Hawaii Food Bank, in conjunction with the Hawaii State Office of Community Services and the United States Department of Agriculture, is implementing a Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program beginning June 1^st through October 31^st, 2011.  The goal is to provide seniors with fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and honey while increasing awareness on the nutritional benefits while supporting our local agriculture and farmers’ markets.

Seniors qualify for this program if they are Hawaii residents at least 60 years of age, and have an annual household income of less than $23,051 for a single or $31,006 for a couple.  They must bring a completed application and original supporting documents to any of our certification sites at the designated times. Once qualified, they will receive a booklet of vouchers worth $50 and a nutrition education handout. The vouchers are redeemable with certified partnering farmers of the City and County Peoples’ Open Markets, the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and other various independent farmers’ markets around the island and are valid until October 31st.

Seniors are qualified on a ‘First-come-first served’ basis. A person can receive one voucher booklet per year.  With the collaborative efforts of partnering agencies and farmers, we can ensure that our kupuna will be able to enjoy the fresh and nutritious bounty our island has to offer while expanding the availability and affordability of local produce.

For more information, please visit Hawaii Food Bank’s Senior Program website.

Nearly all produce vendors in our farmers markets will be accepting these vouchers, please look for the booths displaying the orange Food Bank placards.

Please look for the Give It Fresh Today booth at the KCC Market on Saturdays. They will collect your produce donations and distribute the fresh, locally grown food to organizations that help to feed those less fortunate and who have fewer choices about what they eat.

To learn more about Give It Fresh Today, go here and here.

The Hawai’i Farmers Market Cookbook Volume 1
Fresh Island Products from A to Z

With the increased availability of fresh local produce, shoppers often wonder, “What is that hairy fruit and what do I do with it?” The Hawai’i Farmers Market Cookbook provides complete descriptions of products, explains what to look for when purchasing, and how to prepare market finds. Full-color photographs help identify products.
Market visitors may be surprised to discover the unprocessed form of foods previously only encountered chopped and cooked. Tips on shopping at farmers’ markets, a complete listing of the current markets and their hours, and product seasonality charts are also included. Covers over 75 locally grown products and includes over 100 recipes. As a project initiated at the growers’ level, the focus here is on the food. You’ll find recipes contributed by some local culinary luminaries, such as co-editor Joan Namkoong, Beverly Gannon and Linda Yamada, but it’s truly the meats, fruits and vegetables that are the stars.

Softcover, spiral bound; 182 pp.
Author: The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation
Edited by: Joan Namkoong and Hayley Matson-Mathes
Release Date: November 2006
Purchase here: link

The Hawai’i Farmers Market Cookbook Volume 2
The Chefs’ Guide to Fresh Island Foods

No one knows homegrown food products better than Hawai’i's celebrity chefs. Now Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi and 15 others share their secrets for cooking with fresh Island foods.

This companion volume to the original Hawai’i Farmers Market Cookbook contains more than 75 great recipes by Island culinary stars, including their cooking tips and advice on ingredient use. Cookbook editor Joan Namkoong instituted a key rule for the chefs, making these recipes home cook-friendly: no more than five ingredients, plus cooking oil, salt, pepper and the assigned featured food items.

Softcover, spiral bound; 152 pp.
Author: Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation
Edited by: Joan Namkoong
Release Date: June 2010
Purchase here: link