Rush Hour Produce
A view of the stalls at the farmers market near the White House.
by Chrysoula Economopoulos
What more could you ask for than a quick pit stop for fresh farmers market produce on the way home from work? The aromatic scent of basil emanating from my shopping bag erased any anxiety brought on by parking lot traffic caused by Betsey Johnson live at her Georgetown store last night.
Encouraged and subsequently launched by First Lady Michelle Obama on September 17, 2009, the FreshFarm Market by the White House takes place every Thursday from 3-7pm through October 29. In step with her promotion of healthy living and eating, Mrs. Obama helped secure the necessary approvals to close off Vermont Avenue, NW, between H Street NW and I Street NW (see map). Surprisingly, the flow of traffic continued uninterrupted despite this smaller thoroughfare being closed off. At least this was the case yesterday evening, though the First Lady’s presence on opening day likely caused some kinks in the flow.
This farmers market features 19 local farmers and producers selling seasonal fresh vegetables (peppers, tomatoes and potatoes galore… and that basil mentioned earlier), meats, dairy products, flowers. There was even a sign advertising empanadas, bringing a little global action to this local feast.
Tomatoes, peppers, basil, zucchini and more.
And let’s not forget the lavender products. A woman from Welsh Gardens Lavender Farm in Warrenton, Virginia beckoned me over to test out some all-natural lavender soap. She pumped a dab of foam onto my hands and rinsed it off with water poured from a white porcelain pitcher into a matching receiving bowl, leaving my hands clean and lavender-scented.
With the fall season at hand, there are also a number of other farmers markets in metro D.C. and the broader region where you can buy fall produce and other local products.
Lavender products from Welsh Gardens Lavender Farm in Warrenton, Virginia.
WashingtonPost.com features a handy “Farmers Markets 2009” tool to help you locate the nearest market on a map. The map also allows you to browse by day of the week. For those (like me) who have the impression that farmers markets mainly take place at the crack of dawn until early afternoon on weekends only, it ain’t so. I was happily surprised to see how many markets are open any day of the week, during mornings and afternoons, as well as on weekends.
So if farmers markets are your thing, check out the one near the White House to experience some of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes offered by local farms in the heart of the city. Just three Thursdays left this season!