Where do you get fresh local produce and ingredients?

- How do you find fresh produce from nearby farms?
- Where are the best local farmer's markets?
- Can you taste the difference between tomatoes grown in Virginia and tomatoes grown in Belgium?

The Washington region is perfectly positioned between the land and the sea to get the best of both worlds—fresh seafood from the east, and delicious vegetables and meats from our neighboring farms. But many foodies it's surprisingly difficult to get local products from farm to plate.
Today, we examine the "locavore" movement and the culinary adventures enco.... Help us compile a list of excellent resources and seasonal cooking secrets.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Coleman on June 17, 2009 at 12:26pm: There's a great program coming out of Prince George's County's Social Services Department that allows WIC customers to receive their WIC vouchers from the County actually at the market, increasing the ability of WIC clients to actually use the vouchers which sometimes go unused. I was lucky enough to have them at my market, the Riverdale Park Farmers Market on Thursdays, from 3pm to 7pm @ the Riverdale MARC station.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suzanne Hermes on June 17, 2009 at 12:26pm: Potomac Farmers Market located next to Potomac Elementary School
Clarksburg Farmers Market in Clarksburg Town Center; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ryan Jaco on June 17, 2009 at 12:29pm: I live in Mt. Pleasant and they have a great little Saturday market at Mt. Pleasant St./Lamont St. (in the little park there) with some amazing dairy/cheese producers...I am also a member of the Bull Run Mountain CSA which just started 2 weeks ago (amazing chives and garlic scapes so far, amongst other things).

Enjoy local!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Marian D. McLaughlin on June 17, 2009 at 12:30pm: I go to the farmer's market on Wednesdays from 2 - 6 pm at the Audrey Moore Recreation Center, Annandale VA, near Braddock Rd and 495. I also enjoy the markets in Vienna, VA on Saturdays.. Marian; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Suzanne Hermes on June 17, 2009 at 12:31pm: Have you heard about the Fresh Give program started by Niki Thomas (Green Garden) at the Clarksburg Farmers Market? Each week the remaining produce from the farmers are donated to Manna. This program has been adopted by many other Farmers Markets thoughout Montgomery County including Olney, Bethesda, Potomac.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mary on June 17, 2009 at 12:43pm: Brendan - There are farmer's markets throughout VA,"metropolitan" area--from Alexandria to Vienna - For example, in Arlington: Courthouse Market- Sat 8-12, Ballston/Welburn Sq- Fri 11-3, Clarendon Metro- Wed 3-7 pm, Columbia Pike & S. Walter Reed Dr- Sun 9-1. Hope this helps.

Mary; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sean J. Diehl on June 17, 2009 at 12:50pm: The northern Shenandoah Valley is full great local farmers markets. The Freight Station Farmers Market in Winchester, VA is my source for local produce, meats, flowers and value added products such as fresh pies, jams and breads. There are cooking demos performed by local chefs and annual special events. Truly local.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Amelia Showalter on June 17, 2009 at 12:55pm: I shop at the Dupont Circle market, and also sometimes at the U Street and Foggy Bottom markets. Yes, it's more expensive than the grocery store, but it tastes good and makes me feel good. These markets would not continue if people didn't value the products.

For people who want an online preview of the markets around here, the Garden Apartment blog has done some great posts with beautiful photos and commentary. I do some semi-regular market round-ups on my own blog as well.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michelle Burns on June 17, 2009 at 12:56pm: A wonderful up-and-coming farmer's market is the Riverdale Park Farmer's Market at the MARC train station in Riverdale Park, MD. It is a "producer's only" market and very complete: besides fruits and vegetables, there's meat, cheese, fresh bread, bedding plants and cut flowers, handmade soaps, jams, eggs, coffee, artisan ice cream, some excellent food vendors, crafts people and live music. The town sets up a tent with tables so people can eat sitting down and enjoy the music. It's child-friendly: a group of train enthusiasts set up a huge train set every week to entertain the children while their parents shop, and the William Wirt Middle School "Master Peace Garden" sells its produce there.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Craig Lindsay on June 17, 2009 at 1:14pm: We enjoy two markets.

Riverdale Park Farmers Market is on Thursday 3-7 at the Marc station. It has music and quite a variety of local produce and producers. Besides veggies it has people who make food products from local produce--a smokery, oysters, sausage and dairy. Local crafts people too--fusion glass, soap, pottery. Where do the cut flowers fit in? Anyway, good things come in small packages.

Our back-up market is at College Park on Saturday's 7-12 at the Pool and Ice Rink on Paint Branch Parkway between US 1 and Kenilworth. It doesn't have as many vendors or variety but one of the vendors is big enough to also have stuff that is more than local--blue berries from NC, corn on the cob from out of state or bananas. While it isn't local-local, it is fresher than the grocery.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Andrea Milstein on June 17, 2009 at 1:19pm: There is a Farmers' Market on Wednesday mornings in Oakton at Oak Marr Rec Center (on Jermantown Rd) form 8 - 12noon. Among the 14 vendors are Vegetable and Fruit farmers, a bakery, a farmer selling grass-fed meats, a cheese maker, a lady selling middle eastern pastries, a guy selling his fresh pastas, sauces and jams, a plant lady and not to forget an ice-cream stand. Overall a wonderful place to visit on a Wednesday morning.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rachel Lawal on June 17, 2009 at 1:19pm: I live in Mt Pleasant as well, and have been shopping at the farmer's market for the past 4 years. I think the selection this year is worse than in past years. This year's bread stand is more expensive than previous ones and the bread isn't as good. So far, there's a limited selection of fruits (only apples and strawberries), as opposed to an overkill in vegetables. I know it's a small market, making it harder to have all types of goods covered, but it looks like this year's variety in stands are not well balanced. I'm worried that I won't be able to get the tomatoes and peaches that are generally in plentiful supply there, forcing me to go down to Dupont on Sundays (which is always a madhouse). I'm happy about the meat selection (one of the stands is a holdover from previous years), but I guess I think of the cheeses as more of a specialty item, not a staple in our household.

Ryan Jaco said:
I live in Mt. Pleasant and they have a great little Saturday market at Mt. Pleasant St./Lamont St. (in the little park there) with some amazing dairy/cheese producers...I am also a member of the Bull Run Mountain CSA which just started 2 weeks ago (amazing chives and garlic scapes so far, amongst other things).

Enjoy local!; ▶ Reply to This