Saturday, August 16, 2014

4MRMarket Report: Keep on (Food) Truckin'

Doug the Food Dude at 4MRMarket
Doug the Food Dude will be back this weekend at the market with his selection of breakfast and lunch options that many of you already know and love! Come out and enjoy a tasty breakfast burrito or lobster roll...brunch is served at 4MRMarket, Sunday from 9am-1pm!!

August usually brings dismal conditions in DC and Alexandria, but not this year! The weather will be FINE again during 4MRMarket tomorrow, with low humidity and temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s. The conditions should be great to check out our latest artist on 4MR Stage between 10am and noon: Matt Buchanan is a newcomer who plays folk, rock, alternative and blues!

This Week on 4MR Stage...

Matt Buchanan will be on 4MR Stage
Matt Buchanan will be on 4MR Stage from 10am-Noon this Sunday! This is his first time playing 4MRMarket, so give him a great reception.  He plays folk, rock, alternative, and blues, and you may have seen him playing at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub in the past.

Our musicians volunteer their time on Sunday mornings to make yours even brighter! They graciously accept tips and friendly applause, so please help support music at the market!

Frolic with your Dogs
Frolick Dogs is a new business start-up this year and they have gotten some great press. Frolick has been out to the market a couple of times providing free trial passes, examples of their dog play equipment.They'll be back this weekend fresh off coverage from the Washington Post, Fox5, and NBC4, among others!  Bring your pup down to 4MRMarket Sunday and see what all the fuss is about!
 

Composting at 4MRMarket

Bring your (non-animal) food scraps to 4MRMarket in any type of container you choose, or purchase one on-site for a very low fee.
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4MRMarket Vendors 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--plus Uncle Frank's Grilling Sauce!!
  • Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese and yogurt, farm-fresh eggs, and Pennsylvania honey.
  • St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and always a few extra goodies!
  • Sweet 'N Savory (Alexandria) - Your local Bulgarian baker! Maker of Savory and Sweet Breads, Breakfast Pastries, Fruit Pies, Breadsticks, and Granola.
  • Caffeine. - Serving freshly roasted coffee from various sources (Rwandan and Honduran this week) at their pour over brew bar!
  • Frolick Dogs (Alexandria) - Chat with dog whisperer Kevin Gilliam, see Cinco Swim demo their new dog gym equipment, and get passes to try out their brand new dog gym!


4MRMarket News:

Did you catch the article about 4MRMarket on page 8 of a recent Alexandria Times? Also check out the front page of this recent edition!!


Well, the cat's out of the bag: our business is other people's businesses...promoting them!

And as promised, there is  now a way that you can help 4MRMarket raise funds for Four Mile Run Park!! We have partnered with the City of Alexandria and CitizInvestor to provide a way to directly contribute to 4MR Park. Please help us build on the $2,000 that we've already raised to plant more trees in Four Mile Run park by contributing whatever you can, big or small.

All donated funds go toward the purchase of new trees (or the water to make them grow)! Each tree requires approximately $380 (an estimated $100 for the 1.5" caliper tree itself, $30 per watering bag & $12.50 for watering 20 times per year for two years (if no other access is possible watering services will be utilized).

Contribute at: http://www.citizinvestor.com/project/4mr-park-fall-tree-planting

See the brief video about the project:




Also click on over to the Wells Fargo Works Project and see the 4MRMarket submission to win a grant to help us help more start-up businesses get a leg-hold in the the competitive market place!

And stay tuned for more news!!

See below all the ways to help and participate in the market!
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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, come talk to us any Sunday. You'll be able to volunteer to help process SNAP/EBT and Credit / Debit Card 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 FacebookTwitterGoogle+ 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.
4MRMarket is open every Sunday from 9am until 1pm from April 27th until November in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria. 
(click here for directions)

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.

For more info see: http://www.4mrmarket.org/
On Facebook: facebook.com/4MRMarket
On Twitter: @4MRMarket
Contact us at: 4MRMarket@arlandria.org
Or call the 4MRMarket hotline: (804) 4mi-Run1