This Week at Smart Markets Lorton Farmers' Market

Sorry we had to bail last week, but we had no other choice but to listen to the warnings and be aware of the danger. Missing a week means that it will now be next week before we can welcome Wicked Oak Farm back to the market. But you will be happy to hear that Nyall of Celtic Pasties is better after dealing with a bad back that would have kept him from the market last week anyway. H will be with us this week. Pete Lund has been called back to the doctor for more tests, so we will have to wait for his heirloom tomatoes a little longer.

This week we begin to see the first big stars of the summer market, just in time for your holiday celebrations in a couple of weeks. Chester Hess has peaches, and he and Ignacio will have berries. Look for raspberries, blueberries, and maybe the last of the strawberries. There are so many nice dessert ideas for the individual fruits or all in combination. Tomatoes are coming — we will see some cherry tomatoes this week at Ignacio’s, and Chester should be picking great canning tomatoes soon.

The Kettle Corn guy is still on vacation but will be back with us next week.

Delicias del Sur will have a full selection of authentic empanadas, and, if we are lucky, alfajores too. They are such a nice accompaniment to any fruit salad.

Think about how much of Queen Victoria’s Island Punch you are going to need for the 4th. You will want to preorder for sure.

We will hold a market on the 4th of July but earlier in the day so that all of our shoppers and vendors can get home safely to see fireworks. We will let you know soon about the hours.

See you at the market! Jean

From the Market Master

I Love My Farmers Market Celebration™ marks the fifth year American Farmland Trust has hosted a summer-long event in honor of the nation’s farmers markets. Previously called America’s Favorite Farmers Markets™, this year instead of voting for your favorite market, participants are pledging to spend dollars at Smart Markets.

The pledging process is easy. Simply look up Smart Markets at www.lovemyfarmersmarket.org and select the market you visit to make your pledge.

Once you have pledged to support farmers at our markets, you will get a free No Farms No Food® bumper sticker from American Farmland Trust.

I Love My Farmers Market Celebration™ aims to secure $1 million dollars in pledges supporting family farmers and farmers’ markets by the end of the summer. The celebration is part of the American Farmland Trust’s No Farms No Food® Campaign. Since its founding in 1980, AFT has helped save more than 5 million of acres of farmland. Thank you for considering this pledge to support the farmers who bring their local produce, meats and dairy to our guaranteed producer-only local market.

This event is an attempt to raise public awareness of the importance of showing support for small farmers by buying their products. But throughout the year, the American Farmland Trust educates and informs farmers’ market managers about the issues that affect the ability of the small farmer to survive. We participate in numerous activities to represent our farmers and shoppers throughout the year. This is an uphill battle against the continued use of your tax dollars (without a pledge) to support very large and certainly non-local commercial farmers who do not care what they add to your broccoli to keep it looking fresh over 3,000 miles and many weeks in transit, or what they have to feed their chickens to make them grow like weeds.

The average size of a farm in Virginia is 40 acres, so making an impact in this state can affect more small farmers than in most other states in the Union.

Remember, No Farms No Food. But even more importantly, No Small Farms, No Unadulterated Food!

Photo by Sarah Sertic