The opening of the 2011 West End Farmers Market has been moved to NEXT Sunday, May 8, to permit the city of Alexandria to conduct final preparations of Ben Brenman Park.

Please join us on Sunday, May 8 for the opening of the West End Farmers Market. There will be a fruit and vegetable treasure hunt for the children with coloring books and crayons as rewards, as well as a face painter, acoustic music by fourteen year old Frida Salmoran, and free pinwheels and bubbles for the children!

Thank you for your patience and understanding. See you at the market!

The Maple Avenue Market and Farm's On the GOurmet truck features local foods from Chris and Sara Guerre's Maple Avenue Market – a small, family/farmer owned grocery store in downtown Vienna, Virginia and the Maple Avenue Market Farm  – one of the very few working farms in Fairfax County. The farm, located in Northern Fairfax County just 15 miles from Clarendon, grows organic-equivalent vegetables to sell at the West End Farmers Market and the Maple Avenue Market. The Maple Avenue Market Farm is also proud to be the first and only local farm working directly with Arlington County and Fairfax County Public Schools to grow fresh, healthy food.

Tucked inside a one-of-a-kind customized vehicle with hardwood flooring and a refrigerated showcase, On the GOurmet is the most talked-about, original, and only mobile food market in town! Featuring local cheeses and dairy products, naturally raised meats, organic goods, fine chocolates and sweets, homegrown produce and gift baskets.

New this year is organic garden supplies.

The farm in Montross, Virginia is run by Karla and Frank Bojorquez-Medina. Francisco Javier Medina, Jr. also known as Frankie, was born February 7th, 1977 in Orlando Florida.His parents were originally from Mexico.  His dad was always a farm worker and the family moved to different states as migrant workers to follow crops. They moved to Westmoreland County, Virginia in 1985.  Both parents worked on different farms.In the early 90s, Frankie's father started to farm on his own and sell at local markets including the Charlottesville City Market.Frankie had helped run his booth for many of those years.In 2005, Frank, Sr. was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away in 2006. 

After that, Frankie started to farm on his own, selling at local markets where his father had sold for years.Frankie and his wife Karla have two sons, one who is only a year old.  His wife Karla and her friend Martha have been coming to the West End Farmers Market for five years.They have a devoted following.

One of our artists, Patrice Valle, is the creative force behind Paper Scissor Fabric and Clay. She loves color and texture in any shape or form so everything has the potential for transformation. Patrice tends to look at life sideways and you'll see from her designs that not everything conforms to generic expectations. She makes jewelry and bowls from fabric, paper and/or clay. There's a new line of fabric charm bracelets. Here's just one example of the kind of work she does:

Shamba Farm is a small family farm in Culpepper, VA. Lucia and her husband started farming three years ago.  They grow vegetables, a variety of beans, herbs, berries, fruit trees and flowers.  Lucia's husband is from Wisconsin and she is from Kenya. Lucia's farther was a farmer in Keya and grew lots of flowers and macadamia nuts for export. All the vegetables and berries were taken to the market, which is where Lucia developed her passion for gardening - because her father taught her so much.

Lucia's greatest challenge is that farming in tropical weather is very, very different from farming in Virginia with seasons.  She is still learning and is looking forward to expanding and trying to grow more products.
Lucia specializes in gourmet and international produce. The first weeks of market, Lucia will be bringing edamame beans.

Founded in 1994 by Vera and Joe Port. Vera's scones are big and loaded with great things. These unique scones have become a favorite and a local staple at the West End Farmers Market. The cinnamon raisin bread a sweet sticky sensational bread. The turnovers and pastry squares are made from puff pastry dough and filled with delicious fruit. The almond horns are filled with marzipan rolled in almonds, baked and then dipped in chocolate - who could resist? They even make gluten-free products!

Based in Peach Bottom, PA, Tommy Tompkins has been with the West End Farmers Market since the first year when there were only six vendors.  He is famous in the community for the cave aged cheeses he sells.  It is easy to join the ranks of devoted Tommy customers once you taste his cheeses. 

Although the name suggests only dairy, baked goods and canned products are also available. Most of his wares are made by the Amish, the rest are made by Mennonites.

The dairy products are the ones they are most proud of, including seven pre-packaged cheeses - which  are not the typical run-of-the-mill cheese. They are produced from pasture-fed cows that are free of antibiotics and hormones.  No chemicals are sprayed in the fields.There are eight farmers in all. All of them practice old fashioned farming. One farm's milk has been certified as “Kosher” by a group from Baltimore.

The yogurt, as can be attested to by other consumers, is of the finest quality too. It is made from the milk of grass-fed Jersey cows, free of hormones or antibiotics. It is about equal to Greek style yogurt in richness and thickness, although they are made with different processes. My favorite flavor above all is the black cherry! Can't wait until it is the season for that!

More information is available online at www.amishcheesestore.com.

Ole Pioneer’s Kitchen (OPK Foods Inc.) was founded in 2005 by Argentina-born Grace Brock of Vienna, VA. Their products are made and packaged in their semi-commercial kitchen. Absolutely no private labeling. OPK products are made with meats from local Virginia farmers, including:

• Flatrock Farm in Orlean, VA
• Piney Meadow Farms in Somerville, VA
• Sherbeyn's Longhorn Beef  in Bealeton, VA
  

These farmers produce free-range livestock which is naturally lean,. No steroids or hormones are used. OPK products are made every week, in small batches of 50 pounds or less, to assure freshness. Their products are free of preservatives, colorants, fillers, and added fat. In fact, any excess fat is trimmed by hand with dedication and care. Boston butt, sirloin tip or porterhouse tails allow for a leaner product. The "buckboard bacon" is made using pork shoulder. The beef bacon is made from sirloin tip. The British style bacon comes from the center cut pork loin.

One market favorite is the sausage biscuit breakfast sandwich. Yum!

According to Epicurious, you should be looking for local asparagus and spinach.

The ingredient description for spinach is based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

If you view recipes, it returns a search for 644 results, including Baby Spinach and Raspberry Salad, Spinach Phyllo Pizza and Sesame Spinach with Ginger and Garlic.