West End Farmer's Market

Online, April 27, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The West End Farmers Market opens for a 5th season on Sunday, May 1, 2011. Located in Alexandria, Virginia's Ben Brenman Park, the market will be open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

According to the USDA, the West End Farmers Market is one of the approximately 6,000 farmers markets in the country, part of the 152 in Virginia. The West End Farmers Market began in 2006, and currently has 8 farmers selling a wide variety of products, including garlic scapes, pea shoots, squash blossoms, donut peaches, Asian pears, okra and tat soi. All of the farmers at the West End Farmers Market grow their own fruits and vegetables. In the most recent season, the West End Farmers Market generated approximately $500,000 for these local producers, a valuable economic boost for the region. The West End Farmers Market has an ongoing relationship with the DC food bank, Bread for the City. Our vendors donate approximately 500 lbs of food each week.

"Farmers markets are good for your health, good for your community, and good for the economy" says Stacy Miller, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition, a nonprofit supporting farmers markets across the country. "We invite everyone to celebrate the freshest foods from America's most entrepreneurial farmers by supporting their local farmers markets."

"I love this market" declares Susan Birchler, Market Manger of the West End Farmers Market. "Every week we put on a lively event. People linger to enjoy the colors, smells and tastes of ripe fruits and vegetables, baked goods, dairy, and other food, and as they linger, strike up conversations with vendors and neighbors. It is like a big party; everyone is invited, everyone enjoys themselves and no one is disappointed. Best of all, the party food goes home with them. Going to the market, running the market, is definitely as one of the best ways to spend a Sunday morning"

Other facts about farmers markets:

• Farmers at farmers markets donate hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh produce to local social service agencies across the country each year.
• The USDA estimates that farmers markets provide income opportunities for at least 150,000 direct-marketing farmers and food producers across the country.
• More than 1,000 farmers markets are estimated to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in 2010. Between 2008 and 2009, the amount of SNAP dollars redeemed at farmers markets increased more than 100%.
• It's estimated that approximately $1.3 billion in direct farm-to-consumer sales occurred in farmers markets in 2009.
• Farmers markets accepted over $44 million in WIC (Women, Infant and Children) and SFNP (Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program) vouchers in 2009 - making fresh food available to millions of low income families.