Catawba County News
Catawba County Public Health Farmers Market Opens June 4
Published: June 01, 2026
Catawba County Public Health’s Farmers Market is returning for its 14th season on June 4 and will offer fresh produce from local farmers and activities for people of all ages.
Throughout the season, farmers will have ripe summer crops like tomatoes, squash and zucchini, beans, peaches and berries, as well as flowers and locally raised eggs and meat available for purchase. It is open weekly to the public and cash, debit cards, SNAP/EBT, WIC and senior farmers market benefits are all accepted. The market’s main goal is to address food insecurity in Catawba County by offering a convenient way for people to purchase and consume local farm-fresh fruits and vegetables.
The market operates each Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. from June through September in the Public Health front parking lot at 3070 11th Ave. Drive SE, Hickory, NC 28602. Conveniently located off Fairgrove Church Road, behind Catawba Valley Medical Center, the market has ample parking and is accessible by Greenway Transportation bus.
Public Health is proud to offer Double Bucks at the market, which allows people to stretch their food dollars and eat more nutritious foods. People with SNAP/EBT and SUN Bucks can swipe their card to receive SNAP market tokens, which we will match up to $30 each week. People can use Double Bucks to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.
Additionally, eligible Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clients can receive Farmers Market Nutritional Program benefits to supplement their WIC food benefits with fresh, nutritious, and local produce during the summer months. Catawba County WIC clients interested in receiving farmers market benefits this year may call (828) 695-5884 for more information.
“Our market is a fun event for people of all ages, and it improves individual and community health by making it easier for people to buy fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Catawba County Public Health Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Director Jeremy Stockton. “Our goal is to help families purchase additional fruits and vegetables so they can make food choices that benefit their families’ health because good nutrition is cornerstone for a healthy body, healthy family and healthy community. Our market also benefits the local economy by providing local farmers a place to sell their products directly to our community.”
The market is just one way Public Health increases access to nutritious foods, which has been a health priority in Catawba County for about a decade and was selected as a top health concern again in the 2023 Community Health Assessment.
WIC is a federal supplemental nutrition program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women and children up to age five. The program helps prevent nutrition-related problems in pregnancy, infancy and early childhood. WIC benefits are redeemable at participating food stores and farmers markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, milk, juice, eggs, cheese and cereal, among other nutritious items. WIC also provides nutrition and breastfeeding counseling and makes referrals to other health and community resources. Call (828) 695-5884 for WIC eligibility information and to make an appointment. In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. More information: https://www.fns.usda.gov/civil-rights/usda-nondiscrimination-statement-other-fns-programs. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Catawba County Public Health promotes and protects the health of all Catawba County residents through preventive services, innovative partnerships, and community health improvement initiatives. For more information, please call (828) 695-5800 or visit www.catawbacountync.gov/phealth.