As the weather turns snowy and cold, I am lamenting the end of the harvest season. This time of year is a stark reminder that once again my produce will come from the grocery store lacking the fresh summer flavors that I’m accustomed to during the growing season. Even as seasonal farmers markets close up shop, I reflect on my first experience with local produce, when I ate peaches at the Anacostia Farmers Market the summer of 2007.
I worked at the Anacostia Farmers Market during the 2007 and 2008 harvest seasons every Wednesday from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. The market was established in 1999 by the Capital Area Food Bank in response to the dearth of affordable, fresh produce options East of the River and was only one of a couple of farmers markets in the District’s Wards 7 & 8. Throughout its tenure, the market took many forms in several locations, but always remained true to its mission of providing affordable, fresh produce to area residents. It was a pioneer in many respects and was one of the first farmers markets in the metro area to accept Food Stamps.
After nine years of operation, the Food Bank made the difficult decision to close the market after the 2008 season. Through a grant-funded strategic planning process designed to develop a business plan for the market, it was made clear that the market was not meeting the original intent — to create a financially sustainable enterprise and eventually transition it to a local community organization to own and operate. The market never reached this point of independence and was heavily subsidized by grants at first and then by the Capital Area Food Bank.
If the need is so great, then why didn’t the Anacostia Farmers Market succeed? If we had the full answer, then the market would probably still be operating. What I can say is that through the strategic planning process, we did a considerable amount of research on lessons learned and best practices of farmers markets in low-income areas throughout the country. Through the market’s nine years of operation over 95% of the best practices had already been implemented at the market. Implementing creative new strategies at the market was not the problem. You name it, we tried it.
One thing we did learn is that you can’t just “build it and they will come” (or know what to do with it). There is a real disconnect among many people of how food is produced, what constitutes a healthy meal and how to prepare one. The seniors that shopped at the market knew everything about planting, harvesting, preparing and preserving fresh produce because many of them grew up on southern farms. The current generation knows very little, but is interested and is beginning to recognize how diet can affect health. The Anacostia Farmers Market experience has shown that due to a generational “food know-how gap,” access must be coupled with education to impact people’s understanding of food and the skills necessary to use and enjoy it.
And the Food Bank has taken these lessons and applied them in an education program that focuses on food – food in the ground, on your fork and in a mixing bowl. The program, From the Ground Up in the Community, incorporates nutrition education and cooking skills through a hands-on gardening experience for youth in Anacostia. Through this approach, we hope to inform eating habits and teach skills so that this generation of youth will make good food decisions as adults and will teach them to their children.
Even though the Capital Area Food Bank is not directly involved in the farmers’ market business any more, we remain committed to the role farmers’ markets play as fresh produce access points in the food system for underserved communities. We currently provide financial and technical support to the Ward 8 Farmers’ Market, one of only two remaining farmers’ markets East of the River (in a city that boasts twenty-one markets altogether).
Farmers markets have a small but important role to play in increasing access to healthy food in underserved communities. However, they should be considered as one part of a larger, holistic strategy to promote community food security and must be embraced by the communities that host them. Only then will they be successful.
