Special music and food, a visiting national official – and the high season – combined to make the Tuesday Webb City Farmers Market about as busy as it is on Saturdays.

For one thing, it was a culture Roots Celebration, in conjunction with Missouri Humanities. Vendors, such as Karen Scott, of Oakwoods Farm, demonstrated and shared a salsa recipe. 

Lee Ann Sours and Friends played music of Appalachia, and JoMo Jazz played music originating in the African-American communities of New Orleans.

As usual on the third Tuesday, it was also Eat Street, featuring food trucks as well as treats prepared in the pavilion.

There was a special Clickety Clack – We’re Reading down the Tracks session, featuring children’s book reading while riding around King Jack Park in Streetcar No. 60.

The national official was Joel Berg, the head of Hunger Free America, from New York. His organization is helping to provide three VISTA workers at the market this summer. It also seeks to alleviate hunger by supporting the SNAP and WIC programs, which are offered at the market.

Market customer Jessica Linder was interviewed for a forthcoming documentary about the benefit she receives from WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

Berg urged everyone to:

• Ask legislative officials to support the government’s anti-hunger programs.
• Donate locally to organizations, like the market, so they can expand their participation in the SNAP and WIC programs.
• Call the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY if you know someone who is hungry. Hunger Free America operates the hotline.

Berg made it a point to meet the vendors, speaking at times in fluent Spanish. Like it is in New York, he said he appreciates the diversity of the market’s vendors.

After eating a plate of pupusas that he exclaimed were “delicioso!” he gave one of the vendors his email address so that he can help ensure she receives a Pandemic EBT card to help purchase food for her children.

For more information about Hunger Free America, go to hungerfreeamerica.org.