I’d only just entered the maze of a farmers’ market in one of NYS’s larger cities when I spotted them – bunches of bright yellow bananas piled on a table, waiting for purchase. 

Then I saw the lettuce, wrapped in plastic stamped with the word “California.” 

Toto, I thought, we’re definitely not in Sullivan County anymore. 

We’re spoiled here in the county with farmers’ markets purposely designed to benefit local producers. Sullivan County Farmers’ Market rules require at least 75 percent of vendors at a market be farmer-producers from within a 75-mile radius of the market who sell their own food products. The other 25 percent is allotted to goods handcrafted by local artisans within a 75-mile radius.

You won’t find produce trucked in from Hawaii or Florida at a Sullivan County Farmers’ Market. You can trust that the produce hasn’t sat on a truck for days. You can take pride in supporting local small businesses. 

In many ways, we’re spoiled here in Sullivan County by our abundance of locally produced foods and the availability at our markets, but there was one thing I saw at the Rochester Public Market upstate that I don’t see nearly as much in Sullivan County’s markets: Locals who may need them the most. 

Rochester is one of the poorest cities in the U.S., and 40 percent of its children live in poverty.

Their market is huge in comparison to any here in Sullivan County – some 200 vendors typically show up. It’s situated in a dense, transit-rich area close to the city’s downtown and near historically lower-income neighborhoods.

It’s also home to the nation’s largest farmers’ market Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) programs. At least $1 million in assistance is redeemed each year on fruits and veggies by folks who might otherwise not be able to access these types of foods, many of them families with young children. 

Walking through the market in Rochester, listening to a half dozen different languages being spoken and seeing the various faces and clothing worn, it’s abundantly clear it’s a place that draws a crowd that’s diverse in myriad ways, including socioeconomic status.

It’s something I wish we’d see more of here in Sullivan County too. 

More than 22.6 percent of kids here in Sullivan County live in poverty – a figure that makes our community one of the worst in all of NYS – and 14 percent of our residents face food insecurity. 

Our farmers’ markets could play a vital role for these families.

The fact is, many of our markets also offer a SNAP program, and “double up” tokens are available for families who qualify to cash in on fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats, cheese, and more healthy eats. Families who qualify for programs like WIC can access savings at the markets too, and there are discounts for seniors. 

I’m sure there are Sullivan County families taking advantage of these programs. If they are, that’s their private business, and I certainly don’t expect them to share their personal information with me. 

But if there are folks who don’t know all that they can get from our markets, or folks who feel just plain intimidated by the onslaught of out-of-towners crowding rows on the hunt for Brussels sprouts and kale they can take back to the city at the end of the weekend, know this: This is your community too. 

You’re welcome any time.