Each Thursday, a group of students help foster partnerships between local farmers and the University of Alabama by hosting a farmers’ market on the corner of Hackberry Road and 9th Street.

Homegrown Alabama, a non-profit, student-led group at the University, seeks to educate both students and the community about the value of local produce. The Homegrown Alabama Farmers’ Market will start its preview for the fall, which will begin this Thursday and run every Thursday from 3-6 p.m. on Canterbury Episcopal Chapel’s lawn.

“Homegrown Alabama has about 15-18 members participating every Thursday with all the produce that comes from all around Alabama,” said Andrea Mabry, the market’s manager. “At the weekly event, you can expect live music, meet new people and just hang out or shop for a wide variety of groceries. We now accept Bama Cash, as well as EBT.”

Homegrown Alabama recently began an EBT incentive program, an electronic system for distributing supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits formerly known as food stamps.

“The incentive program makes food more acceptable to people with lower income and also broadens the market and customer base for benefit to farmers and customers,” Mabry said.

An EBT machine will be on hand at the market to transfer EBT/SNAP funds into $1 and $3 tokens with the Homegrown Alabama label. As a part of the program, Homegrown Alabama will match every $10 spent using EBT with an additional $5 in tokens, while funds last. Tokens can be used to purchase fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, maple and honey products, seeds and plants that produce foods.

The Homegrown Alabama Farmers’ Market kicked off its 2011 season this past spring on May 5 with a Cinco de Mayo celebration, which consisted of Mexican food, music and artisans alongside their weekly vendors, who sell fruits, vegetables and other goods.

For more information on EBT incentive program and/or how to donate, call (205) 210-9621 or visit homegrownalabama.org/support.