The Arlandrian: 4MRMarket Report: "The Music is Live!" Edition

Load up on veggies this weekend!
Photo by Catherine Kane of Arlandria

Plants may or may not grow better with music, but you can be sure that your veggies will taste even fresher and more delicious when you buy them while listening to some!

4MRMarket is the only farmers market in town where you have a stage filled with local talent week in and week out. We send our thanks to birthday boy Bill Rogers of St. Elmo's and the Birchmere who books all of our musical acts! (If you know Bill, be sure to wish him a happy birthday this week!)

This Sunday you can find a duo of talented musicians on the 4MRMarket Stage in an all in-the-family act known as Bro-Bro. As their name implies, Bro-Bro is a collaboration of brothers who love music and performing. They enjoy all kinds of music and provide an acoustical set perfectly suited for a variety of visitors in an outdoor venue such as the 4MRMarket. They enjoy connecting with audiences of all ages and are particularly gratified when inspiring others who may wish to take up an instrument or sing!

Bro-Bro will be brightening up the
4MRMarket Stage from 10-noon

Bro-Bro will take the stage from about 10 to noon, as has become the norm with our nearly weekly musical acts.

Please the 4MRMarket FaceBook event page for more information about the show!

The Buy Fresh, Buy Local and Win campaign continues this weekend at 4MRMarket!! Remember to bring your “Farm. Fresh. Pledge.” punch card if you already have one. Or, if you didn't get started yet, just ask for one at 4MRMarket and earn one punch for each $10 you spend on Virginia Grown products.

Collect all 14 punches for a chance to win a Virginia Grown® / Virginia’s Finest® gift basket valued at $250. (See the official rules for more details).

You can fill up your bags with a great selection of produce, meat, cheese, teas, health and beauty products, and more.

Here is what's at 4MRMarket this week:

C &T Produce (White Oak, VA) - A huge selection of locally grown produce from a locally, family-run farm in Stafford, Virginia.
The Stifler Farm aka "What's For Dinner Now" - Farm-raised Black Angus beef, humanely raised on lush pasture fields of the Shenandoah Valley, naturally farmed pork...and now... Uncle Frank's Grilling Sauce!!
Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese and yogurt, farm-fresh eggs, and Pennsylvania honey.
Fluffed Up Desserts - (Alexandria) - Gourmet Marshmallow treats and macarons. Also enjoy a breakfast s'more at this weekend's market.
Whole Health Medical (Alexandria) - Organic teas and body scrubs from one of the largest Message and Acupuncture Therapy businesses in Northern Virginia (approved by the Alexandria Health Department).
St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and always a few extra goodies!

Here is our list of craft and beauty product vendors for this Sunday!

Old Town Suds - (Alexandria) This maker of eco-friendly soaps, cleaning supplies, bath bombs, and more! Old Town Suds started because Steffanie was allergic to most commercial soaps on the market; then she became really sick and wondered if her health was being made worse by everyday chemicals. Their decadent soaps & nose-pleasing cleaning products are tough on dirt but easy on humans, pets, and the Earth. Look for Port City Beer soap & Legend (Richmond, VA) Beer soap plus the Cup of Joe soap that looks like a latte!
Charlette Marie Beauty (Centreville, VA) - A naturally effective, eco-friendly, line of handmade bath and body skin care goodies. Her products are made with bio-dynamic, natural botanical active ingredients.

Crafts available on a rotating basis.

See below all the ways to help and participate in the market!

The supercool 4MRMarket t-shirt

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 the market. You can pre-pay online via Pay-Pal (send money to 4MRM@arlandria.org).

DONATE. Help 4MRMarket help 4MRPark. 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 to fund tree and other amenities at 4MRExpand More information here.

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 4MRMarket@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 again this year 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 C&T Produce now accepts SFMNP vouchers!

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Buy Fresh Buy Local 4MRMarket products.

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 April 14th until November in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria.

(click here for directions)