By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

One of the core goals of Shape Up Somerville is to help everyone have the chance to eat fresh, healthy food. It’s a simple concept, but a difficult one to put into practice. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found only one in 10 Americans eats enough fruit and vegetables. We’d like to do better than that here in Somerville, a lot better than that.

In an effort to put more produce on people’s plates, we’ve got farmers’ markets throughout Somerville: in Union Square every Saturday, in Davis Square every Wednesday, and the Somerville Mobile Farmers’ Market on Fridays and Saturdays. And don’t forget our winter farmers market at the Armory. Here though, I want to focus on our Mobile Farmers Market, a market that strives to remove the accessibility and affordability barriers to eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

You may have seen the Mobile Market van around town. Like any farmers’ market, it sells local, seasonal produce. But instead of being at one location, it operates out of a van and makes 2-hour stops at four different sites in the City. The produce sold through the Mobile Market comes from four Massachusetts farms, including our very own South Street farm managed by Groundwork Somerville. Most food sold at the market is grown using organic farming practices, but it’s priced to be more affordable.

In addition to the already lower prices for all market customers, another great feature of the Mobile Market is that those who most need it get a 50 percent discount. Anyone who shows their SNAP card, WIC card, or Senior Farmers’ Market Coupons or who lives at the North Street Housing Development or the Mystic Housing Development receives half off the price of their purchases.

Research done at the market reveals that people who shop at the market are able to eat more fruits and vegetables as a result of this discount feature. A 10% Senior Citizen discount is also offered to eligible shoppers who do not have Senior Farmer’s Market Coupons. But again, every produce shopper is welcome at the market and whether you qualify for the discount or not, we all need those veggies and fruits just the same.

We all know eating fresh produce is good for our bodies and minds. In fact, the USDA recommends making half your plate fruits and vegetables as a way to fight illness and prevent chronic disease. As school resumes next week, this is a message our students will experience through our farm to school programming—(learn more at somervillefarmtoschool.blogspot.com). The Moblie Market provides a service to the community to ensure residents of all ages are better able to meet these guidelines. And while we focus on the health aspect of filling our plates with fruit and vegetables, let’s not forget about how tasty seasonal produce can be.  What’s a New England summer without corn on the cob, fresh, sliced tomatoes or crispy apples?

The Mobile Market allows us to fulfill our health, economic, and environmental (Sustainaville) goals for the City all in one program. Spending money that supports local farmers keeps dollars in New England as well as minimizes the distance our food travels to get to our table, using less gas and decreasing emissions along the way.

We pride ourselves in being an All-America City. We got that title because we never stop striving to be the best city we can be. So find the Shape Up Somerville mobile market at one of its weekly locations and get yourselves some tasty produce. Where you spend your money can make a difference. Shopping at the mobile farmers market puts your money directly back toward making our community a healthy and productive one.

Please join us at the Somerville Mobile Farmers Market at these locations and times: On Fridays it’s at the Somerville Council on Aging at 167 Holland St. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the East Somerville Community School at 50 Cross St. from 3 to 5 p.m. On Saturdays it’s at North Street Housing at 26 North St. from 10:30 a.m. to noon and at Mystic Housing at 530 Mystic Ave. from 1 to 3 p.m. It runs through October 15. Find more information at somervillemobilefarmersmarket.wordpress.com.