‘CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY ’

Farm Bus brings affordable, locally grown produce to the community

Each week, a renovated bus bring fresh, organic vegetables into the community.

Laden with potatoes, onions, lettuce, squash, peppers and a variety of other produce, the Davies Farm Bus is helping to bridge the gap between health, community and local food.

“It’s a mobile farmer’s market,” said Blake Dean, Communications & Community Outreach Manager for the Davies Shelters. “Our renovated bus stops at set locations each week selling produce from our farm and garden, grown at our property, or from other local farms.”

Each week the Farm Bus can be found at the same places and always at the same times. On Mondays, it’s at Cross Fit Rome (314 E 1st Ave.) from 9:15-11 a.m. On Tuesdays, it’s at the South Rome Alliance (1 S. Broad St.) from 11 a.m. to noon and at Etowah Terrace (1 Etowah Terrace) from 12:15-1 p.m.

On Wednesdays, the bus is at the West Rome Boys & Girls Club (100 Gadson St.) from 4:30-6 p.m. and on Saturdays it’s at the Ridge Ferry Market (Ridge Ferry Park) from 7-11 a.m.

This year, the Farm Bus is being sponsored by Harbin Clinic which Dean said, has invested in the program to help increase food access in the community.

The bus has a huge variety of locally grown produce such as green onions, regular onions, potatoes, turnips, radishes,

“We’ve learned that food insecurity can be a big issue when you have limited income. When funds are limited some things get triaged and that might be healthy food options. In many parts of our community people don’t have access to affordable healthy food.

squash, kale, collared greens, cabbage, zucchini and will soon have tomatoes, okra and peppers just to name a few. They also partner with local farms such as Tucker Farms, Rise and Shine and Riverview Farms.

Everyone is welcome to purchase produce from the Farm Bus which accepts cash, cards and double SNAP/EBT. Those community residents using double SNAP/EBT get their purchases deeply discounted thanks to a partnership Wholesome Wave Georgia.

“We’ve learned that food insecurity can be a big issue when you have limited income,” Dean said. “When funds are limited some things get triaged and that might be healthy food options.

In many parts of our community people don’t have access to affordable healthy food.”

So thanks to a partnership with Wholesome Wave Georgia, the Farm Bus can offer families using Double Snap/ EBT a 50% discount on their purchase.

“We’re excited that we’re able to accept SNAP/EBT and give those families an automatic half off their purchase,” Dean said. “We’re reimbursed that money so that we can continue to make healthy food more accessible to everyone.”

It may seem odd to have the Davies Shelters connected to a mobile farmer’s market but in actuality the shelter has a 16 raised bed garden as well as a 2-acre farm on which much of the produce is grown. In addition, partnering with local producers supports those businesses right here in the community.

But can’t people just get their vegetables from the supermarket?

“For some people it may just not be accessible to do it that way,” Dean said. “They may be physically unable to get to a grocery store that has fresh vegetables. Or even those people who are near a big supermarket may not be able to afford the produce there.”

The Davies Farm Bus helps alleviate that for many community members.

“The people who need that help get it through our 50% discount if they use SNAP/EBT,” Dean said. “And the people who don’t need the discount help keep our program sustainable by supporting us with

— Blake Dean, Communications & Community Outreach Manager for the Davies Shelters

their purchases.”

Another positive by-product of the venture, Dean said, is that guests at the Davies Shelter are given the opportunity to work in the garden if they so choose, giving them a purpose and a new set of skills as they learn and work.

“The way the community has supported us has been wonderful,” Dean added. “It’s really exciting for us to be able to go out into the community offering this service and to know that we can offer it at a discount to those families who really need it. It helps us feel connected to the community and to share what we have.”

Contributed This year, the Davies Farm Bus is sponsored by Harbin Clinic and reaches various areas of the community on different days. On Mondays, it’s at Cross Fit Rome, on Tuesdays at South Rome Alliance and Etowah Terrace, on Wednesdays at the West Rome Boys & Girls Club and on Saturdays at the Ridge Ferry Farmer’s Market.

Contributed the window of cabbage from off some fresh farmer’s Blake Dean shows essentially a mobile Bus which is SNAP/EBT. the Davies Farm cards and double accepts cash, 50% off market. The bus get an automatic using SNAP/EBT Those customers their purchase.

Contributed Produce sold at the Davies 16 raised bed Farm Bus comes garden as from the the program well as its two-acre shelter’s partners with farm. In Farm, Tucker local producers addition, Farms and such as Riverview Farms. Rise-N-Shine

The Davies Farm Bus brings fresh, locally grown produce into the community at various locations on different days of the week, selling everything from onions, potatoes radishes and squash to collared greens, cabbage and peppers.