This Week at Smart Markets Lorton Farmers' Market

This Week at Our Lorton Market
Thursday 3–7 p.m.
Workhouse Arts Center
9601 Ox Rd.
Lorton, VA 22079
Map

My family spent a lovely week at Wrightsville Beach, N.C., last week, where we enjoyed six days of perfect weather and great food. Yes, even in the remote reaches of the Eastern seaboard, there is good food to be enjoyed at a variety of restaurants and people at the grassiest of grass roots who are supporting farmers and promoting locally sourced meats and produce. In fact, if you subscribe to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution newsletter, you know how widely this movement has spread, not just across the country but around the world.

Big Food is continuing to foist unhealthy processed foods upon us with no regard for science or our good health, all because they can and because no governmental agency is authorized to stop them — though The Washington Post reports that the Food and Drug Administration is getting “jittery.”

There has also been positive movement on the Farm Bill. In a state such as Virginia with few major corporate farms but lots of small, family-owned farms, our representatives in Congress do not get a lot of calls, emails, or petitions about the issues being addressed in the Farm Bill. They need to hear from us because they won’t hear from small farmers.The average size of a Virginia farm is around 40 acres, and these farmers are not organized, nor do they have the time or inclination to participate in a process that they see as deaf to their interests.

It was once suggested to me that I organize Virginia farmers just to raise and protect their own interests in the General Assembly. And it is an intriguing idea, except that I connect that concept to the idea of herding cats. But we can help, and you can learn more if you are interested. Here is a Post article with more information.

In other news, read this article about myths and truths regarding antioxidants. It is a good analysis of what these do in and for your body and a good prescription for what you should be eating to take best advantage of antioxidants in nature. When you see all of the good things arriving at the market over the next few weeks, you will know why I encourage you to read this now. It’s always a good time to learn something new about what real food contributes to your real health, but now is the best time to practice what you learn and what I preach.

There is a lot to learn and a lot going on. Who knew what shopping at a farmers’ market could mean for you, your family, and the world?

This Week At The Market

We are delighted that the market is growing each week, and for that we thank our shoppers who have obviously been spreading the word. This week we expect nearly a full house of vendors; Oli and his empanadas will not be with us, but he will return next week.

As a producer-only market, we adapt to the growing season to maximize your choices at our markets. The goal is to assemble a group of farmers that represent a wide range of growing conditions in our area, from southern Maryland and the tip of the Northern Neck in Virginia up through the Piedmont to the Shenandoah Valley and on into West Virginia. We do this in order to extend your enjoyment of those short crop seasons, so at just about the time the strawberries have all been picked in Colonial Beach, Va., they are still being picked in the cooler climes.

With that in mind, watch this week for more summer veggies at Ignacio’s stand, strawberries and rhubarb at Fossil Rock, and sugar snaps and snow peas at both. We may even see tomatoes this week from our Amish farmers in southern Maryland. And Chester Hess should have sweet cherries soon. All the farmers should have strawberries this week. This would be the week to stock up with several varieties to make jam or preserves.

There is still plenty of asparagus, lovely lettuces, and lettuce mixes throughout the market. Try the early radishes sliced thinly with a sprinkling of really good balsamic vinegar and just a dribble of really good olive oil. (I will ask Olio2Go to bring vinegars with the oils when they visit us next week.) Serve with some of those mixed greens from Ignacio or Fossil Rock and you will be dining like kings and queens or the very rich who eat at the best restaurants in the country.

Kylie will be back with cake pops for children of all ages, and you gotta try her chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick. They are like chocolate-marshmallow Easter bunnies but better and available year-round! Adima has that wonderful punch, including her new version without grapefruit juice. Check our Facebook page for a margarita recipe using Queen Victoria’s Island Punch. I have also worked up a salad dressing recipe that I will bring to sample next week. Sorry we can’t sample the margaritas.

We are waiting for one of our local beef, pork, and chicken farmers to hire a market manager and come to this market. We will be so happy to see them and I know you will be, too.

With the withdrawal of B&D Poultry from this market, you will want to buy your eggs at Fossil Rock. They have plenty of beautiful country eggs with those deep yellow yolks.

See you at the market!