Big Bear Cafe: Sunday family-style farmers` market dinner series -- starting this Sunday, 11/06/2011

From Stu Davenport:

Sunday Family-Style Farmers` Market Dinner Series

Starting Sunday evening, Nov. 6th at the Big Bear Café, 7pm.

Come join us for a family-style farmers` market dinner series starting Sunday evening Nov 6th.

Sit down by candlelight at our communal table & enjoy fresh bread, an assortment of Cowgirl and Keswick cheeses, & a three-course meal with greens, vegetables, fruits, & meats all available from the local farms of the Sunday Bloomingdale Farmers` Market!

We have limited space, so please RSVP per person with bigbearcafe.events @ gmail.com , though we hope to have room for you if you decide to drop in last-minute! Dinner will be at market price. 37.

We look forward to dining with you.

Locally Grown: The Farm at Walker Jones.

This is a truly fantastic program!
The Farm at Walker Jones
New Jersey and K St NW

From their website:

The Farm at Walker Jones is a emerging urban farm that serves the great kids, families and neighbors of Walker Jones Education Campus, a DC Public School. Ground was broken in July of 2010, and during that first abbreviated growing season, we raised over 3,000 pounds of food that found its way to many in our community including students, families, the residents of two neighboring retirement communities, DC Central Kitchen, and all the great volunteers that came out to help make the school’s vision a reality.

Now in its second growing season, the farm is continuing to evolve into the urban oasis of which the planners dreamed. In addition to our food production efforts, we have installed a large scale butterfly garden outside our gate in conjunction with the Monarch Sister Schools Program, set up house for two very active beehives maintained by Jeff Miller of DC Honeybees, and have continued to refine our planting areas as may be seen in the redesigned perennial herb bed. We have welcomed Jeremy Brosowsky and Compost Cab to the farm to lead our composting efforts so that we might continue to improve the quality of our soil. We installed a watering station and an irrigation system, and await the installation of our cistern system and covered classroom area this summer as a part of our participation in the RiverSmart School program, administered by the Department of the Environment here in DC. Casey Trees also lent us support by installing persimmon trees that flank the fig trees we planted last year.

The Farm at Walker Jones serves the greater community in which it resides, but it is, first and foremost, an extension of the educational hopes and dreams for the students of Walker Jones Education Campus. It is an outdoor classroom where experiential learning integrated into the school curriculum happens side by side with the social and emotional education required to train the leaders of tomorrow. At Walker Jones, we educate the whole child, and that includes reminding that child that the foods we eat are as important as the books we read.

The Farm Stand
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4pm-6pm and Sundays from 2pm-4pm our farm stand will be open, beginning July 3rd. We will be selling freshly harvested produce and cut flowers at extremely low prices. All profits support the school farm.

There is also a work exchange program


Work Exchange:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm-6pm and Sundays from12-4pm the farm is open to the public for community volunteer days. Anyone is welcome to lend a hand with various farm tasks and in exchange, you will be given a selection of the day’s produce. Bring your own bag!

More Information:

flickr set here

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updates on "New Town" in Ivy City, and more specifically, the capital city market area

timor bodega

See this message from Kim Wee, proprietor of the Timor Bodega, 2nd & Rhode Island Avenue NW.


What's New:

Eco-Friendly Foods--run by a protege of Joel Salatin for those of us who are familiar with The Omnivore's Dilemma--has restocked the store with quite a variety of cuts. Included are pork ham steaks, loin roast, pork belly, beef ribeye steak, london broil and even a big 100-day aged Red Devon Ribeye roast.

There is also ground chicken, lamb and beef and various sausages. The beef and pork are from breeds of heritage, are not available in grocery stores due to limited supply. But you can get them in your own neighborhood alright.

Beer: Samuel Smith's Organic Ale is a must-try for a fruity, almost cidery ale. Plenty of choices for the "hop-heads" though: Double-Daddy IPA, Lagunitas Maximus and Stone IPA among others.

Wine: Organic Pinot Grigio and Cote du Rhone are back, along with a Chardonnay from Bodega Lurton, whose Malbec and Pinot Gris were well-received.

Coffee: We're getting through the last of the syrupy, earthy Balinese coffee this weekend. Up next: a Brazil estate batch.

Weekend Schedule:

Saturday:
Whatsa Bagel Bagels, store open 8:30am-8pm

Sunday:
Atwaters bread, store opens at 9:30am-7pm

Produce from Truck Patch Farms: spring mix, baby spinach etc.

Other organic produce all weekend:
Green beans, celery root, parsnips, rutabagas and mushrooms.

Timor Bodega

Message from Timor Bodega Proprietor Kim Wee

Thursday 7PM
Just a reminder that there will be a wine tasting 7PM at Timor Bodega. I have already gotten a head-start on trying the organic Pinot Grigio and it is rather enjoyable! Should have a last minute addition to the tasting if it makes it onto the delivery truck tomorrow: Simonsig's Pinotage. Also more new beer arrived today from Stone, Bells and Speak Easy breweries.

Coffee Tasting Saturday 10AM:
Calling all coffeeholics, we have some really exotic stuff here. Most of the coffee we drink here is wet-processed, that is to say it has been fermented in a vat before the fruit is washed away. It does not sound too appetizing, and neither are the aromas involved, but it does result in a "clean" tasting cup. Occasionally, we might chance dry-processed coffee, which means it has been left to ferment on the ground or on a screen. This time, would you believe, Tree-dried coffee! From an Indian Estate, it will be roasted and available by the bag all weekend long. Heavy-bodied with low-acidity, it promises rustic fruit tones. I'm excited about this one, but that's not all.....have Balinese and new Brazilian coffee which I will introduce in the following weekends.

Produce Stand Sunday 10-2
SA sourdough, wheat boules, rosemary loaves, seasonally baked pies all from Atwater's bakery in Baltimore. If only there was a bakery like that in DC, I would have bread of this standard every single day. Also, Lulu avocados, Florida citrus, local salad greens, kale, broccoli, bacon and chops from Truck Patch stocked SEVEN days a week now.

on the bloomingdale farmers market

A resident of Bloomingdale has expressed frustration with the cost of produce and impacted parking conditions caused by the Bloomingdale Farmers Market. It was all abuzz on the bloomingdale and eckington email chains.

In Shaw has posted about it, with numerous comments

Does it seem that whenever there is a community concern in denser neighborhoods in DC someone pulls out the "move to the suburbs" line? Every so often its, " move back to iowa" or something like that.

I dont get it. Does our community actually expect people to up and move because they dont like something?

Now, i LOVE the Bloomingdale Farmers Market. In my short 4+ years in the neighborhood, nothing has created such community and been so pleasant. I hope it lasts and grows. I try to promote it on this blog and with my cash.

Still, i dont think a healthy tactic is to attack or say, "Deal with it" to people that have issues. some have suggested that they even sell their car.

I think the best way is to illustrate how beneficial the market is, not how mean the detractors are.

If the person seriously has issue, attacks wont change their minds.
Personal attacks on an individual detractor can however turn that detractor into many.

thinking about farmers markets

i went down to the Bloomingdale Farmers Market today and now, while i'm enjoying an awesome heirloom tomato, pesto on "flute" sandwich i'm thinking about farmers markets.

When i was a kid we would only go to farmers markets occasionally. We'd make a special trip to the Union Square Farmers Market in New York, or to small roadside stands for seasonal harvests like apples, or corn, and to a few amish markets. But only a handful of times a year.

I was more interested in the adventure than the produce. All i wanted to eat was a tuna salad sandwich and a yoo-hoo. or pizza and soda.

It wasn't until i went to college that i actually met produce farmers, vegetable gardeners and began to care about the origins of the food i ate. It was then that i began making trips on my own to the few farmers markets that i knew of. and even then, it wasn't that often.

After college, i worked and lived on a Community Supported Agriculture farm in Maryland for 6 months. I ate really really well. We also set up at farmers markets and made deliveries of "shares" of each weeks harvest.

I learned to love farmers markets. After i left that farm, i would often go to farmers markets and roadside stands, but not religiously, more of a ... oh what would i like to do today kinda thing. I used to work at the Shakespeare Theatre and would hit up on the thursday afternoon penn quarter market, and i always encourage my wife to go, since she currently works in that hood.

Now, i try to make it every sunday to the bloomingdale farmers market and want to include it in my regular shopping habits. I love the quality of the produce there and feel that its an important thing to support.

While its pretty small and limited, the stuff available at the market is amazing. the heirloom tomatoes i got today were perfect, and i still can't believe bread line is setting up in our hood. they are simply the best bakery in the city, but the hours and the location of their shop was never convenient for me.

I have hopes that the market will grow and take over the entire street, but in the meantime i'll still do my best to make it every sunday.

I'm glad that establishing farmers markets has been a growing trend
here is the most current list of farmers markets in DC that i could find

haitian musician/ community bbq event in bloomingdale.

IMG_0260.JPG
Originally uploaded by Scenic Artisan

i was set up at adams morgan day all day today, so i didnt get to attend this community event. A neighbor sent me the photos to post.

i hope all that made it had a good time, and thanks very much to all those that made it out and said hello over on belmont!


kris hammond has a good post HERE.

In Shaw has a take too.

the bloomingdale ( for now) blog has words and snaps too.

even uptown washingtonians are mentioning bloomingdale.....

a mention of the big bear cafe in Petworth News

and my wife told me this morning that she was talking to a guy from logan circle who was praising the cafe and the farmers market......


i guess you're doing a pretty good job Lana and Stu!

Bloomingdale Farmers Market Sunday 10-2!

Please try to make it out and support the farmers market that will be happening from 10AM - 2 PM this Sunday, and every Sunday until November.


First and R NW (next to the Big Bear Cafe)
rain or shine.

From Robin Shuster:


First, THANK-YOU to everyone who was there last week for the first market of the season! That was so much fun! Come back this week to see all the new things we have. Here are some tastes of this weekend's harvest:

First of all, we have a new producer: Brian of Truck Patch is joining us -- and he is bringing the very first tomatoes of the season! His High Tunnel Tomatoes -- not hothouse, not greenhouse, but tomatoes grown in the ground with a protective tunnel above them that allows him to plant his seedlings a few weeks early. Good slicing tomatoes for hamburgers or bagels or sandwiches . (Lana will probably be using them in the Cafe for her bagels.) Zucchini and other yellowneck squash. Genovese Basil for Pesto. Broccoli, radishes, lettuces, arugula, baby spinach, mesclun, lettuce mix, Bright Lights Swiss Chard, chives, sage, lavender, cilantro.

And he has excellent fresh, pastured pork : boneless and bone- in pork chops, sausages, baby back ribs, tenderloins, fresh breakfast links and sage sausage, bacon. Brian is a good cook and can tell you the best way to cook every cut of his pork.

Reid's Orchard is FRUIT SALAD CENTRAL this week. Cherries, of course, but also early PEACHES, red raspberries for the early risers, gooseberries, red currants, and some apricots. Strawberries....and their first real picking of blueberries.

Sunnyside promises to have TWICE as many veggies as they did last week (when Carlos sold out at 11:30.) Be sure to get their really free-range, grass-range eggs from those hens Lana photographed three weeks ago. Look for summer squash, green green cabbage Italian Parsley, collards, carrots, leeks cucumbers, mini and red onions, kale, collards, chard, Kohlrabi, Basil, Elephant and Silver Skin Garlic, lettuces, escarole, broccoli, cider, apple butter, apple sauce, flowers.

DragonFly has those beautiful bouquets of flowers and their very special black currant and wine vinegars from their own wines.

7th Street Gardens will be have early peaches, salads and veg.

Your Market Manager, Ted McGinn, will be ringing the opening bell at 10 am. So, get some coffee at the Big Bear Cafe and come to market!

See you Sunday.

Robin

Bloomingdale Farmers Market Pictures.

I just got back from the bloomigdale farmers market and wanted to share some pictures.

Bloomingdale Farmers Market this Sunday!

Please try to make it out and support the farmers market that will be happening from 10AM - 2 PM this Sunday, and every Sunday until November.


First and R NW (next to the Big Bear Cafe)
rain or shine.

a note from Robin Shuster, the market organizer:


Reid's Orchards will be bringing fresh raspberries, sweet cherries, strawberries, crisp and juicy apples (from storage), basil and many potted herbs (different kinds of thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, chervil, parsley, cilantro) plus a variety of tomato plants for your sunny gardens. No, it is not too late to plant tomatoes. Catilin will also have lettuce gardens and other container vegetables.

Sunnyside Farms, our certified (Oregon Tilth) organic farm will have beautiful free range eggs from chickens who pranced around large pastures when Lana and I visited them a few weeks ago. Sunnyside will have lots of greens and salads: kale, chard, collards, lettuces, arugula, red and green mustard, baby turnips, baby beets, applesauce, apple butter, cider plus kohlrabi, the alien vegetable

Dragonfly Farms will be bringing a variety of beautiful cut flowers and bouquets and some potted plants plus their very special Black Currant and Varietal Grape vinegars. I visited their farm in Maryland yesterday. They have an 80 acre farm, 70 of which is a beautiful, cool, green forest. Their grapes take up 5 acres and the currants another 3 acres. The flowers are planted in other fields and the vegetables are in rows between the currants. Many of the squash and cucumbers are planted in large Oak barrels.

Baker Lamb: Joan has 12 acres of pasture for her sheep and she treats them very well, indeed!

This Saturday in Bloomingdale

Fun Day-Health & Information Fair, Saturday, 6/9/2007 12PM- 4PM

Please be advised that there will be a schedule of significant events taking place at the pocket park on First Street and Florida Avenue, N.W. on Saturday, 6/9/2007.

Specifically, Mayor Fenty's Office of Constituent Relations and Services, the Fifth District Police, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5C- SMD 5C01, and the Bates Area Civic Association, Inc., are co-sponsoring an afternoon of fun and educational opportunity.

In addition to a challenge match in basketball between officers from the Fifth District Police and local youngsters, the DC Office of Employment Services will have its mobile van on site to provide information on and referrals to jobs that are now available across the region; the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department will be there to provide information on health and fire safety; Amerigroup has been invited to participate and will organize a series of health screenings that will be made available to those who attend (free of charge); the DC Department of Parks and Recreation will organize a number of fun activities for youths; of course, there will be refreshments; and the special guest for this event will be Ward Five Council Member Harry (Tommy) Thomas, Jr.



also, that really big yard sale.

Developers bullish on Northwest's Bloomingdale

Washington Business Journal Article on Bloomingdale

Bloomingdale Farmers Market

Bloomingdale Farmers Market

Eastern Market has Burned

Dcist reports about the fire at eastern market.

Is anyone paying attention to the crazy series of fires we've been having in our city lately?

The NCMS Open House at the Big Bear Cafe.

The North Capitol Main Streets Open House was a terrific event!





Main street inc put together a great spread and gave information about who they are, what they've done, and what they hope to do. Many people signed up to volunteer with them.




The President of the NoMa BID came out and talked briefly about their hopes of NoMa.




I talked tons of neighbors, a few that heard of the event because of this blog (!)
I learned about the pursuit of playground equipment for Crispus Attucks Park, the dream of an entrepreneurial neighbor to grow her healthy and tastey business in our neighborhood.




I met TONS of people from the Nebraska ( did you guys all come?)

I got to meet Harry Thomas who came in at the very end!
I saw the owner of Curves, but didnt get to talk with her.

InShaw and Truxton Circle websites were represented.

Ceci McInturff of the 87 Florida Gallery was there. She actually gave me a ride home from the ArtDC event at the convention center. thanks!

Stu and Lana are really terrific people. The hosted a great event and really brought people together.


Got pictures?
join flickr and upload them to the Bloomingdale Photo Group.
its free!
you can use your yahoo id to sign in or go HERE

Florida Avenue Market Study.

Florida Avenue Market Study

First Public Meeting – Open to all!
Tuesday, April 24

3:30 to 5:30pm AND 6:00 to 8:00pm

(The same presentation will be given twice to accommodate a wide array of the public—
You may attend either session. )

*Gallaudet University, Foster Auditorium, 800 Florida Ave, NE

2nd Public Meeting:
Wednesday, May 30th
(Same Times & Location)

The Office of Planning (OP) has initiated a study of the Florida Avenue Market and is engaging property and business owners within the Market, as well as residents, institutions and other stakeholders surrounding the Market. The purpose of the Study is to conduct an existing conditions analysis, an economic analysis of the wholesale and retail market functions, and an operational analysis. Additionally, the Study will provide demand projections for other potential uses on the site, resulting in various redevelopment/revitalization scenarios for consideration. The Study will also address sustainable development (green technology), urban design, transportation and historic preservation issues. Before any decisions are made regarding the future of this site, it is critical that the District and all affected parties have a full and balanced understanding of the opportunities, constraints and fiscal impacts of redevelopment, and that the public is significantly involved in considering these findings. The Florida Avenue Market is at a critical juncture of its history. Your participation in the coming months is critical for creating a successful and responsive plan!

For more information or to RSVP, please contact: Deborah Crain, Ward 5 Neighborhood Planner, 202-442-7615 or deborah.crain@dc.gov ; or Jeff Davis, Ward 6 Neighborhood Planner, 202-442-7704 or jeff.davis@dc.gov .