This Week at Smart Markets Springfield Farmers' Market

This Week at Our Springfield Market 
Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
Springfield Mall 
6417 Loisdale Rd. 
Springfield, VA 22150 
Map

Just in time, the market is finally beginning to look like summer, though the cool rainy weather has kept the early spring crops such as cauliflower, broccoli, and great greens around while the peaches and berries are finally being picked. Not a bad thing as we head into summer — those spring crops are some of the most healthful veggies on the planet.

Looking ahead to the 4th of July, you can preorder everything from cupcakes to empanadas to cake pops, cupcakes, and cakes with a 4th of July theme. Kylie and Tanya will also accept orders for delivery closer to the holiday. Make sure you have enough of that Island Punch; I bet it would add a great flavor boost to a batch of white Sangria! And Jacob has ice cream and Maria has Whim Pops for happy faces all around. My personal favorites are the new blueberry ice cream and the lime popsicles.

We will have some new recipes for the grill at the Smart Markets tent, and Jacob has meats including chicken, pork chops, sausages, and beef. And don’t forget the deviled eggs!

We will also have cherry tomatoes and some Early Girls at Pete Lund’s stand for your salads, and green beans, peppers, all kinds of lettuces, greens, and root veggies. We will have summer squash in all guises for salads and casseroles. Check out Crazy Farm, Montoya’s, and Tyson Farms for vegetables and fruits. They will all have berries this week, and Tyson will have the first peaches of the season.

Hal will be on hand with a full range of smoked meats; you can always preorder from him, too. Or just make it a point to buy something good to take home each week.

Valley View Bakery is also bringing hamburger and hot dog buns that are so much better than any you can buy at the grocery store. You can order whole-wheat rolls too. And for the holiday, they will have their special 4th of July cookies frosted in red, white, and blue. You can help them out by ordering ahead this week.

See you at the market!

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!