March eNews

March 2025

Don't forget to check with your local producers for eggs!

Bonus Bucks Applications Now Available!

GardenShare is excited to announce the opening of the 2025 Bonus Bucks program, a vital initiative designed to help households stretch their food budgets while supporting local farmers. This cost-sharing program makes fresh, healthy food more affordable for low- to middle-income families in St. Lawrence County by providing up to $300 in Bonus Bucks for purchasing a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share or Farmers Market purchases.

Bonus Bucks offers two main options for participants. The CSA option allows customers to work directly with local farmers, pre-purchasing a seasonal share of fresh produce. This approach creates a mutually beneficial relationship, where both the consumer and farmer share in the harvest’s successes and challenges. Local farmers provide various share options, from summer-only shares to extended-season programs.

The Farmers Market Purchase Cards option gives participants the flexibility to shop at any participating Farmers Market in Canton, Gouverneur, Hammond, Massena, or Potsdam. With this option, Bonus Bucks participants can double their money, allowing them to shop from multiple local producers and stock up on fresh, seasonal items.

The program is made possible through the generous support of local businesses like AmeriCu Credit Union, foundations including the Northern New York Community Foundation, and community organizations including Gratitude Through Giving (Nature’s Storehouse), Empty Bowls, as well as GardenShare individual supporters. For the 2025 season, Bonus Bucks has received approximately 50% of its fundraising goal. With the continued high grocery prices and uncertainty over government assistance programs, we anticipate that demand will also be high for the Bonus Bucks this season. If you would like to support your neighbors and donate to this program, you can do so here. We greatly appreciate the support of our community to keep this important program operational.

For more details on eligibility or to download an application, please visit https://gardenshare.org/bonus-bucks/ today!

A Little Mud (Season) Music!

Please join GardenShare for three Saturdays of music and merrymaking at the Crary Mills Community Center, located at 35 Post Road, Canton, to raise funds for the Bonus Bucks program. The series, playfully titled A Little Mud (Season) Music, will include performances from local favorites Boyden Brook Band and the Phoenix Jazz Collective plus very special guests all the way from Boston, Seba Molnar and Friends.

A Little Mud (Season) Music events will take place on March 22 and 29, as well as April 5. Doors will open at 6pm with local food and drink available for purchase and music beginning around 7pm. Please note these are cash only events.

For more details about cost and food vendors, please visit our event page.

Local Food Guide Deadline Extended!

The application deadline for the 2025-2026 Local Food Guide has been extended to Monday, March 17th. Don't miss out on this opportunity to get in the guide!

You can find applications on our website at gardenshare.org/get-in-the-guide/.

If you have any questions, contact Jackie at jackie@gardenshare.org or call (315) 261-8054.

Calling all producers!

GardenShare is hosting a FREE training on Thursday, March 13 from 11:30-1:00 called 'Cultivating Profits: Farmers Market Benchmarks' in conjunction with the Farmers Market Federation and several other organizations. This training will help you learn more about how to price products and maximize your profit. You can register here and don't forget - it's free!

The GardenShare staff will be sharing a light lunch with participants so please register for planning purposes.

Regional Farm to School Event

Are you a producer that is interested in partnering with schools to provide locally grown food for students? This event is for you!

Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY and the NYS Education Department are hosting a North Country Farm to School Gathering on March 26 at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. This event is for anyone involved in Farm to School: educators, cafeteria staff, producers, school administrators, and support service organizations. There will be stakeholder specific breakout sessions in the morning, a delicious local lunch, and opportunities for networking and food product sampling in the afternoon. For more information and to register please visit this link: https://forms.gle/db7E9WRseZQiquBc6

Did you know?

Feeding New York State is a nonprofit organization that seeks to advocate for public policy that supports current needs of struggling New Yorkers while also working to address the root causes of hunger, poverty, and food insecurity. Their work is crucial to ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to healthy food. Through their website and social media channels, you can find a wealth of information about what is going on with food security issues in New York's government.

If you'd like to follow along with their work, you can download their newsletters here or sign up for their advocacy alerts here.

Don't Miss Maple Weekends!

Visit our St Lawrence County NYS maple producer farm for a delicious, fun-filled outing that has a little something for all maple-lovers to taste and experience.

March 22-23 & March 29-30 2025

Find locations here!

Free Movie Screening and Discussion

On Wednesday March 26th at 7pm, there will be a free screening of Destination Regeneration and discussion about Regenerative Farming in St Lawrence County.

You can learn more about the event and register here.

Thank you for receiving and reading our newsletter! We appreciate your time and dedication to supporting GardenShare and our local food system.

Interested in volunteering with GardenShare?

More information is available here.

Connect with us! | info@gardenshare.org | 315. 261.8054