Saturday, September 20, 2014

4MRMarket Report: Fall into the Fall

C&T Produce is ready for Fall.  Are you?!
(image from C&T Produce)
4MRMarket welcomes the true start of Fall this week!  The autumnal equinox on Tuesday makes it officially okay to start getting excited for things like Halloween, Thanksgiving, football, changing leaves, and, of course, hearty fall soups, braises, stews, and all things pumpkin and apple.

Pick your favorite root veggies to accompany a roast, spice up some hot apple cider, blend up a creamy spiced pumpkin soup, or just roast off a variety of squash to bring out their rich sweetness.  C&T Produce has you covered with all the fantastic fall goodies!

The Stifler's (What's For Dinner, Now) will be back on September 28, but be sure to check out all the other great vendors this weekend!

Charity Watch

Cleaning out your closets? 4MRMarket can help. We're hosting St. Rita's Annual Clothing Drive collection Sundays through October 19th!

St. Rita Church is conducting its annual clothing drive and will be collecting gently worn, clean cold weather clothing and rain gear of all sizes this week.

Look for the collection box at the 4MRMarket Tent. The clothing will be distributed on Saturday, October 25th from the St. Rita School Hall to our neighbors in Arlandria.

Also, don't forget to check out more information about the 4MR Park Community Fall Tree Planting at: www.arlandria.org

This Week on 4MR Stage...

Whitney Schneidman will be on stage this Sunday!
4MRMarket newcomer Whitney Schneidman will be on stage this Sunday from 10am-Noon!

Whitney is a former Deputy Secretary of State for African Affairs who spent extensive time travelling Africa and the world.  Check out this recent article on our intriguing neighbor.  His musical style is sure to carry African influences--honed during his time playing in Tanzanian clubs in grad school--as he entertains market-goers this Sunday!

Remember, the performance is free, but Whitney and all our musicians welcome tips and friendly applause for sharing their craft with you on a lovely Sunday morning.

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

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" - (Will be back September 28th) 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. 
  • Savory 'N Sweet (Alexandria) - Your local Bulgarian baker! Maker of Savory and Sweet Breads, Breakfast Pastries, Fruit Pies, Breadsticks, and Granola.
  • St. Elmo's Coffee Pub (Del Ray) - Brewed coffee, tea, and always a few extra goodies! 
  • Felicity's Handcrafted Soaps - (Alexandria) This specialty crafter of hand-made soaps and knitted items will be at the market every other Sunday!
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 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