Saturday, May 20, 2017

4MRMarket Report: Farm. Fresh. PLEDGE!

The Four Mile Run Farmers & Artisans Market (4MRMarket) will re-open April 23rd & every Sunday from 9am until 1pm this Spring in Four Mile Run Park at 4109 Mt Vernon Avenue, Alexandria.  (click here for directions)

Some 4MRMarket-goers got to see a sneak preview of our most recent promotion last Sunday: 4MRMarket is participating in the statewide "Farm. Fresh. PLEDGE!" promotion. 



Pick up a "Farm. Fresh. PLEDGE!" at several locations around the market and for each $10 spent at 4MRMarket, we'll be checking it off (or punching it out) on your card. Once filled, the card will be submitted for a statewide drawing each month, as well as being eligible for a local prize. The first drawing isn't until the end of June, so we get to give everyone a head start!

Also, come check out what we have in store at the 4MRMarket tent. In celebration of Bike to Work Day, we still have some Capital Bikeshare membership discount and trial coupons, great to try out in this Spring weather!

Come to the 4MRMarket tent to inquire about CaBi!


Weekly Concert Series Returns

Since its inception, 4MRMarket has hosted music as often as possible. This season marks another year where the 4MR Stage will be home a weekly concert series featuring local artists that volunteer their time to bring you a little kick-start to your Sunday! Nearly every week, there will be an artist on stage from 10am to noon. They graciously accept tips and friendly applause, so please help support music at the market from these volunteer musicians!

On 4MR Stage, ~10am - Noon


4MRMarket veteran Jong Lee this Sunday from 10am-noon!

Jong runs Jive Sound, a bass guitar shop on the Avenue in Arlandria, and his performances earlier this year were so much fun!
Remember, the concert is free, but Jong and all our performers 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!



What's Been Happening

4MRMarket alums Bagel Uprising and Number 1 Sons teamed up to form a pop-up shop at Del Ray's Dairy Godmother while she was away on her winter break.

Check out more about Salt | Bagel in this Washingtonian article: A Bagel and Pickle Pop-Up Shop Is Coming to Del Ray



Kremena from Savory 'n Sweet taught a pastry class. She talked to readers of DIY Del Ray readers about techniques for mastering dough (and fillings) for sweet and savory pastry. Read all about it here: Recap: Kremena’s Sweet ‘n Savory Pastry Class

Backyard gardeners, She Peppers, have turned the peppers and herbs that we grow into delicious and unique spice blends and hot sauces. She Peppers also sells a variety of spices, gourmet salts, as well as seeds and seedlings of the various types of peppers and herbs for patrons. They specialize in hard to find peppers such as Carolina Reapers, Scorpion peppers, Ghost peppers, Shishitos, Padron, Thai peppers, and Scotch Bonnets to name a few. Find them in more and more local stores.

Rebecca from Second Rising Bakery continues to see Saturdays at Eastern Market and to mentor fellow bakers through Together We Bake. Once Rebecca's new business is up and running, it will help provide women that have been victimized by the sex trade a second chance.

If you're missing the musicians from the 4MR Stage, check out our playlist on Spotify to hear many of their recordings. Or find more info about them on their Reverbnation pages:
Dan Barry
Back Alley Blues Boys
Matt Buchanan
Matt Tarka
Janna Audey
Joseph Keith
Libby Wiebel
Lindsay Collette
Ella Sophia
Gillian Thompson Project
The Scrub Pines
Wytold

                      Ongoing

                      We're not just a Farmers Market. We're a cause!! We started a non-profit to improve Four Mile Run Park & Stream. Help us!

                      Founded to support the revitalization and expansion of Four Mile Run Park, 4MRMarket has worked with various community partners to create a venue that is inviting, clean and a resource for the diverse neighborhood of Arlandria.

                      Last year, we funded the formation of the Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation and this new non-profit is already holding grant-supported park improvement events like the recent planting of 2 dozen new trees. Recently we met some of the neighbors and hope to have folks help us learn more about our wild friends living in the park!

                      And we're still looking for help to make park and environmental improvements. As we continue working to plant trees and remove invasive plants, this year we also aim to reduce litter throughout lower Four Mile Run with "Clean Stream Extreme"!! We were just grant funding to couple with the many generous donations received to  equip volunteers with tools for stream clean-ups and install recycling bins & litter traps to make that less necessary.

                      AND this just in: In recognition of its innovative and effective approach to community engagement and volunteer coordination, Four Mile Run Park has been named a “Frontline Park,” a nationwide competition sponsored each year by City Parks Alliance. Read more about that here

                      Check out the Four Mile Run Conservatory webpage at: www.FourMileRun.org.


                      Have you met the neighbors?

                      We've all helped bring about a lot of improvement to Four Mile Run Park through fund-raising and plain, old hard work. We've helped raise funds for a variety of other non-profits and helped folks of all walks of life Buy Fresh, Buy Local.

                      As a 100% neighborhood volunteer run market, we are proud that 4MRMarket serves as an incubator for small start-up businesses, a space for non-profits to promote their causes, and a community gathering place for live music, fellowship, and quality food and craft options.

                      Check back next week to see what's happening on Sundays this Spring! And see below all the ways to help and follow the links to find our market vendors during the break!!


                      Food Vendors
                      • Bigg Rigg Farm (Hampshire County, WV) - Some fruits & vegetables come from as far away as Mexico and even China, With Bigg Riggs, you can be guaranteed that what you're eating is grown nearby in and hand pick high in the mountains. A fifth-generation family farm. 
                      • Montoya's Farm (King George, VA) - Northern Neck farmers specializing in Latin ingredients and many varieties of popular produce. 
                      • Savory 'N Sweet (Alexandria) - Your local Bulgarian baker! Maker of Savory and Sweet Breads, Breakfast Pastries, Fruit Pies, Breadsticks, and Granola. 
                      • She Peppers (Alexandria) - Backyard gardeners who have turned the peppers and herbs that we grow into delicious and unique spice blends and hot sauces. She Peppers also sells a variety of spices, gourmet salts, as well as seeds and seedlings of the various types of peppers and herbs for patrons. They specialize in hard to find peppers such as Carolina Reapers, Scorpion peppers, Ghost peppers, Shishitos, Padron, Thai peppers, and Scotch Bonnets to name a few. 
                      • Whole Health (Alexandria) - Organic teas, potpourris, and body scrubs from one of the largest Message and Acupuncture Therapy businesses in Northern Virginia. 
                      • Bagel Uprising (Del Ray) - Are you ready to rebel against dry, stale, flavorless bagels? Look no further! Bagel Uprising offers authentic handmade bagels—boiled and baked in small batches—that will satisfy your craving for the real thing. Bagel sales begin at 10am!! 
                      • Captain Xans (Alexandria and Bristol Bay, AK) - Wild caught Alaskan salmon straight from the nets to your table from "the most sustainable fishery on earth!" Flash frozen and never thawed for firmness and taste 
                      • Switch Doctor (Alexandria) - Their switchel is crafted from the traditional hay maker's recipe of ginger, apple cider vinegar and pure Vermont maple syrup. They add other natural ingredients like green tea, turmeric and fresh squeezed lemon juice! 
                      • Tom's Amish Cheese Store (Lancaster, PA) - Artisan Cheese, yogurt and Pennsylvania honey. 
                      • Just a Bite (Annandale, VA) - Offering delicious, bit-sized treats such as alfajores, cuñapés, marshmallow rice puffs and sugar cookies. 
                      • Second Rising Bakery (Alexandria) - Rebecca bakes delicious breads and cookies that are egg free and made with real butter, honey, and whole grains. Once this new business is up and running, it will help provide women that have been victimized by the sex trade a second chance. 
                      • No. 1 Sons (Arlandria) - Produces wild cultured foods by hand in Alexandria. This brother and sister team live in Arlandria and do not heat treat or use preservatives. They make pickles, sauerkraut, dilly beans, kim chi, beets, hot sauce and more that is "Proudly Cloudy". 
                      • Cookie Couture (Alexandria, VA) - Cookie Couture specializes in styling a variety of delicious gourmet cookie offerings. Their passion for creating delectable cookies to tempt your taste buds and satisfy your sweet tooth is at the heart of Cookie Couture. 
                      • Dream of Goodies (Sterling, VA) - Once upon a time we had a dream of being able to eat goodies that are not only healthy for you but so yummy you almost couldn't believe it. All of our goodies contain sustainable, pasture-raised, non-GMO ingredients and we always strive to source local, organic ingredients whenever possible. We've dreamed up the very best tasting goodies for you to enjoy! 
                      • Just a Bite (Annandale, VA) - Just A Bite likes to emphasize the humble snack, the one that speaks for itself upon first taste, knowing all too well that even then a nibble or two just won’t do. 
                      • Role Tea (Springfield, VA ) - Good for you drinks don't have to taste bad. Every bottle of Role Tea includes 400mg of either turmeric or cinnamon extract to help you fight inflammation without compromising taste. With a better for you beverage that tastes THIS good, there really is no reason to drink regular teas, juices or soda.
                      • Mechelle's Baking Company (Fredericksburg, VA) - A family-owned small business specializing in baking amazing, homemade pies with your sweetest indulgences in mind. Their delicious line of signature desserts includes sweet potato pie, apple pie, pecan pie, & blackberry pie to melt over. 
                      • Dmitri Olive Oil (Baltimore, MD) - A family that grows and harvests their own unfiltered first cold press extra-virgin olive oil and prepares oils infused with garlic, lemon & chili, as well as 10 different marinades.
                      Mechelle's Baking Company has a variety of pie!


                      And the talented Crafters:
                      • Athena Styles (Alexandria, VA) - A trendsetting Online Fashion Designer Shop, offering first-rate products and exceptional customer service to shoppers from the comfort of their own homes; a business made up of innovators and forward-thinkers, with the drive and wherewithal to constantly update and improve. 
                      • Raynes Natural Beauty, LLC (Alexandria, VA) - Founded in a Alexandria loft in 2016 , Raynes Natural Beauty is an organic beauty product firm focused on providing healthy skin care, candles plus bath and body products. Completely free of all harmful toxins, Raynes Natural Beauty is a healthy and pure line of nourishing personal care items made only with the highest quality ingredients. 100% natural and 100% cruelty-free, all products are completely, 100% free of artificial colors, synthetic chemical preservatives and all other toxins. 
                      • C&A Soy Candles (Alexandria, VA) - Specializes in all natural, hand poured soy woodwick candles. Custom orders welcome! 
                      • Whitney's World in Kenya (Fairfax, VA) - Offering a collection of fair trade handmade woven baskets & jewelry from Kenyan families. Occasional Vendor. 
                      • Nurture Designs (Alexandria) - Local jewelry artisan
                      • Jimmy Potter's Studio & Workshop (Fairfax, VA) -  A locally owned ceramics studio, creating handmade and functional ceramics for everyday use.
                      • Beyond Woodwork - Offers an amazing selection of collapsible baskets. Each item is beautifully and intricately hand carved.
                      Sundays at 4MRMarket:
                      Jimmy Potters Studio is a locally owned ceramics studio in
                      Fairfax, VA creating handmade and
                      functional ceramics for everyday use.

                      ____________________________________

                      More ways to support 4MRMarket:


                      The supercool 4MRMarket t-shirt
                      will soon be even cooler.
                      Stay tuned.
                      BUY. Proceeds of our 4MRMarket T-shirts go to support Four Mile Run Park improvements with our partner the Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation. Shirts are currently out of stock. We'll be trying a new ordering system soon.

                      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 our partner the Four Mile Run Conservatory Foundation to fund tree plantings, clean-ups, water stations and other amenities at 4MRExpand or throughout the park

                      VOLUNTEER. We love help with set-up and tear-down and/or helping folks shop using SNAP or Credit/Debit cards. Just find a Market Manager to ask to help, or email us at 4MRMarket@arlandria.org for more info.

                      FOLLOW. Keep up to date on all the goings on by following 4MRMarket on FacebookTwitterInstagramGoogle+Email 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 participants can take advantage of the Inova-sponsored "Double Dollar" program again this year that doubles the first $20 SNAP participants spend. An extra $20!! 4MRMarket is proud to have been the first farmers’ market in Northern Virginia to accept SNAP. 
                      __________________________________

                      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.

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