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Farmers Markets

Neighborhood farmers markets are the lifeblood of the local food system. This is where we often find out about specialty items being grown in the area, or farms that are testing out new cultivars. It's also the place where relationships with local food producers are established. And it's great to get to know your neighbors over a pile of peppers or a crate of corn!
Farmers markets are booming in the United States, with more and more forming every year. In 2009, for example, there were 5,274 farmers markets in the country, up 13% from 4,685 the year before, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In all likelihood, there were even more than that, as many people consider the USDA estimates to be on the conservative side (and not all farmers markets are recorded by the USDA). Those figures compare with 1,755 farmers markets in the U.S. in 1994, the last year for which USDA data are available.

For more statistics on farmers markets, go to the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service division here:
 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateA&navID=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&page=WholesaleAndFarmersMarkets&resultType=&topNav=null&leftNav=WholesaleandFarmersMarkets&acct=whlsldirmkt.

To find a farmers market in your area, check Local Harvest (click on the name to use the link).

For a listing of winter farmers markets in the MD-DC-VA area, see below:


Winter Farmers Markets 2009 – 2010

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market
20th St, between Massachusetts Ave and Q St, NW
Sundays: April 5 – Dec. 27, 9 am to 1 pm; Jan. 3 – March 28, 10 am to 1 pm
www.freshfarmmarket.org 

Eastern Market Outdoor “Food at the Flea” Farmers Market
7th Street between C St & North Carolina Ave, SE
Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm

www.easternmarket.net

RFK Stadium Open Air Farmers Market
Oklahoma Ave & Benning Rd, NE
RFK Stadium parking lot No. 6
Thursday & Saturday, 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
301-325-3762

MARYLAND

Baltimore-Waverly Farmers Market
E 32nd St & Barclay St
Saturday, 7 am–noon
www.32ndstreetmarket.org

Annapolis
Westfield Annapolis Farmers Market

Annapolis Mall

1st level of the Nordstrom Parking Garage
January 3 – March 21: 1st and 3rd Sundays, 11 am – 3 pm

www.aaedc.org

Great Frederick Fair Farmers Market
797 E Patrick St
Fairgrounds, Building 12
Saturday, 8 am – 1 pm
www.discoverfrederickmd.com/farmersmarket/html/detail.htm?cat=115&store=1078

Hagerstown City Farmers Market
25 W Church St
Saturday, 5 am – 1 pm
www.hagerstownmarket.org

Bethesda-Montgomery Farm Women's Co-op Market

7155 Wisconsin Ave

Outdoor Market, weather permitting:
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 7 am – 5 pm

Indoor Market:

Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, 7 am – 4 pm
www.farmwomensmarket.com

Takoma Park Farmers Market
Laurel Ave between Eastern & Carroll aves
Sunday, 10 am – 2 pm
www.takomaparkmarket.com

VIRGINIA

Alexandria Farmers Market
301 King St, Market Square
Saturday, 5 am–10:30 am
www.alexandriava.gov/farmersmarket

Arlington County Farmers Market
North 14th St & North Courthouse Rd
Saturday, 8 am to noon
www.arlingtonfarmersmarket.com

City of Falls Church Farmers Market
300 Park Ave

Jan 3 – April 5, 9 am – noon

May 2 – Dec. 26, 8 am – noon
 www.fallschurchva.gov/Content/Government/Departments/CommunityServices/RecsParks/FarmersMarket.aspx

Norfolk - Five Points Community Farm Markets
2500 Church St
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 11 am – 7 pm

Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm

Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm
www.5PtsFarmMarket.org

Leesburg Farmers Market
Virginia Village Shopping Center on Catoctin Circle SE
Saturday, 9 am – noon

www.loudounfarmersmarkets.org/leesburg.php

Newport News Farmers Market
2801 Jefferson Ave
Friday, 10 am – 5 pm & Saturday, 9am – 5 pm
www.nnparks.com/parks_farmersmarket2.php

Smart Markets Oakton
2709 Hunter Mill Rd

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Saturday, 10 am – 1 pm
www.smartmarkets.org

Smart Markets Purcellville
Purcellville Town Hall

130 E Main St
Saturday, 9 am – noon
www.smartmarkets.org

Virginia Beach Farmers Market
3640 Dam Neck Rd
Monday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm

Sunday, noon – 4
www.vbgov.com/farmersmarket

The USDA offers a list of farmers markets by state. Click on yours to see locations and times of both year-round and seasonal markets: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

 
Corn
The USDA offers a list of farmers markets by state. Click on yours to see locations and times of both year-round and seasonal markets: http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

Click here to read our take on "Do's and Don'ts at the Farmers' Market."
Click here to read Renee's article on the 2007 opening of farmers markets in Cheverly and Olney, MD.
Riverdale Park Farmers Market, June 2007

All content of the Real People Eat Local website and the Local Mix email newsletter is original and the property of Renee Brooks Catacalos and Kristi Bahrenburg Janzen. We welcome your comments at feedback@realpeopleeatlocal.com.