Farmers Market: fake or real? (buy, price, moving)

[Gottasay]

Ironically, there was a show on PBS about farmers markets. Made them look like they were God's gift to the universe. I have found some nice ones way out in WVa, however.

[CAVA1990]

I find the offerings at the one near me too repetitive and uninteresting. We have nobody offering good local cheeses, bread, or fish like you'd find in an open air European market or even in Californaia. Just pretty run of the mill truck farm offerings at high prices. I think they're a joke. I can get the same stuff probably from the same growers every day at Rorer's Produce on Route 1 and at much lower prices.

[arielmina]

you all gotta come out to western Loudoun. I LOVE the Purcellville Market and the Loudoun Valley one also in Purcellville. Tons of local meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, baked goods. Awesome. I also love the Stoneybrook Farm Organic's new farm stand in Hillsboro, great prices, great food, great people.

[cdmurphy]

Originally Posted by arielmina

you all gotta come out to western Loudoun. I LOVE the Purcellville Market and the Loudoun Valley one also in Purcellville. Tons of local meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies, baked goods. Awesome. I also love the Stoneybrook Farm Organic's new farm stand in Hillsboro, great prices, great food, great people.

Another good thing about living out here is being able to go straight to the source. We have so many great farms in Loudoun - not just fruit and veg, but meats, honey, dairy, and flowers!

[Flamingo13]

I'm disappointed in the Alex. ones - overpriced. I miss the farms stands in the country where the stuff CAME from the farmers and were reasonably priced and tasted good - I honestly think the ones around here are catering to "yuppies" who blindly think buying from a farmer's marker is good regardless of the cost and taste.

[CAVA1990]

This pretty much sums up my opinion of them:

#5 Farmers Markets « Stuff....People Like

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by cdmurphy

Another good thing about living out here is being able to go straight to the source. We have so many great farms in Loudoun - not just fruit and veg, but meats, honey, dairy, and flowers!

That's what I do--and as a bonus it's a pretty drive. When I go to a farmer's market I like the one in Herndon best.

[novatert]

I miss the Reston Farmer's market at the corner of Baron Cameron and Route 7. They used to have not just produce, but also fresh apple cider, fresh baked pies, Christmas trees, and various things. Does anybody know what happened to it? The original owners must have died or something. It changed hands several times, opened and closed, was "Gaelic Gardens" for a while.

Now there's another owner. I went there maybe a month ago, and they just had a few things. They had tomatoes, but they were trucked in from South Carolina. They aren't in season locally yet. I talked to the cashier, he said that the new owners are serious about keeping it and that they're going o be offering more over time.

The last orchard in Fairfax County was Moutoux Orchard. They've razed that in order put in more McMansions.

[ChristineVA]

The Dale City farmer's market is not bad. It's much better than it was a few years ago where I did suspect some of the vendors were bringing in distributor produce.

This year we have someone making their own varieties of goat cheese, two meat vendors that sell grass-fed beef and pork, and the vegetable sellers all have signs on what farm they are from. Tomatoes have been awesome this year. We also have one vendor that's been there for years that does peaches through September and then changes over to apples.

I can do without the kettle corn seller and the sorbet seller, but all in all it's a good mix. The baked goods seem nice but I haven't bought any. It just seems like they shouldn't be sitting out in 100 degree heat (not that they go bad but the humidity must certainly ruin the muffins.).

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

The baked goods seem nice but I haven't bought any. It just seems like they shouldn't be sitting out in 100 degree heat (not that they go bad but the humidity must certainly ruin the muffins.).

I don't know if it's the same all over but the one here has really mediocre bread. Dreadfully spongy crud made with shortening and dough conditioners (!). What is it around here that people are okay with really bad bread? Also, shouldn't the vendors have to compete for space by annually demonstrating that they're the best in quality and price? I see the same ones year after year like they've got it all locked up. This prevents newer and better ones from getting in.