By Linda Kor The Navajo County Health Services District is embarking on a new program that is expected to not only help residents lower incidents of nutrition-based diseases, but assist them in living better, eating smarter and creating a stronger community. Allison Hephner, community outreach specialist for the district, is heading up an endeavor to not only bring fresh fruits and vegetables to residents of Navajo County, but also help local farmers sustain their businesses and backyard growers to get the most out of their harvest. The effort stems from concerns by the health district regarding the increasing number of people diagnosed with obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Physician reports show that approximately 30 percent of county residents, including children, struggle with these diseases that hinder quality of life and can result in premature death. The endeavor focuses on making fresh produce accessible to all county residents to incorporate into their daily diet, something that is difficult for those on state welfare or living in reservation areas where fresh produce is rarely available in local markets. To facilitate the change, Hephner is working with the Arizona Department of Health Services and Arizona Cooperative Extension to spearhead the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) in Navajo County. “The primary goal of FMNP is to increase the accessibility of fresh produce for low income families and seniors first, then anyone else who wants to take part,” noted Hephner. She is working with agencies such as WIC (Women Infants and Children) that issue cash value vouchers exclusively for shopping at farmers’ markets. Although the program was established by Congress in 1992, it has not been utilized in Navajo County as there are no certified growers to accept the vouchers. Hephner is also working with the state to advocate for the use of SNAP (food stamps/EBT) cards and Senior Checks to purchase farmers’ market produce. She is using the White Mountain Community Garden (WMCG) in Show Low as a prototype for farmers’ markets in other areas of the county. The land used by WMCG is owned by the city and leased by the group at the cost of $1 a year, with the city paying for water usage. Working with less than two acres of land divided into plots, volunteers pay $35 to use the land and water, then share the abundant harvest. “They started out with 10 volunteers, and now five years later, have 87 people who contribute their time and vast knowledge of gardening, and in return share the crops,” Hephner explained. Any remaining produce is provided to local charity organizations free of charge, but there were still leftover fruits and vegetables. Hephner, who now serves as vice president of the WMCG board, realized that this could be an opportunity to provide others with the benefits of the harvest. By having the market manager and growers certified to accept state vouchers, the growers could plant more crops and people could have more fresh produce. With permission from the state, Hephner used leftover grant funds that would have normally gone back to the state to improve the garden by adding a fence, signage, a storage shed and better tools for the WMCG. “We have a special needs group from the high school that was growing this huge, fantastic pumpkin and someone stole it, plus animals were getting in. This helped to curb some of those concerns,” she said. Seeing the success of the garden volunteers, Hephner felt inspired to spread the concept. “My goal is to create a network of farmers’ markets that extends throughout Navajo County; places where not only fresh produce can be purchased, but also people can be taught how to store and use what they’ve purchased,” she said. Although a central location is needed, crops can be grown in other places, as long as it’s within the state. “Anyone who grows fruit or vegetables in Arizona can take part in this, whether you have a thousand acres of land, a small plot in your back yard or grow it in pots on your kitchen sill,” said Hephner. Her next target area for a community garden and certified farmers’ market is Holbrook. “I’d like to develop the FMNP in Holbrook, then the Navajo, Hopi and Apache reservations. The need for fresh produce is a serious one,” she said. Current efforts include networking with interested individuals and landowners in Holbrook who may be interested in a community garden, perhaps even Northland Pioneer College, which established a community garden two years ago that was not put to use last year. For individuals and market managers, the first step is to take part in a free FMNP training, one of which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Wednesday, March 9, at the Frontier Conference Room in Show Low. Hephner welcomes anyone in the area who would like to take part in the development of a community garden and certified market. Realizing that a small market already has a place in the community, she is hopeful they can combine efforts. “We need growers and input, but most importantly, we need to take care of each other. An effort like this could change an entire generation, so I say lets fix this, let’s do this,” she concluded. For more information on the FMNP, contact Allison Hephner by email at allison.hephner@navajocountyaz.gov or by phone at (928) 524-4230, ext. 5073.