Crazy storm last night. We know many Westover residents are still without power. Some of our vendors also are recovering. But we intend to go ahead with the market tomorrow and will look forward to seeing you there!

Many market patrons have asked whether any of the current vendors at the Westover Farmers Market are organic producers. To the best of our knowledge, no. Organic producers are a special subset of the local field to table movement. The term refers more to the techniques organic farmers have adopted to live more gently on the land by using crop rotation, regular addition of organic materials to the soil, and minimal use of chemical fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides on crops. To be certified as an organic producer takes a great deal of time and money–a daunting task for many smaller, local growers. We are looking for a local organic fruit and vegetable producer to add to our farmers market. If you know of such a vendor in the area who might be interested, please contact us with your suggestion.

Even if the market’s current vendors are not certified organic producers, many do follow a number of the practices of organic farming. If you are concerned about pesticides, for example, ask them which current vegetables from their farms or fruit from their orchards are pesticide free. Pesticide and fungicide use varies widely from crop to crop, so it’s worth inquiring!

It’s going to be a hot but beautiful day tomorrow. Thinking of grilling? Smith Family Farm will have lots of great steaks, pork chops, and other grillers. Ole Pioneer Kitchen will be bringing brats (never any preservatives, colorants, fillers or added fat). To keep the green on the plate, Lois’s Produce will be debuting their zucchini, squash, shelled English peas and more. Big Riggs Farm will be bringing all kinds of greens, strawberries, baby potatoes and much more. Want to show some love for the chef in your life? Greenstone Fields will have snapdragons, campanula, sweet peas, poppies and lilies by the stem or in beautiful bouquets. We’ll see you tomorrow!

Our first market last Sunday was a great success. Everyone with whom we spoke—customers, vendors, local merchants—had good things to say. It was outstanding to see many families, neighbors and friends hanging out, chatting, sampling some of their recently-purchased food. This validated our vision of a neighborhood-friendly enterprise that would serve as an additional focal point for the community. Even better that many of you walked to the market, which lowers our carbon footprint and preserves parking spaces for people who patron the Westover shops.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t improvements we can and will make to the market. Many of you made suggestions through our contact form and on Facebook, and directly to market staff and volunteers last week. We greatly appreciate this feedback and will be working over the next several markets to implement some of these ideas. You’ll notice some of these changes immediately, such as trash and recycling bins. Others will take some weeks.

Many people also asked about whether dogs are able to visit the market. As much as we strive to be all-inclusive (and we love dogs, too), unfortunately health regulations require that pets not be allowed in the market area. If you decide to bring your dog to the market, please secure it outside the market perimeter while you conduct your shopping.

Finally, farmers markets provide a unique opportunity for producers and consumers to meet and forge bonds – to expand the boundaries of our community. We hope that you’ll get to know our great vendors over the course of this and future market seasons. See you again on Sunday!

Wow. Just wow. What an amazing first day for Westover Farmers Market. We are so excited by the community response. The first day exceeded all of our wildest imaginations. We had 14 vendors selling all manner of delectables–so quickly that many vendors had exhausted their supplies by 10 AM. They promise to bring more next week. Many volunteers came out to help make the first day a success. And we also heard great support from Westover merchants, and certainly appreciate their patience as we iron out the wrinkles. And, of course, there was an unbelievable number of patrons. How many, you wonder? Well, we’re not quite sure, but we exhausted our supply of 1000 market info flyers by 11 AM. Thanks to everyone for such a great day. The only thing that can make it better is to see you all again next Sunday. Check back soon for updates – we’ll start to profile our vendors, provide updates on what you can expect at the market each week, and keep you current with all the latest WFM news.

Yes, the day is nearly upon us – Westover Farmers Market will open next Sunday, May 6.  We’re excited, the vendors are excited and we really hope you’re excited to come get some great local produce. As we gear up for the first market, a few important items to note:

1) We’ll be holding a meeting for interested volunteers this Tuesday, May 1, at 7:30 PM in the meeting room at the Westover Library. We’re an all-volunteer organization, so community support is much appreciated.

2) There is plenty of parking in Westover, but we strongly encourage market visitors to take public transportation, walk or bike. Parking for the market is available in two parking lots (the one behind the Reed School, and the one along 18th St. North of McKinley), and on the street along Washington Blvd., N. 18th Street, and Lexington St. between 18th and 19th. Parking in the lot behind the Westover Shopping Center is reserved for patrons of those shops.

3) For now, until we have an arrangement with the Arlington County School Board for the use of the Reed School property, the market will be held in McKinley Rd.  The northbound lane of McKinley Rd. from Washington Blvd. to the driveway for the Westover Shopping Center to allow access to that lot for shop patrons, but the south bound lane of McKinley will be closed at Longfellow St. There will be no street parking on McKinley in either lane beginning at 6:30 AM on Sundays. There will be signage for Westover Farmers Market parking, but please keep the street closure in mind when planning your visit to the market.

Our roster of vendors is now up to 13 with the addition of Bigg Riggs Farm, Michael Musachio, and BorekG. We’re also pleased to announce the sponsorship of Jane Jensen, a North Arlington realtor. Find out more about Jane and our other sponsors, and if you’re interested in sponsoring the market, please contact us.

After many months of working with County staff and after recent discussions with many Westover merchants and area civic associations, the Westover Farmers Market received its use permit from the Arlington County Board on Saturday. (Check out their press release.)  This is an important vote of political support, and we greatly appreciate the support from all parties involved. In describing the unanimous sentiment of the County Board, chair Mary Hynes said: “Residents of the four civic associations near Reed-Westover told us how much they value the local merchants and how interested they are in hosting a new farmer’s market. Our action today will result in an even more lively place that benefits local businesses and offers North Arlington easy access to fresh, healthy local food.”

In coming days we’ll announce more vendors, more information about the market, and a call for volunteers. Check back soon!

Four more excellent vendors have signed up for the inaugural season of Westover Farmers Market: Ole Pioneer Kitchen, Smith Family Farm, Fertile Plains Meats, and Gypsy Hill Foods. The market will feature a full range of vendors to bring you the freshest products from local farms and small food businesses. Check out our vendor page for more info.

Interested in volunteering at the market? Contact us! We’ll gather all interested parties soon to discuss how you can help.

Two more vendors have committed to the 2012 season for the Westover Farmers Market – welcome to Atwater’s and Lois’s Produce! Visit our vendors page for more information on these two and the other vendors who will be selling at the Market.

Ever wonder how much farmers markets and eating locally help the area economy? Research by Virginia Cooperative Extension has shown that if each household in Virginia spent just $10 a week on locally grown agricultural products, consumers would invest an additional $1.65 billion back into the local economy each year. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has initiated a $10 Buy Local Challenge for 2012 to highlight the importance of supporting farms in the area.  Please do your part by shopping at farmers markets as well as at other local small businesses.