Local farmers markets’ benefits will grow on you

The idea of locally grown food options in an urban landscape may not immediately come to mind, but that’s exactly what Twin Cities-area residents can enjoy.

That’s due to the opportunity of purchasing fresh produce and locally made products at indoor and outdoor farmers markets held yearround in both Fitchburg and Leominster.

Growing Places, a Leominster-based nonprofit that supports healthy outcomes through the local food system, has been managing the Fitchburg and Leominster farmers markets since 2015 and 2018, respectively.

It also manages a mobile farmers market that travels to 23 locations throughout North Central Massachusetts.

“We have lots of vendors in addition to Growing Places that offer locally made food and non-food products,” Growing Places Executive Director Ayn Yeagle told the newspaper.

The markets can also play a vital role in providing healthy, high-quality food alternatives to low-income populations.

Massachusetts residents receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can use their card to purchase fresh produce and certain goods at the markets through the Health Incentive Program (HIP).

“It is the freshest, highest quality healthy food that they can access using their SNAP/HIP benefits,” said Growing Places Director of Programs and Operations Janet Edwards.

Growing Places held outdoor markets last year in Fitchburg and Leominster throughout the pandemic, and moved February to indoor markets in Leominster.

Currently, the Leominster market is held at City Hall on a monthly basis, but will move to a monthly outdoors schedule in late spring.

The Fitchburg market will be held weekly starting in the summer at a new location — the parking lot off Boulder Drive (behind the Fitchburg Public Library).

We urge area residents of all financial means to take advantage of this healthy, local resource.

For more information, visit https://growingplaces.org/ and follow Growing Places, Leominster Farmers Market and Fitchburg Farmers Market on Facebook and Instagram.