May 13, 2006

Mark you calendar. The first Chef presentation is scheduled for May 20.

Mother's Day is this Sunday. Flowers and Fruits and Sweets available fresh the day before at AFM.

This Saturday, celebrate Arlington's 10th annual Neighborhood Day! This year's theme is "Many Neighbors, One Community." Learn more at http://www.arlingtonva.us/nd2006/NeighborhoodDay2006.aspx Neighborhood Day lets Arlingtonians connect and learn more about each other through neighborhood events or community service projects. It also has in the past created some parking challenges, so plan your trip accordingly.

ShoeBox Bakery makes its first appearance this weekend. Be sure to stop by to Welcome them to the market.

The growers at the producers only Arlington Farmers Market have so much fresh variety, it's hard to know how to describe it all. Several vendors have a variety of greens as well as radishes, onions and fresh-- Fresh --asparagus, that has much better flavor and texture than what you're probably thinking of if you've not had market fresh asparagus.

Many growers have flowering and vegetable plants to get your own gardens growing.

Here is just a sampling of what you can look forward to during the next few weeks.

Blue Highland Dairy's butter's better now the cows are able to graze in pasture.
D & S Farm's strawberries are starting, as are the squash and tomatoes.
Endless Summer Harvest has salad mixes and herbs throughout the year.
Gardener's Gourmet will have asparagus, cabbage, broccoli and spring onions in another week, then rhubarb.
Laurel Grove Farms already has Yukon Gold potatoes. Look for yellow squash and zucchini in a few weeks.
Leedstown Farms is to our south, so the strawberries are earlier, as are the peas and baby potatoes.
Mother Earth Farm where you can admire the big, fresh, light-colored Portobello or try the mushroom mix basket.
Potomac Vegetable Farms has cilantro, parsley and dill, plus Escarole, a bitter lettuce for soup, cooking, or briefly saute. Snow peas in a few weeks, and Swiss Chard and fava bean by month's end.
Red Rake Farm with 120 varieties of herbs, ask for what you don't see. Coming soon are peas and salad mixes.
Rice's Farm has Rhubarb and Asparagus, and should soon have Spinach and spring onions, as well as cut flowers.
Roland's Farm has many bedding plants before bringing in lettuce and sorrel later in May.
Smith Meadows Meats for the next few weeks still has spring lamb and spring goat.
Twin Springs Fruit Farm has tomatoes, and soon cucumbers and egg plants. Strawberries, blueberries, apricots in a few weeks.
Westmoreland Berry Farm has asparagus now, and expects strawberries in 2 weeks. Early June brings raspberries and blueberries and then Cherry, Plum and Peaches in mid-June.
Wheatland Vegetable Farms has rhubarb to go with those strawberries, and much lettuce and Cilantro.
Wollam Gardens shows fresh flowers every week, Peonies soon, and then Baptisia and Lilies.

Plus Bakeries, Dairies, Cheese makers, Meats and prepared foods all around, you don't need to shop anywhere other than the producer only Arlington Farmers Market.