 Concerned Mom writes:
The grocery store is currently selling strawberries from California for $1/lb. The local berries cost $3.95. For people on a budget, like the pensioner I met, said she would love to buy the local berries, but finds it hard to justify the cost when she could get 4 times as many strawberries if she buys the ones from California. I have that dilemma too, but sometimes I can pick my own for $2/quart. If there was a way for people to obtain local produce for less then I think more people would be buy it. Response: This question raises a dilemma that has no obvious or quick answer. In season, produce at the farmers market is usually similarly priced to what's in the grocery store. This is mostly true of onions, potatoes, eggplants and greens. Fruit tends to be more expensive because farmers are picking them by hand. At the West End Farmers Market, as produce come into and goes out of season (and are thus more rare), they become more expensive - that's the law of supply and demand. Agribusiness supplies cheap out-of-season fruits to grocery stores by picking them where they are in season, like California, and shipping them long distances. Produce picked in California has to be picked before it is ripe, irradiated to keep the ripening process at bay, irradiated again at the endpoint to start the ripening process again, and so on. The result is a fruit or veggie that looks shiny and beautiful, but perhaps has lost its taste, and has certainly lost its nutrient value. Agribusinesses receive massive subsidies from the government to ensure relatively low prices. For example, the corn industry received 250 billion in subsidies from the federal government.* Small farms cannot compete at that level, nor do they receive those kinds of subsidies. And they must charge according to what will support their farms. So how can you eat local and not overspend your budget? Buy what's in season, at the height of the season when you can purchase at lower or similar prices to the grocery store. Canning or freezing produce at the height of the season ensures that you will have healthy, tasty, nutritious food all year long at reasonable prices. Freezing is remarkably easy. You can just place berries in small resealable bags, take the air out, seal them and put them in the freezer. Don't wash before putting them in bags because the water will freeze them in weird ways. Wash after you take them out and thaw them. And in January, just when you are going crazy for some summer fruit, you'll have some on hand. Sometimes a person just needs a strawberry, even if it is January, and you don't have any frozen ones on hand. This is the time to practice indulgence-awareness. Maybe only purchase strawberries every now and then, not every week. Life should be fun - neither extravagantly hedonistic or guiltily abstemious. The challenge is striking that balance. *See NPR, Newsweek and EWG for confirmation United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has proclaimed August 7-13, 2011 as National Farmers Market Week. In celebration, the market this week will include:
- MAGICIAN David Meneses from 11 a.m. - Noon - Fun Balloon Twisting by Pam - Face painting by Rain Young - Henna artist, Shabnam Tailor - Martial arts demonstration by Kathy and Mike from Potomac Kempo at 10:30 a.m. - Canning demonstrations by Lucy and Bonita Bolden of Eden Good at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - "How to incorporate fresh fruit & vegetables into every meal" cooking demonstration by Brenda Coleman, Health Coach of Sow. Harvest. Share at 11 a.m. - Philip Blalock, Executive Director of the National Association of Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs (NAFMNP) is scheduled to speak at 10 a.m. NAFMNP is the nation’s only organization that links States, the District of Columbia, Indian Tribal Organizations, Territories and others with a stake in USDA’s Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs (including local fruit and vegetable growers and low-income families and seniors) with a shared mission to ensuring that farmers throughout the United States have an expanded opportunity to sell their fresh produce directly to the public through their local farmers’ markets. In 2010, their efforts resulted in an average of $2,800 of additional income each for more than 16,000 farmers. - Animal Welfare League of Alexandria Looks like Sunday's forecast might be calling for rain. The parched ground and browning grass of Ben Brenman park will certainly rejoice if it does! And here's another reason to celebrate:
To thank our most loyal customers for coming out in the rain, the West End Farmers Market will be instituting a Rainy Day Raffle! To enter, you must go to the market and take a photo in the rain. Email the photo to info(at)westendfarmersmarket(dot)com on that day with the subject line "Rainy Day Raffle." Each photo counts as a separate entry. You may enter as many times as you want.* The winner (our Rainy Day Warrior) will be announced on the West End Farmers Market blog the next day (Monday). The Rainy Day Warrior must return to the market on the following Sunday to claim the prize - a voucher** for $10 worth of goods or services from any vendor at the West End Farmers Market. *Photos may be used for promotional purposes on the West End Farmers Market website, Facebook page, etc. **Voucher must be used on the day it is given and can only be used one time (at one vendor) - with no remaining value after its use. Voucher is not valid for cash back.  Want to know what it's like on a farm? There are a few farms in Virginia that are less than 50 miles from from the West End Farmers Market where you can stay overnight.
When asked what they love most about the West End Farmers Market, their response was "The whole atmosphere is friendly!" Also known as Neena's Boutique, they have been in business for 5 years and this is their 3rd year at the West End Farmers Market. Although most of their items are imported from India, some are sourced locally. Their most popular items are their designer shawls. At present they do not offer any eco-friendly or organic materials but according to Neena, they have big plans for it. Be sure to ask them all about it on Sunday!   Renee Clement is famous at the West End Farmers Market for creating crystal clear, exquisitely colorful images and using them to embellish gift bags, cards, decorative objects and journals. Renee has owned and operated her small business since 1995. She includes her family members, friends and pets of family members and friends as her inspiration - and as her models. Renee's note cards are perfect for birthdays, weddings, new babies, anniversaries, Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Easter. Photos capture the four seasons, flowers, beach scenes, cats, dogs, travel scenes from around the United States, military themes and monuments from around Washington, D.C.
 Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month. This year’s theme is “Rock Your Park” and we encourage you to show the country how parks make your life extraordinary! There are five weekends in July 2011. Create a healthy weekend habit by getting out to a park (like Ben Brenman, Armistead.L Booth, or Cameron Run Regional, Bren Mar, ), trail, playground (like the Tot Lot or Samuel L. Tucker), swimming pool, natural area, or other public space every weekend and have a great time! Make your personal commitment to get outdoors by signing the 5 in July Park Pledge. Do it for the glory!
So many possibilities! Here are some recipes to give you a little inspiration:  Read this NPR article on the difference between fresh, local tomatoes and ones that are shipped from Florida. You will come to the market every week after reading it!
Eden Good, our vegan cookie vendor and the West End Farmers Market are having a Blue Ribbon Canning Contest! If you love to can - Enter for a chance to showcase your favorite canning recipe! If you don't know how to can, pick up a recipe book at the Eden Good tent and try out a few then experiment and THEN ENTER the canning recipe contest.
See Eden Good's website for more information or just come by the market and see Lucy and Bonita of Eden Good show you how simple and easy canning is the modern age. Did you know that you can can in the dishwasher? Remarkable! www.edengood.org. There will be a taste of Eden - where the recipes will be tried out on August 21, 2011. Don't miss the chance to try something different and save all that luscious good fresh food for the those cold winter months. See you at the market! |
West End Farmers Market
|
RSS Feed
