Celebrating slow food, healthy eating at Palafox Market


  • January 31, 2015
  • /   Carlton Proctor
  • /   education
On a sunny, pleasantly cool Saturday morning in January, a young Pensacola couple stopped by Carl Stewart's Palafox Market produce table. After surveying the variety of vegetables Stewart had to offer, the couple pointed to a box of the farmer's organic broccoli, and asked for two pounds. Stewart weighed and bagged the produce, and gave it to the couple, who, in turn, handed him three small green tokens and walked away with their fresh vegetable. The tokens Stewart put in his pocket that day are the product of a program called "Fresh Access Bucks," sponsored by Slow Foods Gulf Coast, a volunteers group whose goal is promote healthy eating as well as championing the economic and policy needs of the local farmer, food artisan and everyday consumer. "Slow Foods Gulf Coast started the Fresh Access Bucks program to help people access fresh vegetables," said Amanda Clonts, a spokesperson for the volunteer group. "It's also an incentive to get folks to come to local Palafox Market and purchase locally grown produce." [sidebar] WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information contact: Slow Food Gulf Coast, 561 346-8546; Florida Organic Growers Association, 904 624-1532,www.goginfo.org; Florida SNAP hotline: 1 866 762-2237. [/sidebar] The program works this way: Participants simply walk up to the Slow Foods kiosk at the Palafox Market and inform the attending market manager how much they want to spend that day on produce. For example, if shopper expects to spend $20 on produce that day, they will be given free $10 in tokens in increments of either $5 or $1 to be used at participating vendors. The maximum amount anyone can be given free of charge during market day is $10. The tokens can be used solely for produce, and seeds and plants that produce food to eat. Tokens cannot be used for hot food, food labeled for pet consumption only, or any nonfood items. [caption id="attachment_16039" align="aligncenter" width="850"]Milton farmer Randy Ballard helps Saturday morning customers at Palafox Market in downtown Pensacola. Carlton Proctor/PensacolaToday Milton farmer Randy Ballard helps Saturday morning customers at Palafox Market in downtown Pensacola.
Carlton Proctor/PensacolaToday[/caption] If a shopper buys $4 worth of produce and gives the vendor a $5 token, the vendor will return $1 in cash to the shopper. At the end of the market day, participating vendors turn in their tokens and are given a reimbursement check covering the amount. "This puts more money in shoppers' pockets, encourages them to consume fresh produce and helps growers' bottom line," Clonts said. The program is being underwritten in 2015 with a $5,000 grant from the Florida Organic Food Growers Association. In 2014 the group received a $2,500 grant from the association and distributed nearly $1,000 in tokens. Slow Food Gulf Coast also hosts fundraising events throughout the year to augment grant money, Clonts said. Most growers at the Palafox Market say they support Fresh Access Bucks program and say it helps families consume fresh, locally grown produce. Participating farmers have to sign agreement with Slow Foods Gulf Coast that their produce is grown within 50 miles of Pensacola. "This program gives folks a little extra to take home," said Stewart, a Baldwin County, Ala., farmer. "It’s not a big money maker for me. But do I want to get rid of it? No. It's a good thing.” Stewart said the Fast Access Bucks program also works as an educational program for the kids of families who shop at Palafox Market. "They learn about how vegetables are grown, and why they're good for you. Things like that," he said. Milton "hobby farmer" Randy Ballard said his Saturday sales due to Fast Access Bucks come and go. "Some Saturdays I get a lot of business from the tokens, and some Saturdays not that much," Ballard said. "But I do think it's a good program and it does help families put more fresh food on the table." In addition to Slow Foods Gulf Coast's Fast Access Bucks program, there is SNAP,  a federally funded food supplement program made available to families and individuals who meet income guidelines. Unlike Fast Access Bucks, SNAP tokens can be used for a broader array of foods, including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy and bread products. Also, no change is given if a purchase is less than the amount of the SNAP token. Clonts said the Fast Access Bucks and SNAP programs are active in more than 20 Florida cities. The program just started last summer and so far between 50 and 100 families have participated, she added. "What I feel we're doing at Palafox Market is helping families make relationships with local farmers," Clonts said. "Families able to buy locally grown produce and put more money in farmers pockets."  
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