The Arlandrian: 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.

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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.