This Week at Smart Markets Manassas Park Farmers' Market

This Week at Our Manassas Park Market
Friday 3–7 p.m.
One Part Center Court
(City Hall Parking Lot)
Manassas Park, VA 20111
Map

We seem to have weathered the storms of May; now we only have the rest of the summer to worry about. Thank you for your loyal attendance even in the face of gale-force winds. We do have a weather policy which is based on the assumption that we are a rain-or-shine market, with caution.

Let’s hope for lovely weather Friday so you can visit all of the vendors and shop till you drop. This week, you will see lots of early summer produce in the market: broccoli, cauliflower, lettuces, beets, radishes, kohlrabi (which is great with peas), and English, sugar snap and snow peas — as well as strawberries and maybe even cherries. Montoya’s Produce, Crazy Farm and Max Tyson will all have something new this week.

Shelby and her Gingerbread House will not be with us this week, but Jonita of Three Peas in a Pod Cupcakery will step in to fill the bill. Just look at what she is working on in her kitchen! She also wanted me to remind you that she is accepting orders for graduation and Father’s Day as well as for birthday cupcakes and cake pops for all occasions.

Oli will be on hand with tasty and authentic Peruvian empanadas, and you can wash them down with some of the best bottled fruit punch you ever drank at Queen Victoria’s Island Punch tent. The punch also makes a mean and very refreshing margarita; look for the recipe on our Facebook page.

My pick of the week for you would be the amazing cinnamon buns at Becky’s Pastries — no need to run to the mall for your cinnamon-bun fix with our very own local baker bringing them practically to your door.

And those Liz soaps are as good a combination of cleanser and skin conditioner as you will ever find in one bar. Judy Newbraugh knows what she is doing and is a perfectionist to boot. She cannot make claims herself, but I know customers who have seen improvement in their eczema, and I know that her soaps keep my skin from drying out in the winter. The hard part is settling on your favorite scents. It’s hard to walk away with just three.

Get your Taste of Local Food Truck fix this week — they will be absent next week but Doug Linton won’t miss a beat with his beef. Now is the time to throw a couple of his rib eyes on the grill. In my house, we have not bought any other beef since trying Doug’s five years ago, and it has no more fat or cholesterol than chicken.

Our newest vendor A Dozen Eggs farm had a good opening day last week. Ask them about their beef, which you can preorder. And how could I almost forget Wicked Oak Farm? Russ and Randall are native sons of Manassas Park, but we are glad they moved to the country where they can raise chicken and pork and bring healthy eggs from happy chickens back home to all of you.

Whether you dine al fresco or not, think about taking home pulled pork from Absolute BBQ this week. We have great recipe ideas for using smoky pulled pork in a variety of dishes at the Smart Markets tent.

Loudoun Valley Vineyards and Fabbioli Cellars will both be with us. Sampling is allowed so you can try before you buy.

Chef Bon’s Gluten-Free Food Truck is also away for a few weeks. Chef Bon had previous commitments cooking for some summer camps, but she will return with her gluten-free treats at the end of the month.

See you at the market!

From the Market Master

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?