Ashburn Market Newsletter
Saturday, from 8 am to Noon
Today is Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Vol 2 Issue 36
Other Markets

Purcellville

Open 9am-1pm Every Saturday! Shop Fresh & Local Direct from the Farmer!
Find your favorite vendors from the "old Thursday night Market" at 871 E Main Street--across from Browning Equipment and My Deli & Cafe! Now Open from 9am until 1 pm!

Cascades
Shop Fresh & Local at the Cascades Farmers Market!
Cascades Farmers Market Sundays 9am-1pm Senior Center Parking lot, Whitfield Rd by Cascades Library.

Leesburg
Shop Fresh & Local at the Leesburg Farmers Market! Bluegrass Music Sat Sept 11
Leesburg Farmers Market Saturdays Virginia Village Shopping Center Catoctin Circle.

Brambleton
Shop Fresh & Local at the Brambleton Farmers Market! Chef Demo Sept 12!
Now we are located in the parking lot by Sport & Health near the corner of Olympia Drive and Soave Dr! The Market will run Every Sunday through Oct 31.

Winter
Closed for the season!
Visit the Leesburg Summer Farmers Market, every Saturday, 8am until Noon in the Virginia Village Shopping Center on Catoctin Circle.

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We are a "PRODUCER ONLY" market - this means the people who you purchase your items from are the people who produce, plant, grow and harvest, these items. We are very firm in enforcing this rule to assure you that you are getting locally and quality grown products by the producer selling you the products.

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Lost and Found items for each market can be dropped off or picked up with the market manager - just look for the orange "Market Manager" sign.


Shop Fresh & Local at the Ashburn Farmers Market!

Located at the corner of Ashburn Village Blvd and Farmwell Road, behind the IHOP and Fuddruckers. Open Saturdays from 8am-noon.

At the Ashburn Farmers Market you will find a full selection of fresh local fruits & vegetables, farm fresh eggs, summer fruits and vegetables, farm direct meats, local Loudoun wine, honey and gourmet baked goods! Shop Local and choose the food less traveled.

New Asbury Farm will have samples of Marinated Mutton this Saturday. Stop by and try some--they also have lots of delicious lamb recipes and cooking advice.

Dogs at the Farmers Market

We love 'em, and they are welcome, but we have had a few incidents at the Markets lately which prompts this reminder:

Loudoun County requires that your dog be on a leash at all times when out in public and that the owner clean up any "messes" they make.

LVHMA also asks that you keep track of both ends of your dog around the food on display at the Markets - please keep noses out of products, off the edges of tables and displays and watch what is going on with the rear!

If there is an accident, every vendor has plastic bags you can use to scoop the poop. If you have a male dog, take care that he doesn't mark his favorite spot at the Market--your inattention could result in an unplanned purchase of a bushel of corn!

Please keep your dog by your side and on a short leash (expandable/flexi leashes locked). Your dog should be kid and other dog friendly before subjecting him to the exciting atmosphere of a Farmers Market.

Not everyone is a dog lover, in fact there are people who would prefer that dogs be banned from the Markets. It is up to you to keep your pet on his best behavior so that dogs continue to be welcome at the LVHMA Farmers Markets. Questions? Call 540-454-8089

We now have over 200 followers of the Loudoun Farmers Markets on Twitter! Thanks, Antionette Arsic of Middleburg, for becoming our 200th follower. Do you want to know what is fresh and local each week at the Markets? Sign up to follow us at twitter.com/LoudounFarmMkts or click on the link in this newsletter.






This week's recipe

At present there is no recipes to display.


Info from the LVHMA Farms!

Each week we try to let all of the friends of the Farmers Markets in on what is happening on our Member's farms and businesses.

The report from Doug Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, VA (Ashburn Market) is that the vineyard is looking a little better than originally expected. Even though his vines were frosted rather hard this spring, there are some grapes growing. While most other vineyards are deep into véraison (the ripening, color changing phase), Fabbioli's grapes are a little behind as the plants had to re-sprout after the frost. Doug says he is fine with that delay because this season started early and sped up with all of the heat and dry conditions. Although many grape growers would like it to be rather dry, nobody likes the "code orange" days that we have contended with this year. Mother Nature took another swing at Fabbioli with the 80mph winds from the storm that blew through the area on Sunday, July 25th. They ended up with about one hundred support posts broken and a number of vines lying on the ground. Within a couple of days, all of the vines were brought back upright and the new posts were set in the ground--more work, more cost, but the fruit and vines were protected so they can continue to produce high quality grapes, allowing Doug to make more great wine for his customers.

Astrid and Alex Pleitez of Pleitez Produce in Montross, VA (Leesburg, Brambleton and Cascades Markets) are getting ready to plant 16,000 Sweet Charlie and Chandler strawberry plants for next Spring's picking. All the crowns are set with plastic mulch and drip irrigation to conserve water, keep down weeds and keep the fruit clean. This will be in addition to the 14,000 they planted last Fall. With any luck (and good weather), this should mean that an abundance of strawberries will be available at next Spring's markets! Another project for the Pleitez' is the addition of fruit trees. They are planting 3 year old peaches and plums plus a few apple and pomegranate trees. Astrid and Alex are busy now erecting their new 30 ft x 72 ft greenhouse--part of a grant study they were awarded earlier this year--and plan to grow something in it as soon as it is ready.

Steve Baker of Baker Inc in Mt Jackson, VA (Leesburg, Ashburn, Brambleton & Cascades Markets) spent a day last week preparing for the Labor Day weekend. For 10 hours, he smoked hams and shoulders over a charcoal fire in their inspected kitchen to make meat for barbeque. After the meat cooled, it was sliced and packed in 1 lb containers--just right to mix with their Family Recipe Barbeque Sauce. Because this process is so time consuming, Steve doesn't always have Barbeque available, but approximately 60 lbs of meat is now ready for the upcoming Holiday!

Check back next week for more "Info from the LVHMA Farms"!


Farm Market Foodie

Barbeque Geography

Serving Barbeque for Labor Day? The flavors you put into your sauce may depend on what part of the country you're from.

Regional differences in Barbeque Sauces break down something like this:

Virginia and North Carolina-has a tomato based barbeque sauce with vinegar, salt and cayenne pepper. Baker Pork's Family Recipe sauce is this style.

Texas-in East Texas, you can find ketchup based sweet sauces with a touch of chile and worcestershire. West Texas has tomato based sauces with even more chile heat.

Kansas City-known for sweet and spicy tomato based barbeque sauce usually made with molasses.

Memphis-is probably known more for their dry rubs, but their barbeque sauce is a thin, vinegar and tomato based sauce flavorerd with brown sugar and mustard.

South Carolina-has a yellow mustard and vinegar based barbeque sauce.

Kentucky-made with Kentucky bourbon and a tomato base.

Florida-is known for citrus, so their barbeque sauces are tomato based with lemon and/or lime added for a sour kick.

The Southwest-features "salsa like" tomato based sauces with a Mexican influence and a spicy kick.

Louisiana-barbeque sauces are thick, tomato based and full of Cajun and Creole flavors.

Hawaii-made with pineapple! Tomato based with a sweet and sour tang.

Alabama-is home to a unique white, mayonaise based barbeque sauce. You have to try it at least once! See this week's recipe to try it out.

---Judy Stroske, LVHMA Market Coordinator


Earth Day Every Day!

Go "green" by reducing your lawn size--

Americans are lawn-crazy. Most countries do not have great expanses of manicured grass inhabiting their suburbs. All that beautiful grass does not come cheap--besides paying for water, pesticides and fertilizer, lawns extract an environmental payment from chemical runoff and mowing with a pollutant spewing four-cycle lawnmower.

Author Michael Pollan wrote, "A lawn is nature under totalitarian rule." By reducing the size of your lawn, you can save money, time and the environment.

Start by mulching over areas of your yard in shady areas where grass does not grow well. Mulch the entire canopy area of your trees--no more ducking under branches when you mow! With all the storm damage this year, free mulch is plentiful at the Loudoun County Landfill. To vary the appearance add some "indestructable mulch" or hardscape materials, such as river rocks, gravel or flagstone. To prevent weeds from popping up, place your hardscape materials on a liner of fabric weed block.

You can also add interest by planting ground cover plants. Selections include Pachysandra, Liriope, Sedum, Ajuga, Hardy Geranium, Juniper and Hosta. While the initial cost of adding ground cover plants is similar to the purchase price of sod, you will reap the benefits in the future with less time and money spent mowing and fertilizing.



Products in season for the month of September

Apples * Artichokes Arugula Basil Beef Beets Blueberries Bok Choy Breads Broccoli Raab Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Cauliflower Celery Celery Root Cheese Chicken Cider * Cilantro Collards Corn Cucumbers Dill Eggplant Eggs Fennel Flowers Garlic * Goat Green Beans Jams & Jellies Kale Kohlrabi Lamb Lettuce Lima Beans Melons Mint Mushrooms Okra Onions * Parsley Parsnips * Pastries Peaches Pears * Peppers Pies Plants Pork Potatoes * Raddicchio Radishes Sage Salsa Shallots * Shelling Beans Soaps Sorrel Soups Spinach Summer Squash Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Tarragon Tat Soi Thyme Tomatoes Turkey Turnips * Walnuts * Wine Wool & Products Yogurt


Follow us on Twitter!
www.Twitter.com/LoudounFarmMkts

We are always looking for performers for our Farmers Markets. Please contact Judy Stroske, Market Coordinator at 540-454-8089 or Judy@loudounfarmersmarkets.org for more information.

News from the Market Vendors

Baguette Republic ~ Try our wonderful artesian breads, crossiants and muffins! Come early for our cinnamon rolls, they always sell out fast! New pies this year! Tel: 703-870-7740 E-mail: orders@BaguetteRepublic.com

Baker Pork ~ We have pork barbeque meat this week--smoked over charcoal for 10 hours--just add our Family Recipe Barbeque Sauce and your meal is ready. Buy all your favorite Pork products direct from the Farmer at Baker Pork! Bacon, Sausage, Chops, Ribs and more. Tel: 540-477-3550 E-mail: bakerinc@shentel.net

Blue Ridge Gardens ~ We specialize in new and unusual perennials and shrubs--come see what is blooming this week! Tel: 540-955-4208 E-mail: blueridgegardens@gmail.com

Fabbioli Cellars ~ Celebrate the end of Summer with a great Local Loudoun County wine! Stop by and taste all of our selections--we have a wine to pair with your menu or just enjoy on it's own! Tel: 703-771-1197 E-mail: vinofab@aol.com

Glascock's Produce ~ Peaches are at their peak of flavor and early apples are ready. Have you tried our Peach Daquiri mix? It's made with our fresh peaches. Lots of tomatoes--each variety tastes different. Try our low acid yellow tomatoes, they are so sweet! Don't forget our special no sugar apple butter and peach butter--made from the sweetest fruit on our farm. Tel: 304-258-1431 E-mail:

Hidden Creek Apiary ~ Local Honey for your favorite fall recipe or for home remedies. Farm Fresh Eggs, Apples (many varities), Shiitake Mushrooms (great grilled), Green Beans, Sweet Yellow Corn, Potatoes, Watermelon, Cantelope, Squash, Cucumbers, Peppers, Heirloom Tomatoes, Plums and Pears. Tel: 304-671-3676 E-mail: hiddencreekapiary@live.com

Milcreek Farm ~ Milcreek Farm has some of Loudoun County's best pasture raised Beef, Lamb and Goat--no hormones, no MSG, no antibiotics! Try some and taste the difference. Our Large Brown Eggs from our free range hens will make your breakfast special. Stock your freezer! We are taking orders for our grass fed Beef, Lamb and Goat. Offered in 1/4's and 1/2's. Tel: 540-822-4181 E-mail: milcrk@aol.com

New Asbury Farm ~ Try a Mutton sample Saturday 9/4 at 10:30 am! We will be grilling a 3-lb Boneless Butterflied Half Leg of Mutton, marinated overnight in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. We will also have Mutton Loin Chops and Mutton Rib Chops for sale. We raise White Dorper meat sheep on our pastures off Evergreen Mills Rd near Brambleton, just 7 miles from the Ashburn Farmers Market. Sweet and mild, no growth hormones, no antibiotics, 10,000 miles fresher! Tel: 703-542-6226 E-mail: info@newasburyfarm.com

SnowBear Farm ~ We offer a wide range of Certified Naturally Grown Produce, all grown without chemicals! Try our arugula, bartlet pears, purple, green and yellow beans, beets, carrots, celery, celeriac, chard, cucumbers, fennel, 4 different varieties of garlic, okra, Star of David okra, peppers, potatoes (3 varieties so far), scallions, red sweet onions, large sweet yellow onions, soy beans, summer squash, winter squash, there will be lots of Heirloom tomatoes (13 varieties). If you need beets for canning please let Nancy know. We will also have fresh farm baked bread and bedding plants. Tel: E-mail:

Sweetz, LLC ~ We won't be at the market for the rest of September but you can find us at the Dulles Town Center Mall food court from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. M-Sat, 11-7 Sun. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! facebook.com/pages/Leesburg-VA/Sweetz-Bakery/271649809774 Tel: 703-470-3366 E-mail: Sweetzbakery@aol.com

Westmoreland Produce ~ Come on out to the Ashburn and Cascades this weekend.... Cantalopes, Watermelons, LOTS of cherry and HEIRLOOM Tomatoes! Come see how many different varieties we have. Sweet Peppers for stuffing, Hot peppers and LOTS more!! See you there...... Tel: 804-333-4487 E-mail: westmorelandproduce@haloisp.net

Woodtrail Graziers ~ We have naturally raised beef and pork for your cookouts--plenty of pasture-raised pork: shoulders, chops, loin roasts, and ribs. Our sausage and bacon is always nitrate-free; hams are uncured. We have 100% grass-fed ground beef, roasts, and steaks. Our meat is always free of hormones and drugs; never any worming medications or vaccines. Our animals grow slowly and naturally without agribusiness drugs or chemicals. Our pastures are maintained organically (certified by NaturallyGrown.org) and completely free of herbicides and artificial fertilizers. Chicken is now available! Tel: 540-554-8665 E-mail: woodtrailfarm@rstarmail.com