At the Farmers' Market, Super Specials for a Super Day

This Week at the Smart Markets Prince William County Farmers' Market
Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Bristow Commons
Bristow Montessori School Parking Lot
9050 Devlin Rd.
Bristow, VA 20136
Map

Our vendors are taking this Super Bowl stuff very seriously and have really put some thought into their Super Bowl specials this year. Check our website for a roundup of what our vendors will have for you. And you know Lothar will have some fantastic sausages for sausage subs, for dunking into warm queso dip or for adding to market ground beef for an easy chili.

From the Market Master

I love this time of year! It is busy in a different way from the height of the season. And so exciting!

I spend much more time on the phone — which is not one of my favorite things to do — because so many new vendors are calling to inquire about joining our markets. We are already expecting to bring in some amazing new vendors, including our first certified-organic farmer. We also look forward to hosting several new sustainable farmers — the term we use for farmers who are farming organically but either cannot afford or do not want to go through the hassle of the federal “organic” certification program.

Years ago, the large grocery chains predicted the coming demand for organic products and, as often happens, corporate farmers lobbied for federal takeover of the certification process. Of course, they won the battle to wrest this process away from the states, and now we have very few “certified organic” farmers.

But that does not mean that the farmers at the markets are not farming sustainably — using little or no chemicals for any purpose and incorporating nutrient-rich growing methods that leave the soil even healthier after a crop is harvested than before. That’s the beauty of a market. You do not have to trust that the Chinese and Mexican and Peruvian farmers are actually growing organically. No matter what the sign says, you can ask your farmer and buy from the one that meets your standards.

So while I am out here improving the markets for the new season, please think about those vendors who are persevering through the winter markets. Please take a little time to plan your Super Bowl Sunday with your local options in mind. And above all — have a safe and insane Super Bowl experience.

See you at the market!