A mobile farmers market is giving Berrien County residents a convenient option for eating healthy this summer.

The Be Healthy Berrien Mobile Farmers Market, a partnership with Andrews University’s student garden, kicked off its second season Monday.

The produce-carrying vehicle will bring fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs and bakery items to neighborhoods throughout Berrien County every week from now through October 9.

“By bringing the market right into our neighborhoods, we are making healthy eating easier and possible for more people” said Heather Cole, Be Healthy Berrien coordinator.

The Mobile Farmers Market makes stops each week at the following locations:

• Mondays — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ferry Street Resource Center, 620 Ferry St., Niles

• Tuesdays — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Berrien Springs Courthouse, W. Union/Cass Street, Berrien Springs

• Tuesdays — 4 to 6 p.m., Virginia Edwards Community Center, 721 Nate Wells Sr. Dr., Benton Harbor

• Wednesdays — 4 to 6 p.m., Redbud Area Ministries, 708 Red Bud Trail, Buchanan

• Fridays — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harbor of Hope, 769 Pipestone Rd., Benton Harbor

Beginning July 8, the Mobile Farmers Market will add an additional stop at the Benton Harbor Farmers Market in Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park in Benton Harbor.

The Mobile Farmers Market accepts cash, credit/debit cards, and Bridge Cards at each stop.

The market also participates in the Fair Food Network’s Double Up Food Bucks program.

The Double Up Food Bucks program doubles the value of SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) spent at participating markets and grocery stores, helping people bring home more locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Special events like cooking demonstrations and fruit and veggie taste testing provided by Lakeland Health also take place at the weekly stops.

The Mobile Farmers Market offers customer loyalty cards, allowing shoppers to earn free produce by shopping more often.

This project is partially funded through a grant from Gov. Rick Snyder’s Michigan Health and Wellness 4×4 initiative, which was awarded by the Berrien County Health Department through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The purpose of the Michigan Health and Wellness 4×4 Coalition Initiative is to implement Michigan’s priority strategies to improve health and reduce obesity by creating healthier communities, expanding prevention activities and empowering people to make healthy choices and adopt health as a core personal value. The expected outcomes include changes in weight status and improvements in healthy eating and physical activity.

Be Healthy Berrien is a county-wide partnership of Berrien County Health Department, Lakeland Health, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, United Way of Southwest Michigan, Benton Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA, and Niles-Buchanan YMCA. These partners are working together to reduce obesity and chronic illness through policy, systems, and environmental change.

For more information about Be Healthy Berrien and the Mobile Farmers Market, please visit BeHealthyBerrien.org and follow Be Healthy Berrien on Facebook and Twitter.