After discussions with long-term vendors and the Board of Aldermen, the Oxford City Market will be open on Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m. until Nov. 26. It will also be accepting EBT cards and food stamps as forms of payment.
Oxford City Market Director Katie Morrison and her team of long-term vendors presented the extension proposal to Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson and the Board of Aldermen, who readily accepted the longer farmers market season.
“Many of our growers were thrilled to hear that we were considering keeping the market going well into the fall, as they are still planting and growing lots of cool-weather crops,” Morrison said.
The fall, which is considered the height of harvest season, will allow for the sale of fresh fruits and vegetables. Some include greens, peppers, broccoli, kale, turnips, apples and beets.
Morrison said that extending the market has attracted attention from growers in locations such as Union County and Jackson.
“Many of those markets have ended their seasons, so farmers are looking for places to continue selling,” Morrison said.
Oxford City Market vendors agree that the extension until Thanksgiving will be positive both for their business and for their customers.
“Extending our market until Thanksgiving will give the vendors and shoppers many more opportunities,” vendor Leann Hines said.
The market has also established EBT card readers and now accepts food stamps as a form of payment.
After a long process of working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as well as the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the proposal was approved.
“One of the main reasons the city invested its time and efforts into Oxford City Market was to increase citizens’ access to local healthy foods,” Morrison said. “This will definitely have a positive impact on the community by allowing those that use these programs to make healthier choices for their families.”
However, vendor Daniel Wicker believes that the approved EBT cards will not be used much.
“We receive virtually no business from EBT cards or food stamps,” Wicker said. “A significant portion of our customer base would likely not consist of low-income customers.”
Wicker believes the acceptance of EBT cards and food stamps will not allow the low-income families of Oxford to eat local fresh organic produce “on anything more than an occasional basis.”
“At the same time, consumption of these products should help enhance the health of any low-income consumers,” he said.
Amelia Brunson, senior liberal arts major at The University of Mississippi and volunteer for the Oxford City Market, believes it is wonderful that Oxford City Market is accepting EBT and food stamps.
“Good, homegrown, healthy food should be accessible to everyone. I think a lot of Mississippi’s obesity problems stem from the accessibility and affordability of processed junk foods,” Brunson said.
Oxford City Market has connected with the city’s resources to make access easier for its population. The Oxford University Transit bus system now runs the yellow line to a stop by the market, which has now also partnered with the Oxford Food Pantry and Good Food for Oxford Schools.
“We will be exploring additional ways that Oxford City Market can reach throughout the community to share our message of eating locally, sustainably and healthily,” Morrison said.
Morrison is hoping to have cooking demonstrations featured at Oxford City Market in the future to show customers ways to create heathy and wholesome meals with their produce.
