Karen Appert is the Program Manager for North Carolina Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (NCSFMNP) through NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Aging. Karen has been growing the reach and redemption of this program, which helps seniors across the state access fresh food from participating farmers. She is a family caregiving advocate and works on other projects related to older adult food security and nutrition.
Tell me a little more about yourself and how you got into this work.
I started working for the Division of Aging in 2021 as a part-time employee. The NCSFMNP was one of the projects that was given to me and I fell in love with it almost immediately. By living in the Winston-Salem area, I got to explore a lot of farmers markets and get to know the program that way. The person who was running NCSFMNP was retiring and I was worried about the long-term sustainability, so I said, “I can do it!” I had not worked in agriculture previously, but I learned the ins and outs of what works well in certain counties and maybe not in others. The more I learned about the program, the more passionate I became about it and supporting aging populations through local food connections.
Tell us more about NC Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, how it works, and how people can participate.
The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program is a summer-only program, funded by the USDA, that provides vouchers to eligible lower-income older adults to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh cut herbs at program certified farmers’ markets. It’s designed to improve the nutrition of older adults and increase business for local farmers.
This year we have over 500 farmers, over 40 agencies, and over 80 markets participating. We have 55 counties this year, which is the most we have ever had. We work with local agencies in the participating counties to do the screening with the new, returning, or interested clients. The participant has to meet an income requirement, they have to be 60 or older, and they have to live in the county where the vouchers are distributed. Once vouchers get distributed to eligible participants, those older adults can spend them at any NCSFMNP-certified farmers market with NCSFMNP-certified vendors. These vendors have posters up that identify them. Vouchers go directly to the farmers.
There are still vouchers available at the various Council on Aging agencies, including Buncombe County. You can give your local agency a call to see if they still have vouchers available and if you are pre-qualified for the program. The program ends on September 30.
How does this program benefit both Seniors and farmers?
I really see this program as a triple benefit. Participants are able to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables and improve their nutrition, farmers are able to reach new populations and gain new customers, and the local agencies handing out the vouchers are able to better serve their community.
Agencies are excited to offer another program and many report how much their participants look forward to this every year. A lot of these agencies are congregate nutrition sites and senior centers where people are coming together and gathering. There’s a camaraderie already there that carries over to the markets. Some agencies will take their participants on field trips to the markets. The agencies love that this is another way to reach their clients. They love having an excuse to tell clients to go buy something good for themselves.
As for the participants, it’s gotten even more critical these days as other food assistance programs have been cut and the cost of food has gone up. Seniors and older adults feel fortunate to have this program that gets them out to shop at markets. It encourages that community building piece—they can go on an outing with friends, get to know the vendors, and feel like they’re doing good by supporting local farms.
On the vendor side, it doesn’t cost them anything to participate in the program and it provides an added income source. Farmers are building a deeper connection with the community and connecting with a new customer base that may have never shopped at markets before.
What do you like to shop for at farmers markets?
I must say, Western North Carolina is my favorite region to work in because it is perfectly set up with all the markets happening throughout the week, almost every day. That makes this program even more accessible for participants to redeem their vouchers at whichever market or day meets their needs best.
I love seeing and picking all the different types of tomatoes, especially to do taste tests with. So far, my two favorites are German Johnson and Cherokee Purple. I have learned that even some of the ugliest tomatoes are often the tastiest. That just speaks to my heart and makes me love them more! Until going to markets, I never knew about pattypan squash. I love them—that they keep their consistency and are so cute.
I was very excited yesterday at River Arts District Farmers Market to find fresh edamame! I have never had fresh edamame and I am eager to try it. WNC the first time we revisited kohlrabi. My husband and I got into a CSA years ago and we got so much kohlrabi. We were so over it and thought we’d never eat it again. Years later, when we came up here to North Asheville Tailgate Market, someone had a kohlrabi sample and it was so good. We eat it regularly now. It was key having someone sample it since it’s such a weird looking crop and when you’re not sure how to cook with it. We got a recipe for a kohlrabi coleslaw and we eat it all the time now.