4MRMarket Report: "Closed for Safety" Edition

"Don't you remember it was rain
that drowned you"

Oh we hate to do it. We wish we could be live up to that old Post Office motto. We aren't scared by a little rain. Wind is a different story. We contacted all our great vendors last night and told them that Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market will be closed this Sunday August 28th.

Please keep 4MRMarket in mind after the skies clear. Farmers, crafters, artisans and our intrepid volunteers depend on your support to keep this thing alive. Even though we're close for saftey, shutting down and losing a week still hurts.


And we'll miss seeing folks too.While hunkered down, please consider how to help keep this community enterprise alive:


BUY. Proceeds of our 4MRMarket T-shirts go to support the expansion and revitalization of 4MR Park. They cost $12 and come in 4 colors. See us model a few at next week's market or pre-pay online via Pay-Pal (send money to 4MRM@arlandria.org).


DONATE. Help 4MRMarket help 4MR Park. Tax-deductible donations can be made to support us in our efforts to revitalize Four Mile Run Park. Donate to the City's Living Landscape Fund. More information here.


ANSWER. Do you like to bike to 4MRMarket? If so, please fill out this survey from the League of American Bicyclists to help get 4MRMarket certified as an official Bike Friendly Business.


HELP. If you'd like to volunteer with the 4MRMarket, go to: volunteer.4MRMarket.org to sign up or look for the "volunteer" tab on our website. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT sales, help us keep our books, help set up or tear down for the market, or help us find musicians to play the market. You can also find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4mrm@arlandria.org for more info.




READ. Keep up to date on all the goings on by following 4MRMarket on Facebook or Twitter or via our website and blog.


SPREAD THE WORD.  Please tell folks about us. And tell folks about some of the great things we're doing. For instance, all SNAP/EBT participants can take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP. 

---

Check back with us after the storm. But plan ahead and contact any of these great folks online if you'd like to shop virtually over the weekend. Here is we hope you'll find at 4MRMarket next week:

• The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" (Shenandoah) - Natural, locally farm-raised black Angus beef, and now fresh, farm raised Pork, including bacon and andouille, chorizo, and breakfast sausage! (all flash frozen for convenience) 
• Pleitez Produce (Northern Neck) - A full range of locally grown produce, herbs, and more. 
• Bread and Chocolate (Arlandria) - A range of baked goods. 
• Herban Avenues at AHHA Ranch (Lovettsville, VA) - Herbal remedies, amazing soaps, heritage breed chicken eggs, and a variety of herbs.
• C and T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce. 
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and a few extra goodies. 
• Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese, yogurt and Pennsylvania honey.
• Chris Waters Furniture - Beautiful, rustic tables, bookshelves, and other furniture items, all handmade.
• Uncommon Knits (WV) - Handwoven linens made with 100% cotton and hand-stitched hems for your kitchen, dining room and bath. 
• Ron RLR-Designs (Herndon, VA) - Artistic photo prints to dress up any wall
• Simply Healthy Water (Vienna, VA) - Try Dennis and Eileen's homeostatic filtered water and see if it's something you want to be able to enjoy every day.
• Sweet Hearts Patisserie (Fairfax, VA) - a Northern Virginia based patisserie specializing in gourmet victorian petit fours and other miniature sized pastries. Sweet Hearts petit fours are made in a variety of delectable flavors and designs, and make the perfect gift or tea time treat.

VeloCity bike co-op will be on-site doing teaching bike maintenance and repair.  And our 4MRMarket Tent will certainly be the host to some great community group.

INOVA at Whole Foods 5% day
raising funds for Double Dollar Program.

_______________

The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.

4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 

(click here for directions)

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/

On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket

Contact us at: 4mrm@arlandria.org

Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1

4MRMarket Report: "Cool as a Cucumber" Edition

Photo from incredifood.com

We'll be continuing to gather names for our drawing this week! Bring your re-usable Buy Fresh, Buy Local bag to the market and you can enter to win $5 to spend at the market. Several winners will be selected! We have more bags to give away, so stop by the 4MRMarket tent and ask a market manager.

This week, we feature a lovely cold cucumber soup from almost all market ingredients. It's one of my personal favorite summer soups, it's healthy as it gets, and you barely have to lift a finger:

---

Cold and Creamy Cucumber Soup:
(This one is all made in the blender, so you don't have to do much prep at all)

Ingredients:
2 cups yogurt (From Tom's Amish Cheese)
1/2 cup regular or low fat sour cream (this one you have to get at the store)
Hand-full of Mint Leaves and Dill, picked off the stems (From C&T Produce, Pleitez Produce, or Herban Avenues)
1-3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (From C&T Produce or Pleitez Produce)
2-3 cucumbers, peeled and cut into big chunks (From C&T Produce or Pleitez Produce)
Salt & Pepper to taste (at least 1/2 tsp of each, but probably closer to 1 tsp)
2-3 dashes of cayenne pepper

Directions:
Throw everything in the blender and blend until more or less smooth (can be a bit chunky).  Start with 1 garlic clove because raw garlic can add a real kick.  If you like it spicy and garlicky, add the 2nd and maybe the 3rd clove. Remember to add a bit more salt if the flavor doesn't really pop in your mouth. It should be a refreshing but bright, spicy, herbaceous tasting soup. Serve by ladling into bowls and topping with a couple drops of olive oil and some chopped herbs. Add a side salad from market ingredients and some toasted, crusty bread from Bread and Chocolate and you have yourself a nice light lunch or dinner.

---

It should be another nice week at the 4MRMarket. It will be a bit cooler and cloudy in the morning, with no rain expected until later in the afternoon. Come by and take advantage of another temperate morning before the heat sets in!

Here is who you'll find at 4MRMarket this week (note: Tom's Amish Cheese and Stifler Farm are back this week):

• The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" (Shenandoah) - Natural, locally farm-raised black Angus beef, and now fresh, farm raised Pork, including bacon and andouille, chorizo, and breakfast sausage! (all flash frozen for convenience) 
• Pleitez Produce (Northern Neck) - A full range of locally grown produce, herbs, and more. 
• Bread and Chocolate (Arlandria) - A range of baked goods. 
• Herban Avenues at AHHA Ranch (Lovettsville, VA) - Herbal remedies, amazing soaps, heritage breed chicken eggs, and a variety of herbs.
• C&T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce. 
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and a few extra goodies. 
• Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese, yogurt and Pennsylvania honey.
• Chris Waters Furniture - Beautiful, rustic tables, bookshelves, and other furniture items, all handmade.
• Uncommon Knits (WV) - Handwoven linens made with 100% cotton and hand-stitched hems for your kitchen, dining room and bath. 
• Ron RLR-Designs (Herndon, VA) - Artistic photo prints to dress up any wall
• Simply Healthy Water (Vienna, VA) - Try Dennis and Eileen's homeostatic filtered water and see if it's something you want to be able to enjoy every day.
• Sweet Hearts Patisserie (Fairfax, VA) - a Northern Virginia based patisserie specializing in gourmet victorian petit fours and other miniature sized pastries. Sweet Hearts petit fours are made in a variety of delectable flavors and designs, and make the perfect gift or tea time treat.

VeloCity bike co-op will be on-site doing teaching bike maintenance and repair. In our 4MRMarket Tent come meet folks from the Dominion Green Power Program.

INOVA at Whole Foods 5% day
raising funds for Double Dollar Program.

All SNAP/EBT participants, come out and take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP. Thanks to everyone that came out to Whole Foods in Old Town on August 17th to support the Inova Hospital Foundation Double Dollar program! It was a big success and should help the market be able to continue offering double dollars for a good long while!

If you'd like to volunteer with the 4MRMarket, go to: volunteer.4MRMarket.org to sign up or look for the "volunteer" tab on our website. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT sales, help us keep our books, help set up or tear down for the market, or help us find musicians to play the market. You can also find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4mrm@arlandria.org for more info.

Do you like to bike to 4MRMarket? If so, please fill out this survey from the League of American Bicyclists to help get 4MRMarket certified as an official Bike Friendly Business.

_______________

The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.

4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 

(click here for directions)

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/

On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket

Contact us at: 4mrm@arlandria.org

Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1

Support 4MRMarket by Supporting INOVA at Whole Foods today!

5% Day for Inova

Join us for a 5% day benefiting Inova's Matching Double Dollar Program. Inova's Double Dollar Program matches the first $10 of purchases made with food stamps or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market in Arlandria.

Our thanks to Whole Foods Market Old Town for supporting the INOVA Health System's program to help SNAP recipients purchase fresh, local foods at 4MRMarket as the today (August 17). Shop today and 5% goes to the program. Stop by and visit us at the store from 5 to 7PM. 4MRMarket is proud to partner with INOVA to be the first in North Viriginia to implement the program. (See more here).

4MRMarket Report: "National Farmers Market Week" Edition

Starting this week, to celebrate National Farmers Market Week, bring your re-usable Buy Fresh, Buy Local bag to the market and you can enter to win $5 to spend at the market. Several winners will be selected! We have more bags to give away, so stop by the 4MRMarket tent and ask a market manager.

It should be a bit cooler tomorrow, so come by and take advantage of one of the few temperate days thus far this summer. As always, we will have a wide selection of fresh, National Farmers Market Week ready fruits, veg, meats, and cheeses.  Not to mention all the great artisan-made products available this week. There's always a surprised craft vendor or two that comes in, as well, so come check out all the great products!

Here is who you'll find at 4MRMarket this week:

• The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" (Shenandoah) - Natural, locally farm-raised black Angus beef, and now fresh, farm raised Pork, including bacon and andouille, chorizo, and breakfast sausage! (all flash frozen for convenience) 
• Pleitez Produce (Northern Neck) - A full range of locally grown produce, herbs, and more. 
• Bread and Chocolate (Arlandria) - A range of baked goods. 
• Herban Avenues at AHHA Ranch (Lovettsville, VA) - Herbal remedies, amazing soaps, heritage breed chicken eggs, and a variety of herbs.
• C&T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce. 
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and a few extra goodies. 
• Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese, yogurt and Pennsylvania honey.
• Chris Waters Furniture - Beautiful, rustic tables, bookshelves, and other furniture items, all handmade.
• Uncommon Knits (WV) - Handwoven linens made with 100% cotton and hand-stitched hems for your kitchen, dining room and bath. 
• Ron RLR-Designs (Herndon, VA) - Artistic photo prints to dress up any wall
• Simply Healthy Water (Vienna, VA) - Try Dennis and Eileen's homeostatic filtered water and see if it's something you want to be able to enjoy every day.
• Sweet Hearts Patisserie (Fairfax, VA) - a Northern Virginia based patisserie specializing in gourmet victorian petit fours and other miniature sized pastries. Sweet Hearts petit fours are made in a variety of delectable flavors and designs, and make the perfect gift or tea time treat.

VeloCity bike co-op will be on-site doing teaching bike maintenance and repair. In our 4MRMarket Tent come meet folks from the Dominion Green Power Program.

If you're a SNAP/EBT participant, remember to come out and take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP. And check out Whole Foods Market on Duke Street in Old Town on August 17th when 5% of store sales will go to the Inova Hospital Foundation to support the Double Dollar program.

If you'd like to volunteer with the 4MRMarket, we have set up a new on-line way to sign-up. Go to: volunteer.4MRMarket.org to sign up or look for the "volunteer" tab on our website. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT sales, help us keep our books, help set up or tear down for the market, or help us find musicians to play the market. You can also find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4mrm@arlandria.org for more info.

Do you like to bike to 4MRMarket? If so, please fill out this survey from the League of American Bicyclists to help get 4MRMarket certified as an official Bike Friendly Business.

_______________

The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.

4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 

(click here for directions)

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/

On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket

Contact us at: 4mrm@arlandria.org

Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1

4MRMarket Report: "Being Crafty" Edition

Our hand model volunteers demo jewelry

they've collected this year at 4MRMarket.

You've probably noticed, but in addition to the fine produce and food products that we feature in our reports most weeks, 4MRMarket is also a hotbed of talented and enterprising artisans --a small business incubator for the up and coming art entrepreneur. 4MRMarket has hosted more than a half dozen different artisans this year, with a variety of crafts represented. Depending on the week, you can get items as diverse as jewelry, furniture, placemats, photos and kids clothing. For example, this weekend, you can get hand woven placemats, napkins, dish towels, et cetera at Uncommon Knits. Or hand made jewelry designed by Andrea D'Ambrosia.  Craftsman-made wood tables and furniture made by Chris Waters should be there, as well as the beautiful photography of Ron-RLR Designs. But we always expect a few surprises, so please stop by.

Congratulations to our raffle winner, Amanda Shapiro, who picked up $100 to spend at the farmers market and create her own ideal 4MRMarket bag! Several other winners have been selected to receive a free Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market t-shirt as well. We've contacted winners already, so if you haven't heard from us, prepare for the next great promotion! All you have to do is come out and shop at 4MRMarket as so many of you do every week, anyway! Thanks for your support!

Starting next week, bring your re-usable Buy Fresh, Buy Local bag to the market and you can enter to win $5 to spend at the market. Several winners will be selected! We have more bags to give away, so stop by the 4MRMarket tent and ask a market manager.

Remember to catch us early to beat the heat!  We're open at 8am, before the summer sun cranks up. Check out the photo of the deep red watermelon and try to pretend you don't want a bite! They're delicious, and in season with so many other great produce items right now!

Here is who you'll find at 4MRMarket this week:

• The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" (Shenandoah) - Natural, locally farm-raised black Angus beef, and now fresh, farm raised Pork, including bacon and andouille, chorizo, and breakfast sausage! (all flash frozen for convenience) 
• Pleitez Produce (Northern Neck) - A full range of locally grown produce, herbs, and more. 
• Bread and Chocolate (Arlandria) - A range of baked goods. 
• Herban Avenues at AHHA Ranch (Lovettsville, VA) - Herbal remedies, amazing soaps, heritage breed chicken eggs, and a variety of herbs.
• C&T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce. 
• St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and a few extra goodies. 
• Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese, yogurt and Pennsylvania honey.
• Chris Waters Furniture - Beautiful, rustic tables, bookshelves, and other furniture items, all handmade.
• Uncommon Knits (WV) - Handwoven linens made with 100% cotton and hand-stitched hems for your kitchen, dining room and bath. 
• Ron RLR-Designs (Herndon, VA) - Artistic photo prints to dress up any wall
• Simply Healthy Water (Vienna, VA) - Try Dennis and Eileen's homeostatic filtered water and see if it's something you want to be able to enjoy every day.
• Sweet Hearts Patisserie (Fairfax, VA) - a Northern Virginia based patisserie specializing in gourmet victorian petit fours and other miniature sized pastries. Sweet Hearts petit fours are made in a variety of delectable flavors and designs, and make the perfect gift or tea time treat.

VeloCity bike co-op will be on-site doing teaching bike maintenance and repair.  In our 4MRMarket Tent come meet folks from the Dominion Green Power Program.

If you're a SNAP/EBT participant, remember to come out and take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program that doubles the first $10 SNAP participants spend at the market. 4MRMarket is the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia (and still the only) to accept SNAP. And check out Whole Foods Market on Duke Street in Old Town on August 17th when 5% of store sales will go to the Inova Hospital Foundation to support the Double Dollar program.

If you'd like to volunteer with the 4MRMarket, we have set up a new on-line way to sign-up. Go to: volunteer.4MRMarket.org to sign up or look for the "volunteer" tab on our website. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT sales, help us keep our books, help set up or tear down for the market, or help us find musicians to play the market. You can also find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4mrm@arlandria.org for more info.

Do you like to bike to 4MRMarket? If so, please fill out this survey from the League of American Bicyclists to help get 4MRMarket certified as an official Bike Friendly Business.

_______________

The Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market (Alexandria, Virginia 22305) brings fresh, nutritious food to people of all income levels, provide an opportunity for local artisans and producers of goods to bring their wares to market, strive to reflect the diversity of the community, and improve the quality of life for Arlandria residents and visitors. It is part of an overall vision to expand and improve Four Mile Run park and the surrounding neighborhood.

4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 8am until 1pm from May through October in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 

(click here for directions)

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/

On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket

Contact us at: 4mrm@arlandria.org

Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1

Are new bus shelters coming to Arlandria?

A prototype of what new Alexandria bus
shelters might look like. But where will it go?

How many bus shelters are there in Arlandria?


That was a concern expressed by folks who participated in the planning process that resulted in the 2003 Arlandria Plan. Because there is only 1 along Mt Vernon Avenue between West Glebe and South Glebe. The lonely (and somewhat sad) bus shelter does not make for much of a transit corridor in our heavily used transit neighborhood.

As we've noted before on The Arlandrian (Is this a good place for a bus shelter?), new bus shelters have appeared nearby, but not any that are often frequented (though there are some reports to the contrary). And some upgrades of existing shelters have brought solar power lighting to bus stops.  But, by and large, pending redevelopment of some the "opportunity sites" identified by the City in the Arlandria Plan, new bus shelters aren't possible at existing bus stops until the City is granted easements or land to put them on.

Have you used this bus stop? Anyone?

Still, there are steps in the right direction. It was (gasp) two years ago, that we suggested that Alexandria follow the lead of other nearby communities and consider shelters that provide schedule and route information as well as a place to stay out of the rain and sun.

So it is with great pleasure that we read today that:

The City's Office of Transit Services improves several bus stops during the year. Facilities that are provided at transit stops help make transit more comfortable and convenient to customers, thereby encouraging usage. These improvements can include:

• Concrete Loading Pads / Accessible Bus Stops

• Bus Route / Other Transit Information

• Benches

• Bus Shelters

To decide where and when the new amenities will be provided, analysis of ridership data performed for each bus stop during 2010 and 2011 with priorities being set based on a variety of criteria. (See this Metrobus shelter replacement location map).

The City of Alexandria's Office of Transit Services will be providing information about the City’s new bus shelter design shelter replacement projects at two upcoming informational meetings:

• Wednesday, August 10, 2011 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
  George Washington Middle School (Media Center) – 1005 Mount Vernon Ave Alexandria, VA 22301
• Thursday, August 11, 2011 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
  Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library (Large Meeting Room) - 5005 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22304

City staff will be available to talk about the design and answer any questions. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments on the new bus shelter design during both open house sessions.  Check the City website for more information on the Bus Stop Accessibility & Amenities Program.


Catch a bus to the presentations if you can.