Mobile farmers market receives grant to spread to Henderson

The Veggie Buck Truck is coming to Henderson.

Referred to as a farmers market on wheels, the truck has catered to low-income and food-insecure communities in the Las Vegas Valley since 2016. The project is an offshoot of the nonprofit Vegas Roots Community Garden.

“The concept was if we couldn’t get people to the garden, we were going to take the garden to them,” said Rosalind Brooks, founder of Vegas Roots, after accepting a $99,500 grant from Dignity Health to bring the truck to Henderson on Feb. 6.

The project aims to combat obesity and diabetes while educating residents on nutrition, said Cheyenne Kyle, program coordinator at Vegas Roots. Kyle added that demonstrations on smoothies, juices and meals are planned at every stop. Produce will be sold at a “reasonable” price, the group said, and customers can use food stamps.

“We know we’re competing with dollar menus from fast-food joints, but we want people to understand that healthy choices are cost-effective, too,” Kyle said. “We want to show people various ways that they can use something, like kale. If they don’t like it fresh or cooked, they can add it to smoothies and get the same nutritional benefits.”

Stops are planned in downtown Henderson, at the Pavilion and at St. Rose Dominican Hospital, de Lima campus, starting in spring.

The project is a partnership among the city of Henderson, Three Square, Southern Nevada Health District and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

“We want residents to know that this is for them,” Kyle said. “We welcome everyone in the community to stop by, pick up produce and watch a demonstration or two. Accessibility is our main focus.”

Downtown Las Vegas-based Vegas Roots, 715 N. Tonopah Drive, also offers garden plots for rent and has a you-pick farm, where visitors can pick their own produce.

Contact Sandy Lopez at slopez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686. Follow @JournalismSandy on Twitter.