Middleburg Farmers Market Finds A Forever Home

Middleburg Farmers Market Finds A Forever Home

By Leslie VanSant

The Middleburg Farmers Market is back.

After many years behind the Community Center, and then a few bouncing from locations at the National Sporting Library and Museum, Atlantic Union Bank and Middleburg Charter School parking lots, the market now has a permanent home behind the new Middleburg Town Hall.

While the location is new, many vendors are familiar faces. Some were born into farming, others are living their best lives after careers on the “inside” of an office.

C. Hess Orchards & Produce started coming to Middleburg over 20 years ago. Chester Hess or members of his team make the drive weekly from the family farm in West Virginia. Chester grows multiple varieties of apples, peaches, pears, plums and berries which he offers alongside in-season vegetables. Each weekend, samples of the fruits are offered so shoppers can decide between Stayman or Jonagold apples, or determine if the cantaloupes are sweet.

“We make all of our jams, jellies, candied pecans and pickles,” Chester said.

MM Coffee Farm sells coffee beans and freshly brewed coffee by the cup. Betty and Walt Hernandez grow the beans on the family farm in Honduras, then roast them in Warrenton. The coffee plants are grown at different elevations which changes the shape and flavor of the roast.

Willoughby Farm & Flowers is located in Delaplane. Larry Willoughby left corporate life and started farming—his dream job—in 2017, growing peaches, vegetables and cut flowers. “I’ve got kale, spinach and romaine now, with more lettuces and arugula coming along with beets,” he said.

Tummy YumYum proprietor Sharita Rouse left her career as a dental assistant in 2017 to follow her sweet tooth. Now she sells homemade candy apples, popcorn, cakes and chocolate covered bacon.

Cobbler View Farm has been coming to the market since 2016 or “for the last four locations” joked farmer Jane Eickhoff. She started her small farm after retiring and grows what she enjoys eating, including broccolini, sugar snap peas, radishes, lettuces and more.

“Gardening, farming, is good exercise for old people, which I am,” said Jane, who donates her excess to local food banks.

Stone Ridge Farm is a new entry to the market and will be there only for a few weeks. Maggie and Owen Doherty started their second career in 2020, growing and selling peonies. They have 11 varieties and will sell at the farmers’ market or to weddings.

Preppy Pretzel is a favorite. Daniela Stephanz Anderson has been perfecting and sharing a generations-old family recipe for hand-made and twisted Bavarian pretzels for several years. In addition to traditional favorites, this year she’s also offering pretzels topped with cheese and jalepeno, tomato and cheese and the curious Laugenecken the delicious combination of pretzel-croissant-biscuit.

Birds Bags & Beyond was started by Addy Jones with the support of her parents, Amy and David, on the premise of reuse and recycle. Addy and Amy hand-craft smart shopping bags using empty horse feed bags. They also offer homemade soaps and beautifully decorated needle felted birds.

Details: https://www.middleburgva.gov/297/FarmersMarket