For many people, getting to a farmers market can be a challenge. Thanks to Community Action Partnership (CAP) of Lancaster County, now the market can come to you.

Rolling Roots, a mobile farmers market, launched in Columbia on June 10. It's available every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. through the end of October.

"Rolling Roots is a discount farmers market on wheels bringing fresh, local food directly into neighborhoods, health care spaces, parks and other trusted community locations across Lancaster County," said Amanda Frankeny, director of food justice for CAP. "By sourcing produce from local farmers and offering subsidized prices, the market helps make healthy food both affordable and easy to access."

Though Rolling Roots is open to everyone, the program was designed with neighbors in mind who may face barriers accessing healthy food, including households living paycheck to paycheck, seniors and others with mobility challenges, people without reliable transportation and families experiencing food insecurity, Frankeny said.

"By bringing the market directly into communities, Rolling Roots helps make healthy choices more convenient, welcoming and realistic in everyday life," she explained. "Rolling Roots also supports Lancaster County farmers by purchasing produce directly from local growers and reinvesting dollars back into the local agricultural economy."

And the program also connects food access with long-term community health by partnering with organizations focused on health care, nutrition education, recreation and community well-being. Rolling Roots' partners include Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Penn State Health, Union Community Care, the Lancaster city health department, Lancaster Rec, various local farms - including Homefields Care Farm, Bay Street Community Garden and Wittel Farm - and many other community organizations.

During the current season, Rolling Roots will operate three weekly mobile markets.

The Columbia location, at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Twin Rose, 307 N. Seventh St., partners with the Food Farmacy "Food is Medicine" program, connecting fresh food access with nutrition counseling and health care support for patients and the broader Columbia community.

Additional Rolling Roots markets will be held at Union Community Care, 304 N. Water St., Lancaster, on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon; and at Rodney Park Splash Pad, 200 Crystal St., Lancaster, on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

As Frankeny explained, the idea for Rolling Roots grew out of years of food access work across Lancaster County.

"Through food pantry programs, health care partnerships, coalition work with Hunger-Free Lancaster County and hunger mapping efforts, we repeatedly saw the same barriers: rising food costs; transportation challenges; limited grocery access; and difficulty finding healthy, affordable produce close to home," she said. "We also recognized a growing number of working individuals and families who earn too much to qualify for traditional food assistance programs but still struggle to afford groceries and other everyday essentials. Rolling Roots was created to help bridge that gap by offering subsidized local food at lower prices in locations that are easier to access."

CAP used Lancaster County's Hunger Mapping Project, which is community-based research led through partnerships across the county, to identify where food insecurity and transportation barriers overlap, guiding where markets could have the greatest impact. Rolling Roots is also designed to support local suppliers of produce.

"We see many local farmers are also facing economic challenges," Frankeny said. "By purchasing produce directly from Lancaster County farmers and paying fair prices for their products, Rolling Roots helps support local agriculture while making healthy food more affordable and accessible for the community."

Rolling Roots is open to anyone, and the market accepts both cash and credit cards. Participants in the Food Farmacy program also receive a monthly gift card to use toward produce. Plans are in the works to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefits later in the season.

"We've also seen a strong 'community helping community' spirit grow through the market," Frankeny noted. "Some neighbors who are able to do so have chosen to 'pay it forward' by donating extra funds to help cover produce costs for someone shopping that day. It's become a meaningful way for community members to directly support and care for one another."

Frankeny invites people to come and check out Rolling Roots firsthand.

"Rolling Roots is meant to feel welcoming, fun and community-centered. The produce is a deal, local and high quality, and we often include music, recipes, nutrition education and activities for families and children," she said. "At its heart, Rolling Roots is about helping communities thrive by making healthy food easier to access, supporting local farmers and creating stronger connections across Lancaster County."

For more information, visit https://caplanc.org/access-resources/health-nutrition/rolling-roots.