Twin Sisters Market Gearing Up For 2017 Mobile Farmers Market

Twin Sisters Market’s fresh, locally-grown produce is now available on Saturdays at Nugent’s Corner (where Highway 9 and Mt Baker Highway 542 meet) from 9 am to 3 pm and at the North Fork Library (7506 Kendall Rd, Maple Falls) from 10 am to 2 pm. Both sites are located adjacent to the Mount Baker Highway in East Whatcom County.  Participating farms include Braided River Farm, Coyote Bank Farm, Grateful Bounty Farm, Resilient Seeds Farm, Slanted Sun Farm, Small Acres Farm, and two new farms yet-to-be named.

“Twin Sisters Market is pleased to be entering its third year of providing fresh healthy vegetables and fruit to our Foothills community,” states Board President Chris Elder.  “We had a nearly 100% increase in sales our second year and we are looking forward to a great season.  We will continue to receive SNAP payments and will have our Fresh Bucks program that allows for a doubling of SNAP dollars. We are pursuing approval to receive Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) vouchers this year but the outcome is not yet clear at this time.”

Twin Sisters Market operates the only multi-farmer managed collaborative farmers market in Whatcom County. “By taking turns having farmers staff the market we are able to keep prices lower than a traditional Farmers Market, support increased access to fresh food for the rural communities located in the USDA-identified ‘food desert’ of East Whatcom County, and support near-retail returns for participating farms. We are all young farmers who enjoy working the land, growing fresh produce, and supporting our local community. Your support and participation in our market provides an opportunity and support for this next generation of farmers,” states Elder.

NABC staff member Jeff Voltz serves on the Foothills Community Food Partnership, a community-based effort to improve healthful food access in the Foothills region of East Whatcom County. The Foothills region is listed as a low-income and low access (to food) on the USDA ERS Food Access Research Atlas. The Twin Sisters Market works collaboratively with the Foothills Community Food Partnership, providing fresh fruit and vegetable to residents of this region.

The market runs from the first Saturday in June (expect fresh greens, turnips, radishes and possibly some sweet strawberries) until the last Saturday in October.