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Photos © Vicky Moon
To Market, to Market for Outdoor Shopping
Flowers at the Farmers Market
By Anita L. Sherman
she said. “I went through twice.”
oung plants for the garden. A home-made pie. Elderberry syrup to boost health and spirits. A new bar of lavender or cedar wood soap. Fresh greens for a spring salad. Eggs from free range chickens. Beef and poultry from well-tended farms.
“They were counting the cars so I told her she only had to count me once,” said a jovial Sylvia McDevitt, director of membership with the Fauquier Chamber and an avid market fan. “The volunteers were amazing and in excellent form and spirit…truly community spirit at its very best.”
Sounds like finds from local markets that normally make their appearance alongside blooming spring flowers.
The Warrenton Farmers Market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon from now until the Saturday before Thanksgiving. In mid-May it also changed locations. It will now allow both onsite pedestrian sales and drive through pre-order pickups. Drive-through, pre-ordering customers will enter 1st Street from Main Street and get preordered items from vendors along 1st Street. Onsite sales will only be permitted for pedestrian customers.
During these uncertain times, local area farmers markets are challenged with figuring out how to respond, whether to open, how to keep things safe and yet provide an essential service to consumers and a critical economy to the livelihood of farmers and small business owners. According to the Virginia Farmers Market Association, there are more than 365 such markets in the state. “Currently there are 150 open and we anticipate seeing more open between now and June,” said executive director Kim Hutchison, who noted that most are offering combinations of curbside pickup, pre-orders and drive-through options. Warrenton Farmers Market A bit chilly and with overcast skies and threatening rain, Saturday morning, April 18, looked rather bleak. But by mid-morning, the sun had broken through and the opening day of the 45th Warrenton Farmers Market promised to be a good one…and it was for the 19 vendors who took part. Charity Furness, executive director of Experience Old Town Warrenton, happily welcomed more than 300 cars kicking off the opening day. “My heart is overflowing for the support of the drive-through Warrenton Farmers Market today,”
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Archwood Green Barns Often referred to as the gateway to horse country, this year marks a 22-year anniversary for Archwood Green Barns in The Plains, which first opened in 1998 with 10 vendors. Unique to this market is that vendors can set up small stores within the barn’s horse stalls, but that option is temporarily unavailable. The barns have a rich legacy, once housing the likes of champion thoroughbreds Candy Queen and Boston Man. Archwood opened Sunday, May 3, as a drivethrough market, but on May 17 it moved toward an outdoor-only pedestrian market. Pre-orders are still encouraged to help prevent congregating. Marketing manager Elizabeth Melson is in her third season serving a dual role as coordinator of this market as well as the Warrenton Farmers Market. She hopes to add additional vendors in The Plains over the coming weeks but was pleased with the nearly two dozen that were there on opening day.
Go Green Middleburg | Summer 2020
Tomatoes “Despite a rainy day, we did pretty well,” said Melson of the 75 cars that came through. “We’re encouraging pre-orders but not requiring that.” A vendor’s list and map are easy to download and print from their website. Archwood is located at 4557 Old Tavern Road in The Plains. Visit the website at www.archwoodgreenbarns.com. Middleburg Community Farmers Market While the number of vendors and customers was smaller, the spirit exhibited shows that the seeds of a successful season are planted. The Middleburg Community Farmers Market ushered in the season on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. until noon, not only as a drive-through but in a new temporary location. “We had about 50 cars which exceeded our expectations,” said Jamie Gaucher, the town’s economic development director. “It really worked out well.” The market is now set up in the rear parking lot of the National Sporting Library and Museum at 102 The Plains Road in Middleburg. “We were doing everything possible. We had signage with safety tips on social distancing. Everyone abided…it went really well,” said Gaucher of the partnership between the town, the National Sporting Library and the vendors. “We’re adjusting… it’s a community response…I’m encouraged.” Gaucher also noted that several cars that came through were previous vendors. “I think that they wanted to check it out…see how it was working,” he said. “We look to add more vendors in the weeks ahead.” The Middleburg Community Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon from now through October. Pre-ordering is recommended. Details on the town’s website at www.middleburgva.gov.
