Celebrate National Farmers Market Week in Herndon

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The Fairfax County Park Authority will celebrate the 16th Annual National Farmers Market Week from Aug. 5 to Aug. 15 with special activities at the county’s 11 markets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began declaring a National Farmers Week in 2000 to recognize the role that farmers markets play in the agricultural and food economy.

Local market activities will take place during regular market hours. They will take place on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Herndon farmers market; Friday, Aug. 7, at the McLean market; Thursday, Aug. 13 at the market at the Government Center in Fairfax; and Saturday, Aug. 15, at the market in Reston.

Among those activities:

• Customers will enjoy cooking demonstrations from the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Master Food Volunteers at the McCutcheon/Mount Vernon, Herndon, Reston, Lorton, Government Center and Kingstowne markets.
• A gift basket will be raffled off at each market. It will include a copy of The Arcadia Mobile Market Seasonal Cookbook, a “Buy Fresh Buy Local” reusable tote, and assorted products and coupons from market vendors.
• There will be educational information and interactive displays on the eco-stewardship of small farms, including information about the ways farmers enhance the fertility of farmed soil, decrease polluted runoff into waterways, and increase farmland biodiversity in the region. Customers who correctly answer an environmentally-focused trivia question will win a prize.
• Kid-friendly activities, games, and contests will provide more opportunities to win prizes.
• The Park Authority will conduct a short survey of shoppers to help the agency better meet market customer needs.

For the full schedule and other information, please click here.