency reference sheet for customers. The reference sheet is available for customers to identify the food items they can and cannot buy with currency such as EBT tokens or an EBT incentives.

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Reference sheets were translated in Spanish and Russian to ensure inclusivity. Each market day, market staff made sure copies of the currency reference sheet were available for customers to look at or take a copy for themselves.

(See Figure 16.)

See Appendix Q for customer currency reference sheet in English and Appendix R for reference sheet in Spanish.

Figure 16. Customer currency reference sheets available at the market information booth.

Welcoming New SNAP Shoppers Market swag generally leaves a good impression on a new SNAP customer, especially if the swag can be stylish yet practical at the same time! A customized zipper pouch was an affordable incentive for SNAP shoppers to receive when using their SNAP/EBT for the first time. The zipper pouch worked great for carrying not only the wooden tokens, but also paper scrip that was distributed as the EBT incentive. Market staff received great reviews on the usefulness of the pouch to keep everything all together and prevent misplacement of market currency. By year 3 of FMF, a welcome slip was included in the zipper pouches highlighting tips for shopping and produce storage on the back. (See Figure 17.1 and Figure 17.2)

Figure 17.1 Front side of tip sheet for new SNAP shoppers.

Figure 17.2 Back side of tip sheet for new SNAP shoppers.

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Farmers Market Activities

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Activities at the Farmers Market Cooking Demonstrations Cooking demonstrations are a useful method to introduce SNAP customers to new types of fruits and vegetables, or new preparation ideas for familiar produce. Recipe handouts can highlight locally grown or produced foods that are available at the market. The rule of thumb from the USDA is that SNAP budgetfriendly recipes have only five ingredients or less. The recipe cards developed by FMF using the children's’ artwork included recipes that were seasonal and SNAP budget-friendly. To find more USDA approved recipes, go to https://wasnap-ed.org/resources/recipes/.

Once a month FMF staff hosted cooking demonstrations at the market. Simple dishes using seasonal produce were prepared and sampled to shoppers. During the cooking demonstration, FMF staff were available to 1) answer general cooking questions, 2) provide tips on selection, preparation, and storage of fresh produce, and 3) inform shoppers of where in the market they can purchase the ingredients used in the recipe.

Photo by Shannon Bachtel

Planning for a Cooking Demo 

First, contact the farmers market manager to determine if they have acquired a sampling permit from the health department.



Plan a site visit to the market prior to the cooking demonstration if you are unfamiliar with the layout or the vendors that will be there. Most importantly, make sure to assess accessibility to water and electricity from where your cooking demonstration will be.



Identify seasonal items that will be available at the upcoming farmers market.



Determine if there is a budget to pay vendors for their product to be used in the cooking demo.



Plan the recipe around what food is available.



Prepare recipe handout and include any additional tips and tricks for selection, storage, and preparation of food items that are highlighted in the recipe. Print a predetermined number in advance.



Gather all your supplies needed for the cooking demonstration the day before, including all the necessary equipment and supplies for proper food handling. *Remember to always bring a copy of food worker card(s) for staff involved in the cooking demonstration, as well as a copy of the sampling permit in case of an audit.

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Day of Cooking Demo 

Arrive early to the farmers market to set up your table.



Do a walk-through of the market to familiarize yourself with what vendors have the food items you need for the recipe. Purchase all or some of the main ingredients that are readily available that day and be sure to track which farmers the food came from.



Assemble cooking demo station.



Wash all produce in an approved kitchen properly before preparing the food. If some ingredients have been procured in advance, try pre-measuring or rinsing and cutting the food items so that the demo runs smoothly.



Determine schedule of cooking demonstrations. Our markets preferred to have 3, 15-minute demonstrations scheduled every 1-2 hours for a larger reach of shoppers.



During the demonstration, be sure to engage with the audience and remind them of the ingredients included in the recipe and where they were purchased throughout the market.

Tip: Some markets like to have the business card of each vendor on display at the table where the cooking demo is held, others like to have a chalkboard that they can update with vendor info and the ingredients included in the recipe.

Photo by Shannon Bachtel

Photo by Shannon Bachtel

For more information about planning a cooking demonstration, you may want to refer to the WSFMA “Organizing a Cooking Demonstration at Your Farmers Market” handout.

Find it here: http://wafarmersmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/WSFMA-Cooking-Demo-Guide.pdf

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Market Tours Why Lead a Walking Tour at the Farmers Market Farmer’s market walking tours are a great way to introduce your community members to the many benefits of shopping at their local farmers markets.

Benefits of shopping at the farmers market: 1. Freshly picked, in season produce is at its peak in flavor and nutrition.

2. Support your local farmers and economy.

3. Fresh fruit and vegetables are more nutritious than produce that has been stored and shelved

4. It's a great way to get your kids involved. Let them pick out something new to try, then they can help prepare a meal. Kids are more likely to eat something new if they are involved in the process of making it!

5. Supporting your local farmers market strengthens your community.

6. Farmers often have the best recommendations for preparing their products.

7. You can try a new fruit or vegetable! Many farmers markets offer lesser known fruits and vegetables, providing a variety that can be both tasty and nutritious.

8. SNAP benefits are accepted at some farmers markets and Double Up bucks has your dollar go even further than at the grocery store!

Planning for a Market Tour 

Depending on the audience you are trying to reach, work with the community you serve to identify the best dates and times for a market tour. You can do this by proposing to host a market tour with program participants, following a Flash class or organized event. Depending on your target audience you will want to reach out to a market manager or activity coordinator to set up an initial meeting and/or program activity. If you want to organize a market tour with seniors, try going to a senior center or subsidized senior-restricted housing complex. If you want to reach families with children, consider promotion activities at subsidized housing complexes or a local food bank. See Appendix U for sample market tour flyer.



Once the date, time, and location of the tour is determined, contact the market manager to confirm the schedule for a market tour. Participants may enjoy meeting the market manager to build a deeper connection to the market they are visiting.



Keep in mind it is always best to do the tour toward the beginning of the market to ensure that participants can get the freshest produce.

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Tip: Create a handout with tips for shopping at farmers market on a budget and/or how to select, prepare, or store produce.

Day of the Market Tour 

Arrive early enough to the market to be ready to greet participants at the market information booth and have any handouts ready to go. Roughly four to eight participants is a good size for a market tour. See Appendix T for farmers market walking tour guide.



Make sure you have enough materials for everyone who will be attending the tour, including any handouts you’ve created and a reference sheet for new SNAP shoppers to understand how to use their EBT tokens and any other associated market currency.



Once the group has convened at the farmers market information booth, start by asking a market staff or market manager to explain how they can use their EBT/SNAP at the market. Also have them explain any additional incentive programs that allow shoppers to stretch their food dollars. Since the group may not be fully comprised of SNAP shoppers, be sure to include information on other forms of payment that the market accepts. Farmers markets in Skagit County not only use tokens for EBT/SNAP, but also tokens for shoppers who process their Debit/Credit card at the market information booth.



Ask the group what they are most looking forward to for the market trip, and if there is anything specific they are looking to buy.



While touring, be aware of other shoppers and make sure your group does not interfere with an individual’s ability to make a purchase from a vendor. It’s best to speak with your group away from crowds and then have your group explore the market, see what each vendor has to offer, and possibly sample some of their produce.



Demonstrate to participants how the process of paying with market currency works when purchasing from a vendor. Remind them that with EBT/SNAP tokens they do not get change, but they do get change for Debit/Credit tokens. Remember, farmers are working hard to sell their items, so wait until they are finished with other customers before speaking with them.



Remember to have fun and be prepared to answer any questions they may send your way!

Tip: Try hosting a market tour with children! Walk around the market and introduce them to local farmers and vendors. Encourage the children to ask questions to learn more about the food that they grow. Make sure that the farmers you approach are not busy with customers– their sales are first priority!

Children’s market tour at the Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market.

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Gallery: Market Tour at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market

Tour began near the market information booth.

Participants met the market manager.

Stopped by the FMF Booth to watch a cooking demo and try a sample.

One of the participants purchased beets with their EBT incentive.

Seniors may only be eligible to receive an average of $16 a month in SNAP benefits.

Providing tips on saving SNAP benefits and stretching food dollars can help seniors to overcome objections to shopping at the market.

Tips such as saving benefits during the winter months to have a larger amount to spend during the market season can increase the appeal for shopping at the market, especially if a local incentive program is available to increase purchasing power.

Tour ended with introducing many participants to purslane for the first time!

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Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt Setting up a scavenger hunt at the farmers market can be interactive for the entire family! Over the years FMF has designed variations of a scavenger hunt. This has included 1) activity booklets encouraging kids to browse the market and answer questions to clues and 2) having a scavenger hunt bingo with photos posted around the market for kids to find. Because FMF had a booth at the farmers market only twice a month booklets were designed to encourage kids to explore the market complete their booklet, and bring it back to the FMF that same day for a prize. Prizes included buttons, pencils, seed packets, tomato starts, etc. Explore requesting sponsorship from a local bank to fund a kids activity and small incentives. See Appendix W through Appendix Z for reproducible scavenger hunts in both English and Spanish.

Gallery

Top left and right: Families working on the scavenger hunt at the Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market.

Participants had their photo taken upon completion of the scavenger hunt. Photos were shared with on Facebook following market day.

Vote for your favorite vegetable!

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Art Activities with a Local Art Museum Kids activities are a great way to sell the appeal of farmers markets as a destination for weekly shopping, as it becomes a reason for a family outing. The art lessons taught in the community can be modified to a children’s activity at the farmers market. Museum staff and volunteers have found it important to prep many of the materials in advance, such as the vegetable pigment for painting and cutting out images for a photo collage.

Gallery

Using pastels to draw their favorite fruit and/or vegetable at the Mount Vernon Farmers Market.

Painting with vegetable pigment at the Anacortes Farmers Market.

Left and right: Fruit and vegetable collages at the Anacortes and Bow Farmers Market.

Photographs taken by Shannon Bachtel 44

Implications/Limitations Outreach to Families with Children Market Tours: The original intention of hosting market tours was for families to become familiarized with how to use SNAP/EBT at the market. This approach did not appeal to families and there was little or no participation at many markets. On the days of scheduled market tours with no participation from adults, FMF staff transformed the tour into a fun activity for children to walk around and interact with farmers.

Children’s Art Walk: The procurement of artwork for the monthly children’s art walk was difficult in year three of the program. The Museum of Northwest Art Experienced a transition with staff turnover which lessened the number of art lessons delivered to YMCA centers, Boys & Girls clubs, after school programs, etc.

Outreach to Seniors Field Trips to the Market: In year one of the program, FMF worked to organize senior field trips to the market through carpooling. Challenges arose from this method of mobilizing seniors to the market for the tour, as there were unanticipated events or doctors appointments impacting individuals’ original agreement to use their car. Often times subsidized housing apartment complexes for seniors do not have a bus to transport them around town, leaving the responsibility to the residents to coordinate who can drive those without a reliable source of transportation.

Market Tours: A total of two tours were hosted with a handful of seniors. Without the ability to mobilize seniors from the senior center or apartment complex to the market, the tour was unsuccessful.

Farmers Market Seasonal Bingo: This activity was proposed to be tailored to seniors to introduce the variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables in the valley. The bingo game was designed to be played before the beginning of each Flash class. See Appendix M for seasonal bingo card and questions. Participants used wood slices to mimic the EBT tokens at the market as they played. The winner would receive a prize seasonal fruit or vegetable available at the market.

Seniors reported the nature of the game to be too adolescent for them.

Due to limited senior participation in this activity, bingo cards were used for families with children. Farmers Market Flash used the bingo cards to create a spin off of the regular scavenger hunt. Individual images of fruits and vegetables from the bingo card were enlarged and laminated to be placed at different stations all throughout the farmers market. Kids received the laminated bingo card and ran around the market trying to locate the images and cross off the square using a marker at the station.

Once they got a bingo they came back to the FMF booth to receive their prize! See Appendix L for bingo scavenger hunt cards and images displayed around market.

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Conclusion Project Results Through efforts of the Farmers Market Flash project and local community partners, seniors and families with children were made aware that SNAP benefits can be used at the Farmers Market. Collected data reflects project activities have increased awareness around SNAP use at the FM, while continuing to bring in new SNAP shoppers. The number of unduplicated SNAP shoppers redeeming benefits increased 14.8% from 452 in 2014 to 519 in 2017. The familiarity of utilizing SNAP at the market has encouraged return customers, as demonstrated by shoppers visiting an average of 2.5 times and swiping an average of $24 at the information booth for tokens in 2017. In addition, a total of $25,816 in Double Up Bucks was redeemed in 2017.

Lessons Learned 

Navigational signage with visual aid around the market can cultivate a welcoming and inviting atmosphere for SNAP shoppers.



A multiple currency reference sheet available for both vendors and SNAP shoppers can increase confidence in SNAP transactions.



Kids’ activities are a great way to sell the appeal of FMs as a destination for weekly shopping, as it becomes a reason for a family outing.



Incentive programs are critical to increasing SNAP sales at FMs in low-income communities. The availability of the county-wide DuBx program has allowed for SNAP shoppers to double their shopping dollars at the FM, increasing the appeal and ease of budgeting a portion of benefits to purchase fresh and local food.

There are a number of resources out there with information related to SNAP at farmers markets ranging from starting a SNAP program at the market to strategies for increasing SNAP sales. The purpose of this toolkit was to augment SNAP-related resources with emerging strategies and best practices in activities that worked well for farmers markets in Skagit County, WA. While some strategies and activities were more successful than others in our community, we hope that you found some inspiration and ideas to expand and strengthen programming which supports your local farmers market!

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Appendix

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Appendix The following materials are designed to inspire and help implement the activities listed throughout the toolkit.

Appendix A: Rack Card ...................................................................................... 50 Appendix B: Facebook Posts ............................................................................. 51 Appendix C: SNAP/EBT Flyer ............................................................................. 54 Appendix D: Bus Ads ......................................................................................... 56 Appendix E: Social Service Provider Training Handouts ................................... 57 Appendix F: Discussion Guide for Social Service Agencies ............................... 59 Appendix G: Skagit PICKS Nutrition Handout (English) .................................... 61 Appendix H: Skagit PICKS Nutrition Handout (Spanish) ................................... 63

Appendix I: Letter to Parents ............................................................................ 65 Appendix J: Art Lessons .................................................................................... 66 Appendix K: Recipe Handouts with Children’s Artwork ................................... 81 Appendix L: Scavenger Hunt Bingo Cards & Images ......................................... 83 Appendix M: Farmers Market Seasonal Bingo Card and Questions ................. 94 Appendix N: EBT Clerk Position Description ..................................................... 97

Appendix O: EBT Clerk Training PowerPoint Presentation ............................... 99 Appendix P: Vendor Currency Reference Sheet ................................................ 130 Appendix Q: Customer Currency Reference Sheet (English) ............................ 132 Appendix R: Customer Currency Reference Sheet (Spanish) ............................ 133 Appendix S: SNAP at the Farmers Market FAQ Sheet ....................................... 134 Appendix T: Facilitating A Farmers Market Walking Tour Guide ...................... 136 48

Appendix Appendix U: Sample Market Tour Flyer ............................................................ 138 Appendix V: Farmers Market Shopping Tips Brochure ..................................... 139 Appendix W: Scavenger Hunt Passport (English) ............................................. 141 Appendix X: Scavenger Hunt Passport (Spanish) .............................................. 151 Appendix Y: Young Children Scavenger Hunt Passport (English) ...................... 161 Appendix Z: Young Children Scavenger Hunt Passport (Spanish) ..................... 165

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Sample Rack Card (Front)

(Back)

50

Sample Facebook Posts

51

52

53

Sample SNAP/EBT Flyer (Front Side)

54

Sample SNAP/EBT Flyer (Back Side)

55

Example of Bus Ads

56

Service Provider Training Materials

57 57

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Food Assistance Benefits at Farmers Markets: A Discussion Guide for Social Service Agencies Increasingly, farmers markets across Washington accept SNAP-EBT, WIC & Senior FMNP vouchers, and offer fruit and vegetable incentives for shopping at the farmers market. Clients may not be aware of these programs or may be unsure of how to use their benefits at farmers markets. This discussion guide can help you answer their questions.

Benefits Recipient: “I can just shop at a supermarket.”

Your Response: There’s no substitute for the quality of flavor and valuable information that farmers and vendors bring to the farmers market. The aroma, taste, and flavor are often better than supermarket produce, and you would be surprised at the many varieties of produce offered at the farmers market.

Because the produce was recently picked (sometimes that very day!) it lasts longer and is less likely to spoil before you can eat it. Plus, you can get prep and storage tips along with recipes directly from the farmers and vendors.

Benefits Recipient: “The farmers market is too expensive.”

Your Response: Farmers markets in Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom County have been working hard to make sure that local fresh food is affordable for limited-resource families. Thanks to programs like Double Up Bucks (Skagit) and Fresh Bucks (Snohomish & Whatcom), your money goes further when you use your SNAP benefits at the farmers market!

Double Up Bucks: For every $2 you spend on your EBT card, participating farmers markets in Skagit County will match you an extra $2 in Double Up Bucks. That means $10 spent with your EBT card at the farmers market is actually $20 for MORE fruits and vegetables.

Fresh Bucks: For every $1 you spend on your EBT card, participating farmers markets in Whatcom and Snohomish County will give you an extra $1 in Fresh Bucks, up to $10. That means $10 spend with your EBT card at the farmers market is actually $20 for MORE fruits and vegetables.

Your Response: Farmers markets are driven by what is fresh and local that time of year, and seasonal food is typically lower priced than food from other locations. If an item is slightly more expensive at a farmers market, it’s often complimented with higher quality and flavor. Plus, you can get recipe and preparation ideas for preparing food items on the spot from your local farmer.

Benefits Recipient: “The supermarket is easier.”

Your Response: While supermarkets can be a venue for one-stop-shop, the farmers market can be an enjoyable shopping experience for the whole family. Children can meet the farmers who grow their food and participate in kid-friendly activities with Kids Eating Right-Nutrition & Exercise for Life (KERNEL) or the Power of Produce Club. Plus, the live entertainment and smells of the market is something everyone can enjoy!

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Benefits Recipient: “It’s hard to visit the farmers market.”

Your Response: Many farmers markets are located downtown on main transportation routes, which can be reached by car or bus. In addition, some markets partner with community organizations to arrange transportation to the market. Please contact the market directly to learn about transportation options.

Benefits Recipient: “How do I shop with my EBT card at a farmers market?”

Your Response: Many markets accept SNAP-EBT. Visit your local market and head to the Market Information Booth. Ask them to swipe your EBT card for however much money you’d like to spend. You’ll receive EBT tokens. These tokens are spent directly with vendors on EBT eligible items. Market staff and vendors are happy to have you at the market and to answer any questions you may have. Some markets also have translators available for non-English speakers.

Benefits Recipient: “MY SNAP dollars don’t go far enough, is there other financial support for shopping at the farmers market?”

Your Response: You may be eligible for the WIC or Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP). WIC FMNP is for income eligible pregnant women or women with young children. Participants receive packets of $4 checks totaling $20 to spend directly with farm vendors at farmers markets. Income eligible seniors receive packets of $4 checks totaling $40 to spend directly with farm vendors at farmers markets. FMNP checks may be spent on fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and fresh cut herbs. Seniors may also use their checks for honey.

Benefits Recipient: “Which markets accept food assistance benefits (SNAP/Double Up Bucks)?”

Your Response: In Skagit County, the following markets accept SNAP-EBT, and offer Double Up Bucks:

Skagit County Farmers Market Anacortes Farmers Market

Location At the Depot, 7th St. & R Ave. Bus Route 410

Day & Hours Sat. 9am–2pm

Season Start/End May 4–Oct 26

Mount Vernon Farmers Market

Riverwalk Park, Gates & Main St.

Sat. 9am–2pm

May 18–Oct 12

Wed. 3pm–7pm

May 22–Oct 16

Thur. 1pm–6pm

June 13–Sept 12

Sat. 9am–3pm

May 25–Aug 31

Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market Bow Farmers Market Concrete Saturday Market

Bus Route 206 Ferry St. & Metcalf St. Bus Route 300 15115 Bow Hill Rd. Bus Route 185 Concrete Community Center, 45821 Railroad Ave

Adapted from Marketing the Market: A Guide for Human Service Professionals brochure. Available at www.SnapToMarket.com 60

Skagit PICKS Handout– English (Front Side)

61

Skagit PICKS Handout– English (Back Side)

62

Skagit PICKS Handout– Spanish (Front Side)

63

Skagit PICKS Handout– Spanish (Back Side)

64

Sample Letter to Parents

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Blind Contour Drawing Art Lesson Participants create line drawings of fruit and/or vegetables without looking at their hand or their drawing.

Ages 7- 12 Time: 45 minutes active Elements of Art: Color, Line, and Shape

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Build observational skills and hand-eye coordination.



Draw what they see, rather than icons or what they think they see.



Practice accepting mistakes and adapting to unexpected outcomes.

Supplies • Pencils • Paper plates

• Watercolor paints*

• Fine-tip black marker • Assorted fruit and vegetables

• Paper towels*

• Paint brushes* • Small cups for water*

•

• Colored pencils/markers*

*items are for an optional extension

Instructions to the Teacher Prep 

Use pencils to puncture hole in the center of the plate. Suspend the plate 1/3 of the way down the pencil, leaving room for them to grip underneath. This will discourage participants from looking at their hands while drawing.



If you would like participants to paint their drawings, fill up cups of water before starting the lesson.



Set one vegetable or piece of fruit at each table for participants to draw.

Timeline 1. Explain and demonstrate the process of a blind contour drawing (5 minutes).

2. Distribute materials for drawing (2 minutes).

3. Drawing and outlining (10-20 minutes).

4. Watercolor painting (20 minutes).

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Art Activity 

In whole group discussion, explain the process of blind contour drawing and demonstrate the process for them. Choose a starting point with your object, then move your hand slowly as your eyes trace the outline of the vegetable you are drawing. *Do not lift your hand. This helps you keep reference of where things are.*



Break students up into groups of 4-6, depending on class size & variety of fruits and vegetables used.



Distribute drawing materials to participants (pencils with plates and paper). Let them know that they can make several drawings, but that they should take their time, moving their pencil very slowly and never lifting it.



Once a student has finished a drawing. Give them a black marker to outline their favorite image.



When they are done drawing they can begin painting with watercolors, or coloring in with colored pencils or markers.



Note: Make sure participants write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

Gallery

(Above): Artwork made by a student from the YMCA camp at Whitney Elementary in Anacortes, WA.

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Dried Bean “Mandalas” Art Lesson Participants work together to design radially symmetrical designs using colored pencils and a template. Then, they recreate their design with beans on a larger scale.

Radial Symmetry: Symmetry around a central axis, as in a starfish or tulip flower.

Ages 7 & up Time: 1 hour active Elements of Art: Color, Line, and Shape

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Understand and apply the concept of radial symmetry in the design of their project.



Work together during the design and creation of their project.



Complete the process of translating their design from a colored pencil drawing to dried beans.

Supplies • Dried beans (variety of colors, shapes, sizes)

• Colored pencils

• Black tablecloths or black poster board

• Cups for distributing beans

• Chalk with string tied to the end

• Camera (optional)

• Quarter circle template

Instructions to the Teacher Prep 

Place tablecloths on work stations.



Using the chalk with string, draw several large circles, spaced several inches apart on the tablecloth. Our circles were about 2 feet in diameter. We found it was best to have one circle for every 2-3 participants.

Timeline 1. Explain radial symmetry and show example of how a design drawn in the quarter circle template would be used to create full circle design (5 minutes).

2. If appropriate, show cultural examples of this kind of design and their different meanings (5 minutes).

3. Distribute templates and colored pencils. Invite each group of participants to create one design together (10 minutes).

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4. As participants finish their design, look it over, and then distribute beans. Participants recreate their design by arranging beans within the circle outlined on the tablecloth. (30 minutes).

5. Photograph finished projects. Note: Make sure their name is on the finished product for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market. Participants should break down their own design and re-sort the beans (10-20 minutes)

Art Activity 

Define radial or rotational symmetry and demonstrate how we will use the quarter circle to help achieve symmetry. Design one portion of the circle and repeat the design around the rest of the circle.



Divide participants into groups based on the number of circles you have.



Have the participants work together to create a design in the quarter-circle template, using colored pencils. Continually emphasize the importance of simplicity as you circulate.



Once a group has agreed on a design, give them the appropriate beans. Remind them that we will need to re-sort the beans at the end of the activity so to avoid mixing them.



After a group finishes creating their bean design. Photograph it and ask the participants to re-sort their beans.



Note: Make sure they write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

Gallery

Left: Project created by two participants at the Y’s Kids Summer Camp hosted at Lincoln Elementary in Mount Vernon, WA. Right: design completed by two participants at the Anacortes Boys and Girls Club.

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Painting with Vegetable Pigment Art Lesson Participants work together to make paint from fruit and vegetables. They will use the paint and watch how their colors change or fade over time.

Ages 7 & up Time: 1 hour active Elements of Art: Color, Line, and Shape

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Learn how natural materials, such as fruits and vegetables can be used as pigment to color paint.



Use fruit and vegetable matter to make paint and then paint with it.



Notice the way that adding vinegar and baking soda to the paint changes the color.



Observe how the color changes over time, as their painting dries.

Supplies • An assortment of produce (beets, spinach, blueber-

• Cheesecloth cut into several

• Vinegar

• Small containers to store paint

• Baking soda

• Palettes

• Grater

• Paint brushes

• Plastic sandwich bags

• Paper towels

• Watercolor paper

• Water to clean brushes

Instructions to the Teacher Prep 

Make some of the watercolor paints in advance by 1)shredding fruits and vegetables and 2)juicing shredded matter into containers and adding vinegar or baking soda.



Make additional samples of paint for each fruit or vegetable: one with vinegar added and one with baking soda added.



Use sample paints to create a sample sheet so that 1) students can see how the paint will dry and 2) students can observe the contrast between vinegar and baking soda paints.



Shred or otherwise process the remaining fruit and vegetables so that they can be easily juiced/ squeezed. Divide remaining fruit and vegetable matter into plastic bags and freeze them so that they last longer. Only a small amount of material is needed to make a large quantity of paint.



Tip: To get more dye in the process, freeze the fruit and vegetable matter beforehand and thaw before squeezing.

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Timeline 1. Briefly describe how artists used to have to make their own paints using natural pigments (5 minutes).

2. Show participants the sample color sheet and encourage them to compare the different colors made from one vegetable (5 minutes).

3. Walk through the process of making paint together: selecting a color to make, juicing fruit and vegetables, adding either vinegar or baking soda, and mixing. vinegar (15 minutes).

4. Distribute watercolor paper, paint brushes, and an assortment of the pre-made paints (5 minutes).

5. Begin painting! (15-20 minutes).

Art Activity 

Divide participants into pairs and have each group select a different color to make. If working with a group larger than 15, it is best to divide the group in half.



Put a pinch of shredded vegetable or fruit matter into the cheesecloth while holding it over the paint container.



Twist the top of the cheesecloth to form a closed bundle.



Squeeze on the bundle to extract juice.



Once everyone is done juicing their material, add either baking soda or vinegar to each container of juice, depending on what color is being made. Ask the participants to stir their paint.



Collect all the newly made paint and divide it among palettes that participants can share, so that everyone can have access to multiple colors.



Pass out paper, palettes with paint, water, and paper towels so that they can begin painting.



If possible, set up a separate table for painting and have participants move to the new table when they are ready to paint.



Note: Make sure participants write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

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Gallery

Left: Participants squeeze blackberries into their container using cheesecloth.

Right: One participant stirs baking soda into his paint, which another group examines the color

Painting with vegetable pigment at the Anacortes Farmers Market.

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Papier-mâché Fruit and Vegetables Art Lesson Participants will papier-mâché over a balloon to create a fruit or vegetable.

When dry, participants can paint their papier-mâché project to look like the fruit or vegetable of their choosing.

Ages 7 & up Time: Day 1- 1 hour, Day 2- 1 hour Elements of Art: Form and Color

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Apply papier-mâché over a balloon to create a representational fruit or vegetable form.



Choose and mix colors to represent a specific fruit or vegetable.

Supplies Day 1 • White glue (large quantity)

• Cardboard, cut into approximately 1.5” x 12” strips

• Buckets or bowls for paste

• Black permanent marker

• Masking tape

• Balloons, preferably a variety of shapes and sizes

• Newsprint

• Images of fruits and vegetables (try to match the shapes of the fruit and vegetables to that of the balloons)

• Tempera paint

• Paper towels

• Palettes or paper plates

• Water cups

Day 2

• Paint brushes

Timeline Day 1 1. Set up tables and supplies in advance, mix glue, rip paper and lay out on the tables (10 minutes).

2. Invite students to gather in a central location, and look at your sample project and images of fruit and vegetables that are a variety of shapes (5 minutes).

3. Explain process and demonstrate method for papier-mâché. Be sure to emphasize the importance of pulling excess glue off each strip of paper (5 minutes).

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4. Students should pick a fruit or vegetable to make, and line up to collect their balloon and stand.

5. Blow up a balloon for each student depending on the shape of the fruit or vegetable they want to make. Give them a stand and ask them to write their name on in large, legible letters (5 minutes).

6. Papier-mâché (15 minutes).

7. As students finish their project, collect their papier-mâché forms, but keep them attached to their stand. Allow them to dry overnight (24 hours).

Day 2 1. Redistribute papier-mâché forms (5 minutes).

2. Remind participants how to mix primary colors to make secondary colors. Invite them to select two colors based on the fruit or vegetable they have chosen to make (5 minutes).

3. Distribute paint, paintbrushes, and other materials (5 minutes).

4. Paint (10 minutes).

Optional: distribute green tape, paper and scissors so that participants can make and attach leaves to their creations (10 minutes).

5. Set finished projects aside to dry.

Instructions to the Teacher Day 1 Prep 

Before arriving make a sample project to help participants visualize how the shape of the balloon could be transformed into a fruit or vegetable.



Fold and tape cut cardboard strips into triangular bases to rest project on. The base will help to ensure that the project will dry properly.



Prepare paste in several buckets (1 part glue to 1 part water). Note: prepare a small amount at the beginning to prevent excess waste.



Cover tables and distribute materials.



Place several buckets of paste on each table, generally 1 bucket to 4 participants is a good rule of thumb. Put some pre-ripped strips of newsprint at each table. It is important not to distribute all the newsprint at once or its possible it could become soggy and unusable.

Day 2 Prep 

Pop the balloons and remove them from inside the now-dried papier-mâché forms. Remove the stands to make sure that none have stuck to them.



Pre-distribute paint onto palettes. Each palette should have three colors, two primary colors and white.

This will prevent the creation of brown.



Cover the tables and place water cups and paper towels.

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Art Activity

Day 1 

Circulate throughout the process and provide additional paper and glue as needed.



A project is finished when there are two layers of paper covering the entire balloon.



Projects can be relocated to dry overnight.

Day 2 

Distribute paint and paint brushes.



Participants should begin painting, circulate and supply more paint as necessary.



Once someone has finished painting, invite them to attach a leaf. Give them green paper to cut from and tape to attach it.



Set finished projects aside to dry.



Note: Make sure participants write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

Gallery

A strawberry made by Greyson at the YMCA camp at Lincoln Elementary in Mount Vernon, WA.

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An eggplant made by Lesley at the YMCA camp at Lincoln Elementary in Mount Vernon, WA.

Foam Vegetable Stamps Art Lesson Participants design and create a foam stamp of a fruit or vegetable that they will use to create patterns.

Ages 7-12 years old Time: ~1 hour Elements of Art: Shape and Color

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Demonstrate an understanding of pattern.



Create their own foam stamps and use them to create a pattern.

Supplies • Foam blocks

• Scissors

• Foam sheets with adhesive backs

• Exacto knife (for adult use)

• Pencils

• Variety of colored paper

• Sharpies or other black markers

• Variety of stamp pads

• Scratch paper

Instructions to the Teacher Prep 

Gather materials.



Cut adhesive foam sheets into squares that fit over top of what you will use for your stamp (e.g. a foam or wooden block).



Select example artworks. We used two paintings by Seattle artist Alfredo Arreguin.

Timeline 1. Show examples of Alfredo Arreguin artwork and explain his use of pattern (5 minutes).

2. Distribute foam squares and scratch paper. Have student create three thumbnails drawings of fruits and/or vegetables for their stamps (15-20 minutes).

3. Have students pick their favorite design and transfer it onto foam square (10 minutes).

4. Students cut out their design at attach it to their foam block (10 minutes).

5. Distribute stamp pads and invite students to use their and their classmates stamps to create pattern (10-15 minutes).

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Art Activity 

Using examples of Alfredo Arreguin’s artwork, explain and discuss pattern and repetition.



Distribute scratch paper and foam blocks to students, and have students trace their foam blocks three times on the scratch paper.



Practice drawing at least three different thumbnails on the scratch paper.



Students select their favorite design and copy it onto their foam square.



Cut out the design and attach it to their foam block.



Distribute stamp pads and colored paper. Students can begin stamping their patterns. Encourage them to share stamps with each other.



Note: Make sure they write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

Gallery

Left: Made by student at Children of the Valley in Mount Vernon, WA. Right: Created by Abby at a Boys in Girls Club in Anacortes, WA.

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Vegetable and Herb Clay Tiles Art Lesson Participants use herbs and vegetable leaves to create imprints on clay tiles.

After the tiles have dried they are painted with an acrylic, gloss medium “glaze”.

Ages 5 & up Time: Day 1 creation of tiles- 1 hour, Day 2 “Glazing”- 30 minutes Elements of Art: Texture, line, shape

Teacher Objectives Participants will… 

Introduce and experience new, perhaps unfamiliar vegetables and herbs.



Create texture by pressing a variety of organic materials into the clay.



Experiment with layering different textures.

Supplies • Pre-divided pieces of air-dry clay

• Plastic straws

• A variety of vegetables and herbs

• Gloss medium

• Square templates

• Spoon/palette knife (for mixing)

• Popsicle sticks

• Acrylic paint

• Rolling pins

• Paint brushes

• Toothpicks

Instructions to the Teacher Prep 

Gather vegetable and herb matter with a variety of textures. Pay attention to the sensory qualities of the materials.



Gather other materials and plan for storage, and if necessary transportation, of the tiles while they dry.



Divide clay into pieces that are big enough to easily accommodate the appropriate size square.



Bring prepared “glaze” for the students to use. Mix acrylic gloss medium with a small amount of acrylic paint to give the tile a shiny finish.

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Timeline Day 1 1. Introduce and name vegetables and herbs that students will be working with. Invite participants to touch and smell the materials, and to share what they are experiencing (5 minutes).

2. Demonstrate the tile making process: rolling out the clay, cutting out a tile, stamping materials (5 minutes).

3. Distribute clay, parchment paper, popsicle sticks, rolling pins. Ask participants to spend time warming the clay before attempting to roll it out. This is difficult for some so be prepared to help (10 minutes).

4. Participants create tiles by rolling out clay, cutting out a square (using popsicle sticks and template) and stamping vegetables. Make sure that participants are not making their tiles too thin or they will crack as they dry. Circulate and poke holes in the top using a straw. Make sure there is at least a fingers-width of space between top edge and hole as the tile can be fragile (25 minutes).

5. As students finish, make sure that their names (or initials) are on the tiles (5-10 minutes).

6. Allow tiles to dry overnight (at least 12 hours).

Day 2 1. Redistribute tiles to participants (5 minutes).

2. Instruct participants to paint the top and sides of the tile in the color of their choosing. Depending on the age group, you may provide the option of mixing or blending the colors (15-25 minutes).

Art Activity 

Clay tiles should be no thinner than .25” thick, otherwise they risk cracking.



If tiles should crack, Elmer’s brand glue works well for repairs, but is not perfect.



Consider allowing participants to make multiple tiles at the outset or as a replacement for one that broke.



Toothpicks are helpful for getting vegetable matter out of clay without ruining the imprint.



Note: Make sure they write their name on it for reference, especially if the artwork is to be displayed at the farmers market.

Take Home Give teachers a stack of letters to be distributed to parents. The letter is an invitation for parents to see their child’s artwork on display at the farmers market.

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Gallery

The selection of vegetables and herbs that were available to participants at the Anacortes Boys & Girls Club.

Taryn, age 6, holding up her tile.

Tiles on display at the Anacortes Farmers Market Children’s Art Walk.

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Recipe Handouts with Children’s Artwork

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SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

YEAR-ROUND

Broccoli

Blueberries

(Delicata) Squash

Brussels Sprouts

Kale

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Bell Peppers

Carrots

Chard

Snap Peas

Cucumbers

Free Sunshine

Potatoes

Cabbage

Radish

Corn

Apples

Parsnip

Leeks

Spinach

Strawberries

Pears

Turnips

Beets

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Skagit County Seasonal Bingo Questions SPRING Q: I am a cruciferous vegetable and look like a small tree. What am I? A: Broccoli Q: Complete this sentence: “two ___ in a pod” A: Snap Peas Q: I am small, spicy and shaped like a heart. What am I? A: Radish Q: You’ll find me in most all salads. I come in green and red leaf form. What am I? A: Lettuce Q: I am high in iron and reduce to next to nothing when I am cooked. Popeye eats me to get strong.

What am I? A: Spinach

SUMMER Q: You’ll find me in all your favorite salsas. What am I? A: Tomatoes Q: I am normally added with salt and vinegar to make pickles. What am I? A: Cucumbers Q: I have ears but am no animal. What am I? A: Corn Q: I am sweet and tart and added to the dough of America's favorite muffin is. What am I? Violet turned into me in Roald Dahls’ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A: Blueberries Q: I have green leafy tops and I am great as jam to accompany peanut butter in a sandwich. What am I? A: Strawberries

AUTUMN Q: I’m like a green striped pumpkin but softer and sweeter. What am I? A: Delicata squash Q: I am crunchy and can be red, green, yellow and orange. What am I? A: Bell pepper Q1: One of me a day keeps the doctor away. What am I? -OR- Q2: I am Washington States biggest crop, what am I? A: Apple Q: I am best eaten right off the tree. You know I am ripe when I turn from green to yellow. What am I? A: Pear 95

WINTER Q: I’m crunchy, rabbits love to eat me and I’m good for the eyes. What am I? A: Carrots Q1: Second to Idaho, Washington State is one of this biggest producers of this crop Nationwide. What am I? -OR- Q2: You eat me with turkey on Thanksgiving. What am I? A: Potatoes Q: I am a bulbous root vegetable with a mildly spicy taste. Sometimes my tops are purple. What am I? A: Turnips Q: I am small and look like a mini cabbage. What am I? A: Brussel Sprouts

Q: I am sweet in flavor and the second cousin to the carrot. What am I? A: Parsnip

YEAR ROUND Q: I am a mild and green but taste faintly like an onion. What am I? A: Leeks Q: Often called the ‘World’s Healthiest Food’, I am a big, often bitter, leafy green that goes great in a smoothie or made into chips. What am I? A: Kale Q: I am quick to grow and can manage in the worst of weather. My stalks can be colored or green, but my leaves are always big and leafy. What am I? A: Chard Q: I’m great in a coleslaw or sauerkraut. What am I? A: Cabbage Q: I have a sweet, earthy taste and a vibrant color which will stain everything when you cut into me.

What am I? A: Beets

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EBT Clerk Position Description Responsibilities and expectations for the

Farmers Market EBT Clerk With funding and technical support from the Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentive Grant (FINI), Food From Farms implemented an incentive program for low-income shoppers at select farmers market (also known as Double Up Bucks or Fresh Bucks). The program provides Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) patrons with matching funds in FINI Bucks (Double Up Bucks or Fresh Bucks) as a bonus incentive when using their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) at the market. Since FINI Bucks can only be spent to purchase fruits and vegetables, the program is effective at increasing the purchasing power of low-income residents so they can buy the fresh, local food they need to stay healthy. For more information about FINI, go to: www.doh.wa.gov/FINI

Overview The Farmers Market EBT Clerk works under the direction of Food From Farms with the cooperation of farmers market managers to provide on-site support for the implementation of the program. General responsibilities include: helping promote and market the FINI Bucks program, keeping accurate records of SNAP transactions and FINI Bucks with Device Magic, keeping accurate records of FINI Bucks redemptions from the farmers, providing market documentation to Food From Farms, providing customer service to SNAP beneficiaries new to using their benefits at the farmers market, etc. Successful EBT Clerks understand the SNAP consumer, their assigned farmers market, and Food From Farms’s needs. The clerk works with Food From Farms to implement strategies to meet the goals of the local FINI Program. The EBT Clerk is required to be on-site at the farmers market every week. The Farmers Market EBT Clerk is a part-time seasonal position, May through November. Hours will vary and contracts are for one calendar year at a time.

General Requirements The EBT Clerk must have general knowledge of their assigned farmers market(s). The position requires the ability to work independently as well as interdependently with Food From Farms, farmers market managers, volunteers and staff, while serving as a reference person at the information desk. They must be reliable, friendly, self-motivated, and be able to travel to farmers markets on market day. Responsibility is critical, as the EBT Clerk has primary responsibility to assure Food From Farms gets all the paperwork required to reimburse the markets for Food From Farms programs. Additionally, they must be willing and able to work with the public; discretion and compassion is important in working with SNAP customers. The ideal candidate will have interest in food access, local agriculture, farmers markets, and community health.

Specific Responsibilities Responsibilities may vary by week and are determined by the needs of both the community and individual farmers markets. Generally the Farmers Market EBT Clerk is responsible for the following activities: 

Manage aspects of EBT transactions including: administer transactions using Point of Sale (POS) system to swipe EBT card and provide correct amount in tokens and market bucks, track SNAP participation and survey responses, as well as reconciliation of transactions; 97

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Conduct a short survey using an iPad to collect data on SNAP customers amount spent with EBT per market day;

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Conduct a short survey using an iPad to collect data on SNAP customers amount spent with EBT per market day;

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Raise consumer and community consciousness about utilizing SNAP benefits at the farmers market, as well as the FINI Bucks program through conversations and educational market materials;

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Assist Market Manager(s) as needed with communication about program operations and updates to farmers/vendors;

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Address the needs of key audiences, particularly: adults, seniors/elderly, children, ethnic groups, and low income families;

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Assist Market Manager (s) with market end of day closeout procedures as needed, including basic handling of vendor records to assist with vendor reimbursement process at the end of each market day;

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Provide Food From Farms with the documentation from each market required for the market to be reimbursed for Food From Farms’s programs.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

Dynamic personality and excellent interpersonal and communication skills- comfortable working with diverse groups of people.

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Strong personal initiative, problem solving skills, sense of responsibility, and natural creativity.

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Capable of working independently and supportively with staff, volunteers, and customers.

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Flexibility of schedule and commitment to work weekdays and weekends.

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Ability to work outside, stand up for up to 2 hours, and lift up to 25 lbs.

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Basic proficiency in data input and computer literacy.

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Must have a car for transportation to markets.

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Preference will be given to applicants with bilingual skills.

Willingness to Learn: 

Credit card/EBT machine(s) and run applicable reports;

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Different market currency, incentives, and what they may be used/spent on;

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Basic information about Skagit Valley farmers markets and various nutritional programs;

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Use of Google Docs, Dropbox, or other technology required for submissions;

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Using the Device Magic Application on an iPad to collect customer data.

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EBT Clerk Training PPT Presentation

Slide 1 99

Indeed, the answer is “f” – all of the above. However, the term “food stamps” is still the most commonly used term, especially among the more than 1.1 million Washington residents who received monthly food stamp benefits in 2014.

Slide 2 100

SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

EBT stands for “Electronic Benefits Transfer and refers to the way that public assistance benefits (SNAP) are distributed and redeemed. The 1996 Farm Bill required states to phase in an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) debit card system for food stamps or SNAP. EBT cards look and act like a regular bank debit card. In WA state, EBT cards are also referred to as “QUEST Cards”.

In Washington State, the Basic Food Program is the name of the SNAP or food stamp program. It is administered by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Participants receive monthly benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Just over 1 million |people across the state receive Basic Food Benefits every month.

The Food Access Glossary is available in your manual and can be found in the Washington State Farmers Market Management Toolkit. We will look at the glossary in your manual later in the training.

Slide 3 101

FINI is the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grant that was awarded to the Washington State Department of Health There are three categories of projects: (1) FINI Pilot Projects (awards not to exceed a total of $100,000 over one year); (2) Multi-year, community-based FINI Projects (awards not to |exceed a total of $500,000 over no more than four years); and (3) Multi-year, FINI Large-Scale Projects (awards of $500,000 or more over no more than four years) WA State FINI will have an extension year so will go to March2020.

Slide 4 102

Complete Eats In all Washington Safeway stores, shoppers who buy at least $10 worth of qualifying fruits and vegetables using their SNAP food benefits and Safeway Club Card will get a coupon for up to $5 off their next purchase. A variety of fruits and vegetables qualify. Shoppers can choose from fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables, so long as the products have no added fats, sugars or salt. Coupons automatically print at the checkout.

Fruit and Vegetable Rx At select pilot sites, health care providers, community health workers, and community |nutritionists are prescribing fruits and vegetables to patients and clients who use SNAP. The prescription is a paper voucher that recipients can use like cash to buy fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and Washington Safeway stores.

Farmers Market EBT Incentive When SNAP shoppers spend their food benefits at participating farmers markets, they receive additional tokens or vouchers to spend on fruits and vegetables at the market. Almost 80 farmers markets across the state are offering match incentives to SNAP shoppers.

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Slide 6 104

Goal: Increase access to fresh, healthy food for low-income shoppers by increasing purchasing power.

Fruit and Vegetable Incentive Programs An incentive program gives low-income shoppers additional tokens or market currency when they use their federal nutrition benefits at the farmers market. Most incentive programs work with SNAP EBT benefits; however, there are now incentive programs for FMNP also. The amount of money a shopper takes out in EBT tokens is usually “matched” up to a certain amount, usually around $10.00 but it could be any amount. Typically, the “match” must be used to buy fruits and vegetables. A market may create its own incentive program or participate in one managed by an outside public or private agency. The rise in number and funding for incentive programs is driven by public and private organizations committed to improving public health through healthy diets.

Slide 7 105

The farmers market SNAP program uses a central terminal system. The market becomes the SNAP authorized retailer on behalf of the farmers and vendors in the market. This allows us to place one wireless POS terminal in each market, usually the responsibility of the market manager. Additionally, this helps make sales faster for farmers in a busy market, increases choices/options for customers to purchase from farmers and vendors, as well as increases the number of farmers and vendors participating in the program.

Each Market has a central terminal system, also known as the market info booth.

Slide 8 106

If you’re a visual learner, here’s a video created by Northwest Harvest that walks you through how EBT matching programs, as well as healthy incentives at farmers markets work.

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The EBT clerk enters the amount that the customer would like to spend into the POS machine. The card is then swiped and the customer is asked to enter their pin number. A receipt is printed out for the customer, and an extra copy is printed for the market. *It is important that the EBT clerk put the merchant copy into an envelop, as this is the paper trail to reconcile transactions at the end of the day* When the EBT clerk swipes their benefits card, the benefits are transferred from their account to the market’s checking account. That means that only that market has the funds to reimburse farmers for that token. For this reason, all tokens are labeled with the name of the issuing market. The tokens should only be used at the market where they were purchased.

Most tokens have a value of $1 or $2. This makes for easy transactions with farmers.

However, larger markets like the Anacortes and Mount Vernon Farmers Market have opted for either $5 or $10 tokens, as well. This became necessary when customers started using larger amounts of their benefits to shop at the markets. Customers do has the option of receiving a combination of $1, $2, $5, or $10 increments, depending on the market.

Slide 10 108

The tokens customer will receive in exchange for their SNAP benefits must be considered an extension of their benefits. That means they can only be used to purchase SNAP eligible foods.

TIPS  Don’t hit send in Device magic survey until payment is processed. There may be times in which the SNAP customer does not have enough on their EBT card.  Say, “here is your balance” when giving the SNAP customer their receipt, rather than, “Here’s your receipt”. This increases the likelihood that the SNAP customer will take the receipt.

Slide 10, cont.

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As with any benefit, tokens cannot be exchanged for cash, just as they cannot be used for any product that is not SNAP eligible. Please remind your customers that the tokens issued are market specific, and should only be used at the market where they were purchased. Vendors cannot use tokens they receive from customers to shop at other vendors stalls. This is a federal offence.

It is important for customers to know that tokens have no expiration date. That means they do not have to use all of the tokens they purchase at one time. They can be held onto until their next market trip, whether it is next week, next month or next year.

FINI Bucks expire - date is generally December 31st of that year. The expiration date can be found on the buck.

Double Up Bucks: Because of the FINI grant unique to Skagit County, markets double SNAP dollars up to a certain amount per market day. For example, if a SNAP customer wants to spend $10 of their SNAP benefits, the EBT Clerk would double this and give the customer a total of $20 ($10 in tokens & $10 in Double Up Bucks) to spend in the market.

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Fresh Bucks: The Fresh Bucks program offers $2 in Fresh Bucks for every $2 swiped with an EBT card- up to $10.00 per day! For example, if a SNAP customer wants to spend $10 of their SNAP benefits, the EBT Clerk would give the customer an additional $10 in Fresh Bucks.

Note on EBT Fraud: If vendor receives the wrong token (ex: EBT for a non EBT-eligible item sold from vendor), they cannot exchange with another vendor and/or buy from another vendor.

Slide 11, cont.

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We’ve put the a couple documents in your training manual for reference. Feel free to add what you want specific at your market to serve as a valuable resource!

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This generalized position description is a wonderful reference for both the market manager and the EBT clerk during the market season. It lays out the expectations and responsibilities of the EBT clerk and market staff who assist with administering FINI at the market.

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This resources can be found in the online Washington State Farmers Market Management Toolkit: http://www.wafarmersmarkettoolkit.org/ A print copy of the manual is available to your market upon request. Contact either WSFMA or the WSFMA Regional Lead for your county to acquire a copy.

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Designed by the USDA, this training guide is to serve as a resource for farmers markets that are authorized SNAP retailers. In order for market managers and staff to ensure operational compliance and prevent SNAP violations from occurring, this is included in the manual.

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Now you know how to the process works for customers, let’s talk about how it works for markets.

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Required to have vendors read and sign document if they are going to participate in the programs.

It’s a good idea for market managers to institute agreements and offer training to vendors participating in SNAP so they will know what to expect from the EBT system and what they will need to do to accept SNAP benefits. At least one training meeting should happen before the market’s opening day, giving vendors an opportunity to walk through every step of the process and become familiar with the signage and equipment and the scrip, tokens, or receipts. They will need to understand the reimbursement procedures and recordkeeping forms that will be used in conjunction with the EBT system.

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This has proven to be an invaluable resource for market managers to ensure that vendors and farmers understand the variety of currency they can or cannot take for their product.

Ultimately if the incorrect currency is accepted at the point of sale then the vendor or farmer cannot be reimbursed by the market. Farmers Market Flash designed a visual aid for communicating the multiple currencies used at an individual farmers market to minimize confusion for vendors and farmers, especially if there are a handful of different staff managing their booth throughout the season.

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Each page is used for a single market day, though you can use more than one if you need more space, simply date them both with the market day and denote that there are multiple pages (EG: 1/1/18 page 1). When taking envelopes and counting the incentives, you simply write down the name of the Farmer/Vendor who took the incentives, the dollar amount of incentives they had (not the number of incentives) and have both the Farmer/Vendor and the Manager (or whoever counts incentives at your market) sign to verify. At the top of the page you write your market name and the date of the market. At the bottom you can write you Distributions for each program, these can be found via Device Magic (or your EBT batch report), or by counting the coupons you’ve received over the course of the day. At the bottom of the page you have a section to total each incentive amount, and a section of the total of all incentives your market received. Below that is the section for distributions. You don’t need to put one for FINI since we have device magic (as such it has been grayed out) but you will need to record the distributions for the other programs. Please include the dollar amount, not the number of coupons.

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Slide 23 123

Note: if a customer does not use all their EBT tokens and wants to get a refund, markets can issue that refund. If for instance the individual swiped $10 with their EBT card, and received $10 in FINI Bucks, they would need to return the same amount in FINI Bucks for the amount they wish to get reimbursed.

Ex: customer wants to get $4 refunded back on their EBT card. Customer is required to return $4 in FINI Bucks in order to receive refund on card. Otherwise, customer is told to keep the tokens if they have used up all their FINI bucks.

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Going to a farmers market for the first time can be overwhelming for a new SNAP shopper, especially with all the exciting things going on at the market. Just like it’s important to have the vendors and farmers feel confident about facilitating smooth transactions using multiple currencies, our goal is to make sure that SNAP shoppers feel confident in how to use their currency. A positive experience at the farmers market increases the likelihood that the SNAP shopper becomes a regular customer.

Have these currency reference sheets handy where the POS terminal is located so that new or returning customers can take a copy for themselves.

Slide 25 125

Local schools have access to translation services. Markets may be able to partner with a local school district to proof read edits to any language translated materials.

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Slide 27 127

Since consumers need to understand where the terminal is located when they come to market, each market has a banner that they put up wherever the terminal is located.

Customers finding that banner will be able to use their benefits card to purchase wooden tokens to be used as EBT or SNAP scrip when shopping with farmers and vendors in the market.

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Multiple Currency Reference Sheet for Vendors (Front side)

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Multiple Currency Reference Sheet for Vendors (Back side)

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Multiple Currency Reference Sheet for Customers– English

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Multiple Currency Reference Sheet for Customers – Spanish

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SNAP at the Farmers Market Frequently Asked Questions Customer Q: What is EBT? A: EBT is an “Electronic Benefits Transfer,” an electronic system in which Basic Food benefits can be accessed. Basic Food is Washington’s name for the program formerly known as food stamps and nationally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). A “Quest” card is the EBT card in Washington. Customers who use their EBT card at the farmers market are referred to as “SNAP customers”.

Customer Q: How do I know if I qualify for SNAP benefits?

A: Go to http://www.foodhelp.wa.gov/basic_food.htm to find out if you qualify for SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) and to sign up for benefits.

Customer Q: Can I get change for the coupons or tokens from the vendors?

A: No. They will be in whole dollar amounts and the vendors do not provide change.

Customer Q: What if I don’t end up spending as much as I thought I would?

A: Double Up Bucks and EBT tokens are good for the entire market season. If you don’t use them all on one day you can return to the market and use them at another time. **Remember to look at the expiration date of Double Up Bucks, as it expires after 1 year.**

Customer Q: Can I spend the coupons at another market?

A: Yes, however Double Up Bucks can only be used at participating markets. Double Up Bucks are used at markets in Skagit County. If you are unsure, refer to the back of the coupon to see what markets they can be used for.

Customer Q: Can I spend the tokens at another market?

A: No. Tokens are market specific and cannot be used at any other market.

Customer Q: What can I buy with my EBT tokens or coupons?

A: For your EBT tokens, the same rules apply to using SNAP at a farmers’ market at any other store. Tokens can be used to purchase meat, dairy products, eggs, baked goods, jams & jellies, syrup & honey, fruits, vegetables, food-producing plant starts, herbs, and mushrooms.

For Double Up Bucks, you can only use them to purchase fruits, vegetables, food-producing plant starts, herbs, and mushrooms.

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*Multiple Currency Info Sheets are available for new customers to refer to.

They are available in English, Spanish, Russian, and Korean, listing the food items that can be purchased with the different market currencies* Market Vendor Q: How does EBT at a farmers market work?

A: EBT users can swipe their card at a Point of Sale (POS) terminal located at the market information booth. Recipients can then purchase eligible food products from market farmers and vendors. Refer to your multiple currencies cheat sheet for eligible food products.

Market Vendor Q: If there’s one terminal and each vendor does not have an EBT machine, how does the customer buy their produce from a specific vendor?

A: When at the EBT POS, the EBT Clerk asks the recipient how much of his/her food or cash benefits they would like to use. Then the EBT card is swiped, and the amount is debited from the balance stored on the card. (This amount is transferred from the recipient’s account to the market or association bank account.)

The EBT Clerk then issues tokens in the amount requested by the customer. This is a representation of the EBT money debited one for one. The recipient can use the market currency with vendors selling eligible food.

Market Vendor Q: What if the SNAP customer doesn’t end up spending as much as they thought they would?

A: The paper coupons and tokens are good for the entire market season. If s/he cannot use them all on one day, they can return to the market and use them at another time. No change can be given.

Remember, each year the color of the coupons changes. If the customer tries to purchase an item with an old coupon, they can go to the market info booth and exchange it for a new one.

Market Vendor Q: Can I give change for the coupons or tokens from customers?

A: No vendors do not provide change. Sales should be in whole dollar amounts. Typically, vendors will either run down to the nearest dollar or give the customer a little extra produce.

Market Vendor Q: Can I accept tokens from another market?

A: No. Tokens are market specific and cannot be used at any other market.

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Facilitating a Farmers Market Walking Tour Why Lead a Walking Tour at the Farmers Market?

Farmer’s market walking tours are a great way to introduce your community members to the many benefits of shopping at their local farmers markets Benefits of shopping at the farmers market: 1. Freshly picked, in season produce is at its peak in flavor and nutrition.

2. Support your local farmers and economy.

3. Fresh fruit and vegetables are more nutritious than produce that has been stored and shelved.

4. It's a great way to get your kids involved. Let them pick out something new to try, then they can help prepare a meal. Kids are more likely to eat something new if they are involved in the process of making it!

5. Supporting your local farmers market strengthens your community.

6. Farmers often have the best recommendations for preparing their products.

7. You can try a new fruit or vegetable! Many farmers markets offer lesser known fruits and vegetables, providing a variety that can be both tasty and nutritious.

8. SNAP benefits are accepted at some farmers markets and Double Up bucks has your dollar go even further than at the grocery store!

Tips for a Successful Market Tour Before the Tour 

Visit the farmers market to see where it is, how to get there and what types of products vendors are selling. Introduce yourself to the market manager and let him or her know when you plan to bring your group.

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Make sure you have enough materials for everyone who will be attending the tour including: Market currency cheat sheets, Tips for Shopping at the farmers market trifolds, and ‘Your Guide to Shopping at the Farmers Market and Keeping your Purchases Fresh at Home’.

During the Tour 

Be aware of other shoppers and make sure your group does not get in the way while touring the market. It’s best to speak with your group away from crowds and then have your group explore the market, see what each vendor has to offer, and possibly sample some of their produce.

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If the market manager is available, ask him or her to speak to the group and explain how they can use their EBT card (SNAP benefits) at the market to get more Double Up Bucks.

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Farmers are working hard to sell their items so wait until they are finished with other customers before speaking with them.

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Important Talking Points Double Up Bucks Information 

Double Up Bucks are $2 coupons that can be used to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at four farmers markets in Skagit County (Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Bow Little, and Sedro-Woolley).

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Explain the Double Up Buck match

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Almost all farmers markets accept Double Up Bucks and most accept WIC, debit and credit. To use EBT, debit or credit at the market, customers should visit the market manager at the information tent. There they’ll receive wooden tokens equivalent to the dollar amount they want to spend at the market. At this time, they will also receive their Double Up Bucks match. Double Up Bucks are redeemable for fruits and vegetables only and expire on _______ while wooden tokens can be used to purchase anything at the market and never expire.

Farmers Market Information 

Farmers markets are different than supermarkets and grocery stores because you can talk to the person who grows your food!

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Farmers markets only sell items grown or produced in our region. Since the fruit and vegetables are grown locally, you will never see produce that grows in warmer regions, like oranges and bananas.

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Fruits and vegetables at the market are from the farm and are picked at their peak of ripeness, which is why you’ll see strawberries in June and corn in late August.

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Farmers markets also offer a variety of specialty products, including bread, honey, jam, dairy and pickles.

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Farmers markets are a great place to connect with your friends and neighbors. When shopping at a grocery story you’re likely have 1-2 interactions, whereas at a farmers market, you’re likely to have 15-20!

Healthy Eating Tips 

Buying fruits and vegetables when they are in season is often less expensive, more nutritious, and everything tastes so much better! Enjoy your produce all year long through freezing or canning.

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Snack on grab-and-go fruits and vegetables like apples, berries, peaches, grapes, bell peppers, carrots, celery and cucumbers. The original fast food!

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Plan out your meals for the week before you go to the market. Purchase items that will make more than one meal or that you can freeze and save for later.

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Sample Market Tour Flyer

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