Help for Maine seniors to purchase fresh, local produce

Maine (WABI) - Mainers will soon start heading to farm stands for fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and more.

But for those on a fixed income, local produce may be considered a luxury.

The Maine Senior FarmShare program is geared towards helping seniors afford Maine grown goods.

“They are so grateful that the program exists, that they can get this fresh produce throughout the year that otherwise, for some of them, is very hard to do.”

Ben Nelson is the fifth generation owner of Calkins Farm Stand in Hampden. It was the previous owner, his uncle who decided to start participating in the Maine Senior FarmShare program.

“I think the first year we only had 20 shares or so, maybe,” recalls Nelson. “And now, we do a few hundred. So yeah, it’s definitely grown for us.”

“It’s kind of a win-win. It’s a revenue stream for farmers and it gets the best, healthiest produce to seniors,” says Craig Lapine, director of the Bureau Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Through the Maine Senior FarmShare program, eligible Maine seniors are able to receive $50 worth of local produce annually at no cost from Maine farmers during the growing season.

Seventy-nine farms are providing fresh Maine produce directly to participants through the Maine Senior FarmShare Program this year, according to Joanna Tarrazi, Maine Senior FarmShare Program Manager. “Additionally, our partnership with the Maine Federation of Farmer’s Markets (MFFM) includes many additional farms that are providing produce to participants through our farmers’ market program. ”

This year, 22 farmers’ markets are participating in the program. “This is a significant expansion from 11 farmers’ markets in 2024 and 3 farmers’ markets in 2023, which was the first year MSFP piloted the farmers’ market program,” notes Tarrazi.

“There’s an income requirement,” says Lapine. “You’ve got to be over 65, you have to live in the state of Maine.”

The age requirement is at least 55 years for Native Americans, or more than 18 years for disabled adults living in a housing facility with congregate dining.

Once farmers receive their shares, they can begin signing up seniors- whether it’s through an individual farm stand, CSA or even a farmer’s market. Lapine notes the application process for farmers to participate ended in February.

Nelson says the Maine Senior FarmShare program has worked well for their business. Each farm sets up its shares process differently. Calkins Farm Stand uses it as a stipend.

“We get some that come back every year and they’re always looking forward towards the fresh produce. Some of them like to wait for fall time and they get more potatoes and winter squash to keep ad have throughout the winter,” says Nelson. “And some come every week to get a cucumber or whatever is in season.”

Nelson adds they see new faces every year.

“Generally it’s because we have someone who has been doing it and then they meet a new friend of something- and they say- Oh, have you heard about this? And they haven’t. and they say- Oh, you got to come down here and give them a call,” he said.

“It’s been one of the most successful federal nutrition programs I think that we have,” says Lapine. “It creates such a great, reliable income stream for farmers, such a great source of fresh, delicious food for seniors in the community. Yeah, I just love this program.”

Seniors need to contact a participating farm or farmers’ market directly in order to sign up for the Maine Senior Farm Share program. For a link to that, click here

You can only sign up with one business per year. And you can only purchase eligible vegetables, fruits, fresh-cut herbs and honey.