Tag Archives: Ballston

FRESHFARM Markets is extremely excited to open its second Virginia market at the end of June. After three years of running the Crystal City FRESHFARM Market, we’ve learned that Virginia’s diverse communities are filled with dedicated locavores who make farmers markets flourish. So when the Ballston Business Improvement District approached us this Spring about this relatively new market, we jumped at the chance.

Located in the heart of Ballston at Welburn Square (Fairfax Drive between North Taylor and Stuart Streets), the Ballston FRESHFARM Market will be open from 3pm – 7pm every Thursday from June 28 until October 25.

Like all our markets, the Ballston FRESHFRM Market is a producer-only market and highlights local farmers and artisanal producers. This means that everything sold at market is grown or produced in the Cheasapeake region by the individuals selling it. Ballston FRESHFARM Market will open with a wide variety of farmers and producers offering a robust mix of fruits and vegetables, meats, cheese, bread and a few fun prepared products for good measure. Some of the producers are the usual wonderful one’s found at other FRESHFARM Markets, while others are new to our markets.

Without further ado, Ballston, here’s a sneak peak at your new farmers and producers, with more to come as the market opening date gets closer!

1. Capitol Kettle Corn (Ft. Meade, MD) is small minority-owned, family-run business, offering a delicious whole grain snack you’ll feel good about eating. Popped on site and seasoned with all natural flavors that range from Ethiopian Spice to Old Bay, Capitol Kettle Corn uses top grain “Mushroom” style popping corn grown locally within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
2. Evergrain Bread Company (Chestertown, MD) makes some of the very best European style breads and pastry we’ve tasted. Anywhere. All breads are naturally fermented. Evergrain uses the highest quality ingredients available, including local eggs and butter.
3. Fresh Crunch Pickles (Arlington,VA) makes fresh refrigerator pickles weekly based on what’s in season from traditional cucumber pickles to more adventurous varieties like charred asparagus to spicy okra.
4. Garden Path Farm (Newburg, PA), owned and operated by the Kauffman family, raises heritage breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs along with turkey, chicken, rabbit and duck. The Kauffman family uses timeless methods that include feeding their animals nutritious grasses, clean water, and love. FRESHFARM Market favorites from Garden Path include lamb bacon and amazing eggs.
5. Gunpowder Bison & Trading Co. NEW! (Monkton,  MD) Gunpowder Bison & Trading Co. was founded in 2005 by Trey Lewis, whose vision was to transform his family’s 70 beautiful acres in northern Baltimore County into a working farm. The farm is now home to 200-plus pasture-grazing bison and a retail store that sells the healthy, flavorful meat, low in fat, cholesterol and calories, but high in protein, vitamins and minerals. Gunpowder Bison & Trading Co. sells a wide variety of cuts, including steaks, roasts, sausages and burgers. All GBT meat is raised naturally on the farm. No hormones, antibiotics or feed additives are used, and all processing is done under USDA inspection. The bison meat is dry-aged to insure a premium product. It’s all natural, healthful and great-tasting.
6. Mickley’s Orchard (Biglerville, PA) makes its FRESHFARM Market debut in Ballston. Mickley’s is a fifth generation, 85 acre farm that grows 13 varieties of apples, peaches, plums, apricots, pluots, sweet cherries, and (heart shaped) walnuts along with some cane fruits and vegetables. Mickley’s also will bring farm fresh eggs weekly that come from their flock of hens.
7. Pleitez Produce (Montross, VA) is a family-owned and operated-farm, offering a dazzling array of field produce. Located in the Northern Neck of Virginia, Pleitez enjoys a long growing season that it extends with its seven greenhouses. This means early (and late) strawberries, tomatoes and just about everything else.
8. Radix Farm (Upper Marlboro, MD) is a small sustainable farm that grows healthy and delicious produce. Although notcertified organic, Radix follow organic practices (no synthetic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, or genetically modified organisms) to grow high quality, diversified field produce. These small-scale and natural growing methods allow radix to nurture the soil and provide individual attention to the plants.
9. Shells Yes! Crab Cake Company (Chester, MD) The husband-and-wife team behind Shells Yes! use locally sourced crab meat in their Chesapeake-inspired prepared foods:  fresh Maryland jumbo lump crab cakes, chilled Maryland crab soup, crab chowder and signature tartar and whole grain mustard tartar sauce.
10. The Farms at Ellis Bay (Nanticoke, MD) is a 16 acre flower farm on Eastern Shore and is new to FRESHFARM Markets. Ellis Bay brings cut flowers (dahlias, sunflowers, lilies and beyond), blooming branches, alongside potted plants for your garden or patio.
11. Westmoreland Berry Farm
    (Oak Grove, VA) is a specialty berry farm that grows strawberries, blackberries, red raspberries, blueberries, along with some tree fruit. Westmoreland also offers cider, jams, butters, and jellies and wood bbq chips
12. Wild Rose Soap Company (Gaithersburg, MD) specializes in all-natural, handcrafted luxurious body products, including soap, lotion, body scrubs, bath bomb cupcakes, herbal bath teas, and bath salts. Wild Rose uses local ingredients whenever possible, such as wool for its felted soap and beeswax from local farms.