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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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bob Brown on September 30, 2009 at 5:07pm: Thank you.

Verna Marquez said:
If you'd like to know more about locally sourced food, there are two user-created google maps that may be helpful to people interested in increasing their locavore selections. One is the food finder map that is at dcfoodfinderdotorg. The other can be found through the Ecolocity Website at ecolocitydotningdotcom, and is interactive in that you can still add information to it. These include information on everything from farmer's markets and community gardens to where to get green products. If you know someone combating hunger, there are more resources on dcfoodfinder to assist them in obtaining help.

Personally, I've found that it's nice to go to a different market from time to time, it diversifies my palette, while creating opportunities to learn about a range of local issues and projects. I love that this discussion is happening here, in an online forum! Eat on!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Leslie Monroe on October 7, 2009 at 1:09am: Everything tastes so much richer from my local produce market than from "imported" grocery stores shelves. I also believe in supporting the local community as much as possible, especially when it saves money!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Louisa Rogoff Thompson on January 22, 2010 at 1:30pm: You can find a list of farmers' markets in Maryland at http://www.mda.state.md.us/md_products/farmers_market_dir.php or search for "Maryland Farmers' Markets." I assume this search model would work for other areas, too. If you want to subscribe to a CSA (community-supported agriculture), in Maryland try http://www.marylandagriculture.info/category_info.cfm?categoryid=46 . CSA's vary enormously in cost, whether or not you are expected or encouraged to do some of the work (used to be common, less so now), where they deliver and whether day, evening, or weekend, whether or not they have a fall season, and whether you can order eggs, cheese, pasture-raised meat and/or other products from them.

This year I subscribed to the fall season of Orchard Country Produce CSA (http://orchcountry.com/), which delivers to Dupont Circle, Columbia, and Montgomery County. I was actually somewhat disappointed in their fall vegetables and eggs, but loved their jams, cheese, butter, and ground beef. Since they sell at the farmers' market, you might do better just to buy from them there rather than subscribing. Shop around!; ▶ Reply to This