Halina Palukoshka of Viktar’s Bee Farm participates in the Senior Voucher program at Landrum Farmers Market. (Photo by Storme Smith)

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LANDRUM—On Saturday, the Landrum Farmers Market, located at the Joe Cunningham Pavilion, 221 W. Rutherford St., promoted the state’s Senior Voucher program, which aims to enhance access to fresh produce and local goods for seniors living in South Carolina.

Senior vouchers will be distributed at the Anne Reagan Living Well Center, located at 503 South Randolph Ave, on June 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This program enables seniors to access affordable and healthy food options at the market.

The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in South Carolina provides eligible seniors with $50 in vouchers to purchase fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables from authorized farmers’ markets. These vouchers are part of a seasonal USDA grant program designed to increase access to local produce and promote community markets. 

The growth of the program at the Landrum Farmers Market has been remarkable, expanding from just three vendors accepting the vouchers to over ten. This development is largely attributed to market co-directors JoAnn James and Kirsten Johnston, who are certified to serve as trainers for the program. Their involvement means that local vendors no longer need to travel to Columbia for training; they can now participate in training sessions right in Landrum alongside fellow vendors and farmers.

Vendor Halina Palukoshka from Viktar’s Bee Farm, which specializes in honey and honey-based products, emphasized the program’s positive impact on the community. 

“It’s a wonderful program, helpful to our seniors. And I enjoyed the training,” she said.

Another participating vendor, Gerald Rollins of Rollins Farm, expressed optimism about the program’s resurgence. 

“I did the program years before, and it dwindled down. I’m glad to see it coming back and look forward to accepting the vouchers,” he said.

Johnston highlighted the significance of the SNAP program for the Landrum community. 

“We are proud to bring the SNAP and Senior’s Voucher program to the Landrum Farmers Market. This helps families in our area have access to fresh, local, healthy food,” Johnston said.

With about 20% of Landrum residents living below the poverty line, Johnston emphasized the importance of supporting both the community and local farmers. 

“This is what it means to support each other and keep it local,” she concluded.

The Landrum Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.