Showing posts with label bloomingdale farmers market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bloomingdale farmers market. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Spotlight: Bloomingdale / Eckington / NoMa


See this blurb passed along by the folks at the NoMa BID:

Spotlight: Bloomingdale / Eckington / NoMa
January 19, 2012

The Bloomingdale Farmers` Market, Big Bear Cafe, Rustik Tavern, Boundary Stone and Bacio Pizza are all mentioned.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Stu: Les Petits Chanteurs returning to Bloomingdale this week



See this message from Stuart Davenport:

I want to let people know that Les Petits Chanteurs are returning to Bloomingdale this week, and they will be performing at the Art Museum of the Americas at the OAS building this Friday at 1pm.

See the flier attached.

Les Petits Chanteurs are the Haitian choral singers and classical musicians who performed in Bloomingdale two years ago at St. George`s Church, the Bloomingdale Farmers Market, and the Big Bear Cafe during the annual neighborhood pig roast (bi-annual??).

They are now touring the eastern United States as they perform and raise funds to rebuild their school and music hall in Port Au Prince.

They come into DC on Thursday, Sept. 8th and will be having a BBQ at the Big Bear Cafe from 3:30pm-8pm. They then head to the National Cathedral to prepare for their tour (and practice for their performance at OAS on Friday).

For all neighbors who offered housing, helped with the BBQ, and came to hear them sing years ago - come say hello at the BBC! Or the OAS building on friday.

-Stuart

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Bloomingdale Farmers` Market CLOSED today, Sunday, 08-28-2011

See this message from Robin Shuster, Bloomingdale Farmers` Market Market Manager:

From: Robin Shuster
Sent: Sat, August 27, 2011 7:26:02 PM
Subject: BFM is CLOSED this Sunday

BFM will be CLOSED this Sunday. The District told us (and other permit holders) to close because of Irene.


We will be back next week! Enjoy Sunday.

-- Robin Shuster
Markets & More
14& U Farmers Market
Bloomingdale Farmers Market
202 234 0559
202 536 5571

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Natalie Hopkinson: In Bloomingdale, Faces of Gentrification




See this TBD item from Bloomingdale resident Natalie Hopkinson:

http://www.tbd.com/pictures/2011/05/in-bloomingdale-faces-of-gentrification/rawrr-3150-209.html .


Big Bear Cafe, the Bloomingdale Farmers' Market, Field to City and the Florida Avenue Park (across the street from Big Bear) are all mentioned.

Glad that I don't own a pork pie hat.

What do you think?




(Photo above titled "HIpster Parade" courtesy of Matthew Beck from Natalie Hopkinson).

Monday, March 14, 2011

meeting tonight on Big Bear Cafe, Bloomingdale Farmers` Market issues, such as parking & the closure of the 100 blk of R St NW

See this meeting announcement:

From: karla lewis
Sent: Mon 14-03-2011 12:43
To: a bunch of people
Subject: Community Meeting Tonight March 14, 2011 at 7pm-- Harry Thomas Center, 1743 Lincoln Rd., NE

This is the follow-up to the meeting that was held on December 21st to discuss community concerns. This session is being conducted so the community can come to together and create solutions for the problems that have been identified, such as the parking issues due the Big Bear Cafe's extended hours and the closure of the 100 block of R St NW for the Bloomingdale Farmers Market.

Please attend, voice your concerns, and help to create and/or support solutions to resolve the issues that currently plague our community.

At tonight`s meeting, we will focus on residential issues. During a later meeting in the series, we will address commercial issues.

Date: Monday, March 14, 2011
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Place: Harry Thomas Recreation Center
1743 Lincoln Rd., NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 576- 5642

Thanks,

Karla

Thursday, December 23, 2010

resident encourages Bloomingdale retail businesses to peform patron surveys - "How did you get here today?"

From a resident on the unit block of R Street NW:

I find the results of the Bloomingdale Farmers` Market survey in yesterday's Bloomingdale Email – that 84% of Bloomingdale Farmers` Market attendees surveyed walked and 9% biked -- very surprising. Do we know when other neighborhood establishments (churches, markets, liquor stores, etc.) will be performing the same survey among their patrons? It seems surprising there is talk about parking issues focused solely on the Farmers` market on Sundays - it would be nice to get to the bottom of this issue so the local residents can go to the ANC with specific statistics in order to come up with the appropriate solution to any parking issues there may be.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Ted McGinn responds to Gigi Ransom's claims: "Setting the Record Straight"

See this 7/26/2010 message from Eckington resident & Eckington Cvic Association President Ted McGinn:

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

To: Anita Bonds Chairperson of ANC5C

Copied to the Community



TO: Anita Bonds, Chairperson of ANC5C

I am writing you today because my name has been brought into the public venue in writing by Commissioner Gigi Ransom regarding the Bloomingdale Farmers` Market.

Because her unfounded and reckless comments have damaged my reputation in the community, I request three things to rectify this damage. First, Commissioner Ransom must make a public written apology for her statements. Second, her apology and retraction of this statement be publicly posted on every listserv to which Commissioner Ransom posted her statements about me. Third, as Chair of ANC5C, you state publicly that Commissioner Ransom is not the official spokesperson for ANC5C. Many members of the public, including myself, have that impression from her numerous postings of so-called fact findings that she is speaking for the whole of the ANC5C.

What follows is proof that the statements made about the Bloomingdale Farmer's Market are either in whole or in part false, inaccurate, and misleading
.

Commissioner Ransom first misrepresented my role in regards to closing R Street. Here is what she has posted:

From: Gigi Ransom
To: Brookland@yahoogrou ps.com
Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010
11:40:49 AM

Bloomingdale Farmer's Market (BFM):
Ted McGinn & Stu obtained DDOT`s permission to restricted residential parking and street closure of the 100 block R St NW, and did not take into consideration the immediately impacted residents concerns about their lack of parking, and the BBC did not pursue alternative available temporary street parking on Florida Ave for the vendors trucks and visitor/patron parking, has attributed to these residents being involuntarily inconvenienced for Mr. Davenport`’s personal and financial interests.

I am a employee of Markets and More LLC owned by Robin Shuster. Ms Shuster is the sole owner of record through the LLC of the Bloomingdale Farmers` Market. Because of her role as owner, only Robin has applied and could apply for any permit from DDOT. As an employee, I have never made any such applications. Please read the following from Robin.


-----Original Message-----
From: Robin Shuster
To: Ted McGinn < mcginnfamily@aol.com >
Sent: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 6:33 pm
Subject: Rebutting


Ted,

As the owner of the market, I, Robin Shuster, am the one who got the original and follow-up permits for the market, The market is in compliance with all the public space rules to which a farmers' market is subject. We got the required number of signatures from the residents of the 100 block of R Street agreeing to the street closure for the market, including one of the current protesters.

The Big Bear Cafe is not part of the market, does involve itself in any of the legal matters between the market and the city (such as getting permits for the market), and has no financial interests in the market. If anything, it is the market that profits from the existence of the BBC. I do not believe that the market would have been sustainable in that location (at least the first year or two) if the Cafe did not exist. On the other hand, the Cafe exists very nicely without the market 6 days a week and half the year when the market is closed.

To address the parking concerns of a couple of R Street neighbors, the market secured the alternative parking on Florida Avenue, which took us several years to do. But we now have official, permitted parking during the market season for all the residents of the 100 block of R Street from Saturday evening to Sunday at 3 pm when residents can again park on R Street. Please note that Markets and More was required by DDOT to provide all signage and instruments needed to safely close the lane for parking with no cost to the city. To provide this accommodation to R Street residents, the market also pays the city a required permit fee for closing the lane.

Robin


Anita, Commissioner Ransom's statements about how parking issues involving the market were handled are wholly false. I did work very hard with Robin to gain approval of parking along North side of Florida Avenue for the residents of the 100 block of R street NW during the market season. Those efforts stemmed out of protests from 3 households along the 100 block of R street NW about parking issues related to the market. The goal was to find nearby special permitted parking that would meet the needs of all the residents on that block including the 3 protesting households.

I started working on the parking issue first with Alice Thompson and later with Richard Norwood, the Ward 5 reps from the Mayor's office. Robin worked with DDOT. All parties including the protesters were working with CM Harry Thomas's office. CM Thomas held a meeting in his office with DDOT Public Space, Robin Shuster and myself. Please note that all of the protesters were invited in writing with follow up phone calls from CM Thomas's office, none of them showed up for the meeting. The outcome of the meeting was the endorsement of creating the parking for the residents with the details to be worked out by DDOT. Robin receive the finial approval the last week of the 2009 market season and the parking started this year. All of the protesting households use the new permitted parking, and I have talked with each of them this spring. All these facts refute the claim that I ``did not take into consideration the immediately impacted residents concerns`` as stated by Commissioner Ransom. Her depiction of my actions regarding the parking issue are false and defamatory.

Second, immediately following the quote above, Commissioner Ransom stated most inaccurately what I have said in public meetings. Here is what she wrote: When I first joined this ANC in 2009, the BFM came before 5C for support for the market and their DDOT request I recall both (Ted McGinn and Stuart Davenport) saying that they had the full support of the immediately impacted residents, they presented a large petition, and we gave support. The Protesters have said they were never contacted, were not aware of the petition, the request, or the item on the 5C agenda. ABC regulations allows for protests based on peace, quiet & order issues, including parking, which the protesters included. If we had known the immediate residents were not allowed to voice their opinions, 5C probably would have delayed the vote until the issue was reconciled as we should to protect eveyone`s interests.

Anita, the public has a real problem when elected officials write or speak in the public venue on the record stating so-called fact from memory. I never said we had the support of every household on the 100 block of R street NW. What I said was that we had met the threshold of support required by DDOT. I have sought the offical minutes from that meeting on the ANC5C Web site, but they and all the minutes going back to Feb of 2008 are not posted. Although a message on the site states that you can email a commissioner to have a copy of the minutes sent to you, in this day and age, residents of ANC5C should have easy access to these public records. Below you will find Micheal Herderson`'s meeting notes that are posted publicly for all to read.

ANC5C Monthly Meeting
Trinity College
Tuesday June 16, 2009
7 pm
From the desk of Michael J. Henderson
For information purposes only
www.edgewooddc.org

An excerpt from the meeting note....

Farmer’s Market – Commissioner Davenport – resolution to support the market and street closing of R street; moved that resolution be passed; Commissioner Salatti 2nd; Commissioner Pinkney asked if residents on that block had signed a petition; Ted McGinn said every year we go to the residents to satisfy DDOT, and each of the three years they have met that threshold; Commissioner Davenport said they have around 80% support from the residents on that block; Commissioner Bonds did the math – 12 residences and only 2 dissent; Commissioner Grant asked why the 2 that did opposed it; Commissioner Bonds said MPD is working to make parking on Florida Avenue for vendors and that would open R street to some extent so residents would not feel put upon; market operates May-November; they are trying to bring harmony and togetherness; there are a couple hundred people who come out; but it is right in front of certain people’s doors every Sunday; motion to vote on resolution to support farmer’s market Bloomingdale and let them close 100 block of R street NW for market operations; also for the city to look favorably on them; motion passed unanimously with editorial corrections

What is clear for all to see is that Ms.Ransom's memories do not match the events of that evening. And her memories do not match records that she could easily have checked before making spurious comments that state that I am a liar.


During that meeting,I presented the Commission with two petitions. The first, large petition was made up of names collected at the main market table. It was never represented as a polling of the 100 block of R Street and that was clearly stated on the opening statement that appeared at the top of each petition sheet. The second petition was a DDOT petition that only the residents on the 100 block of R street could sign. Each address along the street may have more then one vote if it is sub-divided into apartments. If an address is a single household, then it get only one vote. If you sign the petition, then you are supporting the Farmer's Market. If you do not sign, then a blank space is left for that address or apartment and that is counted as a "no" vote. There were three protesters this year, and DDOT granted he permits for the Market.

Commissioner Ransom stated that the protesters were not aware of the Market being on the agenda of ANC5C for the June 2009 meeting, and implies therefore that, assuming there is any truth to that statement, I had something to do with that or was in some way responsible for protesters knowing. ANC5C meeting notices that include the agenda for the meeting are posted on numerous listservs, including the Bloomingdale List. The information is also posted on the ANC5C web site. One of the protesters had posted on the Bloomingdale List more than once during that period of time. It is absurd and dishonest to assert that I had any responsibly to notify anyone about a public meeting.

To sum up, I feel that my good name and reputation have suffered harm from Commissioner Ransom's public writings posted on listservs and blogs. Her printed words reflect on the entire membership of ANC5C because, as of this date, ANC5C has taken no action to seperate the body from her actions.

I repeat that I request a public written apology from Commissioner Ransom and an equally public retraction of the statement by Commissioner Ransom be posted on every listserv she posted it to. I further request that as Chair of ANC5C you state publicly that Commissioner Ransom is not the official spokesperson for ANC5C. Many members of the public have that impression from her numerous postings of so-called fact findings that she is speaking for the whole of the ANC5C.

Repectfully yours in public service, Ted McGinn

President of The Eckington Civic Association
Co-Chair of the Emery Education Center LSRT
Senior Market Manager of the
Bloomingdale Farmers' Market
Resident of ANC 5C02

Sunday, October 11, 2009

From a R St NW resident who despises the Bloomingdale Farmers' Market

Recent commment about the Bloomingdale Farmers' Market by Bloomingdale resident Joe Levesque:

I love the urban mix at our farmers market here in Bloomingdale:

Old fashion live fiddle music,

Ultra chique menu items with fab ingredients

FREE Bicycle repairs and tune-up

No wonder Bloomingdale Farmers market is the 7th favorite small market in the entire USA!!!


And here is some follow-up statements from a Bloomingdale resident on the 100 block of R Street NW, who has made unfavorable remarks about the Bloomingdale Farmers' Market in the past:

I resent the hijacking of our very small block for the privileged few who pay exorbitant prices to vendors who do not even live in our neighborhood or DC.

The tacky and illegal pcv/metal pipe and other homemade sign posts that litter our beautiful tree boxes so as to promote this dreadful market (these must be removed immediately as they are against city ordinance).

The arrogance of a few (including our ANC rep and owner of Big Bear) who does what's best for (his)business and NOT the the citizens of the 100 block of R Street NW. I am hoping someone will run against him during the next election.


What is the source document for claiming 7th in the USA?


I suspect the original poster meant chic and NOT chique. For many of the old time neighbors, however, BFM fiddle music and menu items are from chic!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And let’s review, once again, what the rules are for posting comments:

1) Identify yourself. A full name would be best, but at least include a first name.

2) Identify your neighborhood.

3) Totally anonymous posts will not be allowed and be deleted, regardless of the content of the comment.

BOTH name and neighborhood name are required! Thanks for honoring the rules.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Bloomingdale Farmers Market is Back. this sunday!

got this letter from the Bloomingdale Farmers Market.

Dear BFM Fans:

We're back! This Sunday May 17th. 10-2. Rain or Shine or Thunderstorms.

We hope you will be as well, starting at 10 am in front of the Big Bear Cafe, EVEN IF IT RAINS! Even if it Thunderstorms!

Meet the New producers and all your old favorites .:


The short story is that we have more producers than last year! We have pasta and sauces and jams, we have mushrooms and flowers, we have an organic Loudoun County Vegetable grower plus cheese and yogurt and new breads. We will have a few EGGS this week at Painted Hand/Keswick but LOTS more at Truck Patch in a few weeks. Pastured Lamb and beef and goat and pork. Lots of new breads from Panorama, too. THREE VEGGIE Stands. Tons of Asparagus. Lots of salads and greens. Chard. Spring Onions. Plus Lots of plants for you to grow your own herbs and veggies and flowers. First of the STRAWBERRIES and BEETS.

Read on to learn all the delicious details!

NEW PRODUCER: Many of you asked for a producer of pasta, sauces, and jams. I am really thrilled I found you this one!
Chef Stefano Frigerio of Maestro and Mio fame.

Stefano has given up the restaurant gig for now and has become a local producer using local farm ingredients for his stand, The Copper Pot.

Maestro quality pastas at farmers' market prices: artisanal gnocchi, linguine, spaghetti, cavatelli, sausage ravioli, rabbit ravioli, mushroom ravioli, ricotta-spinach ravioli. And his their sauces: last year he canned 500 jars of late- harvest local tomato sauce. He has added roasted shallots and Barolo sauce and smoky farmer bacon and parmesan sauces for his pastas.

Looking for a little excitement in your jam? Stefano loves to make locally sourced jams with attitude. Concord grape with a little grappa, peach and prosecco, vanilla and strawberry, white figs and balsamic, fresh apple jam. Ask him which Keswick cheeses to serve with his jams....




NEW PRODUCER: You also asked for a third Vegetable Stand and let me introduce you to a fascinating new farmer, Jim Dunlap of SnowBear Farm, a Certified Naturally Grown Farm!


SnowBear Farm was started in 2007. I retired from working for the USG in 2005, and following a trek of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine in 2006, I decided to fulfill a dream of having my own farm. Both Nancy and I grew up in ranching country in Wyoming. We looked at large farms of up to 540 acres in rural locations around the USD, but ended up deciding to see if our small place here in Virginia could make a go of it.

Our farming interests are oriented towards Organic methods, but we settled on a private farming organization -- the National Organic Program due to the high costs of being in the NOP. The organization we joined, and are certified by, is called the Certified Naturally Grown organization. It is easy to find on the web http://www.naturallygrown.org/ and we are listed under the Virginia farms. The CNG program follows all the same rules as the NOP in terms of no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or use of synthetic fertilizers. CNG also emphasizes sustainable agriculture practices.

We hope to provide something of a model to show other landowners in the far suburbs that it is possible to use their large plots of land productively, rather than just let it sit there as giant lawns or as pet horse facilities. Virginia should be the breadbasket for the Metro area during growing season. Is this possible with our outrageously high property taxes? I'll let you know in another year or two.

SnowBear Farm: This week Snowbear will have Simpson's Black Seeded Lettuce (a mild, green leaf lettuce with crinkly edges and a small sweet Romaine called Jericho. Two kinds of spring Onions, arugula, spinach, chives, scallions, baby chard, mizuna, kale, radishes, mustards. The groundhogs breakfasted on the turnips and beets so they will be a little later in the month. Plus lots of plant starts: herbs, vegetables and flowers.

New Producer: Barbara and Dennis of Greenstone Fields who visited us briefly last Fall have joined us with their delicious mushrooms and lovely flowers.

Reid: This weekend Caitlan is bringing Fuji and Pink Lady apples -- very crunchy and flavorful, she wrote. Apple cider, apple sauce, apple butter, pumpkin butter and lots of PLANTS for your gardens and containers. In fact, she is bringing a whole little garden nursery of bedding herbs and vegetable/flower plants. Reid has an astonishing variety of herbs..... basil, chives, cilantro, dill, french tarragon, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, winter savory

Garner: Come early to snag the first of his strawberries. Asparagus galore! The first of the beets with their greens Salads: green and red and romaines, spring onions, chard. And a huge variety of herbs, veggie and flowers you can plant yourself in your garden or containers for your deck or kitchen windows. Plus beautiful hanging flowering baskets, planters and containers.

The Garden Centers at BFM:

Whatever you want for your urban garden, all at Reid, Garner, SnowBear and Common Good City Farm


Just a few of the selections: Lettuce gardens, herb gardens, heirloom tomatoes of every shape and kind, red & green sweet pepper plants, red & yellow sweet italian heirloom stuffing peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, watermelons some hot peppers, "Titan" sunflowers with edible heads, marigolds, phlox, lobelia, shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Petunia, Columbines. crookneck squash plants, heirloom zucchini plants, pattypan plants, broccoli plants, and some arugula plants. Herbs this week: 5 kinds of basil, catnip, chives, cilantro, dill, 9 kinds of lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, 6 kinds of mint oregano, parsley, 8 kinds of rosemary, green & purple sage, summer&winter savory, french tarragon, 10 different thymes for culinary landscaping uses, chocolate mint,


Panorama: Loic keeps coming up with new breads just for us. This week he added 4 new breads: pumpernickel raisin with a touch of molasses, 9 Grain Boule, 9 Grain mini rolls with TOASTED sunflower seeds and a NEW style of baguette that he is very excited about :

This time is the real Outstanding TRADITION PARISIAN BAGUETTE
It is made with the dough of the Rustique with a very long time of proofing (12 hours). The bread is absolutely marvelous

Come early if you want fabulous multigrain rolls with Toasted Sunflower Seeds. I waited too long last week at U Street and they sold out. Lots of other breads as well: plain pumpernickel boule, Rustique, French Country, Croissants, Danish, whole wheat, rye, sourdough breads sliced loaves, baguettes (including French, sun- dried tomato, walnut- raisin) Large olive oil rolls. His breakfast challah..... His breads FREEZE very well for later in the week.

Lots of free samples....

Keswick: NEW: Keswick has been tinkering with their Blue Suede Moo -- it is really silky! By the way, our new pasta chef Stefano says their Ricotta is the real Italian kind --he loves it and uses it in his stuffed ravioli. My favorite yogurt in the world. Cheddar, Wallaby, Lesher, Vermeer, Fetas. I had the Special Reserve Vermeer- aged at least 7 months, it has a nuttier flavor than the younger Vermeer. Bovre, German style Quark and..... pudding.

Painted Hand Farm from Pennsylvania will have humanely raised, grass-fed ROSE veal and goat meat. All cuts: shanks, chops, ground, veal scaloppini (a thin cutlet), breakfast link goat sausage , hot and sweet Italian veal sausage, traditional German-style Bratwurst (veal and pork)
.
Truck Patch: ASPARAGUS- mesclun, lettuce mix, arugula, spinach, radishes, brassica mix, stir fry and braising greens., mint, cilantro, chives, garlic chives, spring onions. I love their chives and garlic chives slivered over asparagus soup. Bryan reminds me that he has asparagus seconds that are perfect for soup.

Brian's pastured pigs root around in shady Maryland groves. Try his thick fresh pork chops for dinner , bone-in and boneless pork loin roast, pork shoulder roast, Boston butt roast, baby back ribs, spare ribs, sausage, hams, bacon. Try their hams if you want to remember what Ham should taste like.

Pastured Beef: Truck Patch has every cut of Black Angus pastured beef.


New Asbury Lamb:

Bill and Joan will have every cut of Spring lamb and will have some sales on Sage and Italian sausage and Whole lamb roasts. Stock up for your Memorial Day barbecues because, as you know, they can only come to market every other week. Special taste treat at their stand: Sample their sausage.

Spring Lamb: whole bone legs, whole boneless legs, half butterfly boneless, kebab cubes, shanks,boneless loin roast, loin chops, racks, rib chops, half boneless shoulder roast, stew cubes, sage and Italian sausage,ground lamb and organ meats

Common Good City Farm (Formerly 7th Street Garden)

They visited us frequently last year -- and they will be joining us permanently this year. You may see them wheeling their produce over to market from their new home at the Gage-Eckington Schoolyard! They will have lots of fresh herbs and plants for your gardens and containers.


See you Sunday, RAIN OR SHINE.


Robin and Ted

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bloomingdale Farmers Market!

Dear BFM fans,

At long last and much awaited, our new producers! Cheese at the market at last!

From Pennsylvania: Keswick Creamery and Painted Hand Farm, From Loudoun County: Greenstone Fields Farm in Loudoun County, From 9th Street NW : Chez Hareg Pastries of Chez Hareg on 9th Street.

So, come out and make these new producers feel really welcome at BFM!

Yes, it's true. We are GROWING: CHEESE AND YOGURT and Veal and Mushrooms and Flowers and Beef and EGGS ARRIVE THIS WEEK AT Bloomingdale Farmers Market! RAIN or SHINE! I repeat, Rain or Shine! Rain or Shine. So if it is raining, just bring your umbrellas. It is dry under the tents and in the BBC.

To celebrate our new producers, we are having a special event:

FREE COOKING SCHOOL Raffle Tickets to All Shoppers Chef Susan Watterson, co-owner of the hot new Cooking School on 14th Street, CulinAerie, We will raffle off ONE FREE CULINAERIE COOKING CLASS FOR TWO and you can use it for any class you want in the next 12 months. IF you shop at BFM, you will get a free raffle ticket from every producer you shop with . So, you have lots of chances to win! She will also be doing a Cooking Demo (see below)

http://www.culinaerie.com/



What's new:

Robin's favorite yogurt from Keswick
11 different hard cheese-- handmade cheddars and fetas and Wallabies and Vermeer
Fresh farmers cheese (Quark)
Fresh Ricotta and Italian Style Vachino Bianca
Blue Cheese
Fresh Bovre soft cheese
Feta and marinated feta in olive oil with peppercorns, a bay leaf and garlic.
Fresh Cream Cheese with herbs
Keswick's own Chocolate pudding, created for Melanie's daughter, Maddy
HUMANELY raised veal chops, scallopini and ground
Shitake Mushrooms
French classic cookies, biscotti, pies and cakes
TASTE FREE Samples of every single cheese at the stand.

Keswick Creamery is a grass-based Pennsylvania dairy farm, a family farm since the 1970s, although Melanie's family have been farmers since the 1800s. The 40 registered Jersey cows eat grass all summer, spring and Fall-- long grass that has never seen a pesticide or fertilizer. Hay in the winter. Of course Keswick does not use antibiotics or hormones, pesticides or fertilizers. Their cheesemaker, Melanie Dietrich-Cochran, has been making cheeses since 2001. She has 40 Registered Jersey cows, the gold standard of dairy cows and they are munching grass and converting it into rich Jersey milk. It has been a closed herd for 25 years which means that the cows are healthy because they are all born on the farm and watched carefully from birth.

They make a nice range of aged raw milk cheeses (aged for at least 60 days) and pasteurized fresh cheeses.

Painted Hand Farm: Running the Keswick stand at BFM will be Sandy Miller, a former California chef and former Food writer for the LA Times. She not only works for Keswick Creamery, but she has her own Painted Hand Farm and she will be bringing her own humanely raised Veal-- Sandy started to raise veal because she did not like the inhumane way calves were raised : talk to her about the way she raises hers! Try her chops, scallopini and ground meat. She will also bring a small quantity of her free- range eggs so come early for those.

Where's the BEEF? It is finally here at BFM at Truck Patch! Steaks, roasts, ground beef. Raised on grass, finished on grass with a choice of grain if the cows want to eat a little as well.

Chez Hareg Pastries: Fabulous classic French cookies, biscotti, pies and cakes plus a whole line of Vegan sweets are Hareg's specialties. She has been written up by the Washingtonian, the Washington Post and a lot of blogs. We are very excited to have her join us for the rest of the season to take NanBon's place. (Aisha has been ill and had to drop out for the rest of the season)

Greenstone Fields Farm: MUSHROOMS and beautiful flowers! Barbara and Dennis raise mushrooms and grow spectacular lilies! I tasted their shitake mushrooms for the first time on Wednesday and they were wonderful. Not available at any other market in DC. A BFM exclusive.


FREE COOKING DEMO: Chef Susan Watterson, co-owner of the hot new CULINAERIE Cooking School on 14th Street, CulinAerie http://www.culinaerie.com/ at the market on Sunday Oct 26th.

Susan has spent the past sixteen years as a cook, chef, and culinary educator. Upon graduation she worked at Old Angler's Inn, a popular Potomac, MD restaurant, and then became Managing Director of L'Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda for two years. Returning to the kitchen, Susan was the catering director of Fresh Start Catering, a division of DC Central Kitchen and then earned acclaim as the executive chef of Café Bethesda, maintaining the restaurant's standing as one of Washingtonian's "One Hundred Very Best" during her tenure of three years. She was most recently a full-time instructor for technique courses at L'Academie, including the popular Fundamental Culinary Techniques and Culinary Skills Lab courses. Susan searches out authentic cooking techniques on her many travels around the globe and serves on L'Academie de Cuisine's Advisory Board.

Plus our *old favorites* --all the great breads at Panorama, the wonderful apples and ciders and fruit sauces and preserves at Reid, the terrific range of vegetables at Garner and Truck Patch. And Truck Patch's pastured pork chops, roasts, bacon, sausages.

Now you can make a truly great meat loaf with ground pork and beef from Truck Patch and ground veal from Painted Hand Farm. Wow. Or a steak smothered in mushrooms from the market.

Or stuffed mushroom caps with Keswick Cheese. Yum.

Robin, Ted, Ben, Jess

Saturday, August 23, 2008

farmers market tomorrow

Good morning BFM fans,

Ted says: Another great weekend is coming up and you will find new items and great deals at the BFM......Reid will have the first grapes of the season together with fresh pressed apple cider and heirloom tomato juice. Stop by early, grab a melon, some croissants and free- range breakfast sausage,plus a bottle of heirloom Tomato juice then head home to make a great brunch featuring heirloom bloody mary's.


Reid: Grapes! Grapes. Grapes. Caitlin is growing wine and eating grapes. Plus Satsuma and Duarte sweet plums, raspberries, blackberries, pesticide-free heirloom tomatoes, white and yellow peaches, yellow nectarines, and great eating and cooking apples. NEW NEW NEW: Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Spreads: 1) Marsala Wine/ Sweet Onion, 2) Spicy 3) Basic House. More of their seriously peachy Peach Juice, some Heirloom Tomato Juice, and the first Apple Cider of the season. Many people say it is the best cider in the region. Try it yourself and decide.



Truck Patch Farms: Tomato Sale: Quarts of sauce, canning, gazpacho, cooking tomatoes: $3.50 a quart (about 2 pounds in a quart so about 1.75 a pound.). Use them for sauce, canning, gazpacho, cooking. I bake a bunch of them regularly on a hotel or cookie with olive oil, garlic, thyme and salt, and roast them for 5 or 6 hours at 250 degrees. Then I used half as a sauce and throw half in a freezer bag for a gray winter day.. Green beans, peppers, cucumbers, squash and squash blossoms, Sugar Baby and Crimson Treats watermelons. herbs.

I grilled some of their pork chops (rubbed with Indian spices and salt for dinner Wednesday night.) Just let them sit with the spices for at least hour before you cook them. Raves at the table. And if you pre-salt them and let them sit overnight, they cook up even juicier! (The salt acts like a brine and makes the chops really juicy).

Hungry for salads? Brian is growing tiny heads of romaine and other lettuces. Great with their arugula.

And pork, pork, pork, of course.

Did you see the WP article on baby squash/ flower fritters for breakfast: here is how to do it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/20/AR2008082001032.html


Garner: Bernard asked us to tell you that he picks his cantaloups RIPE so they should be eaten on Sunday or Monday. Don't wait three or four days or they will be overripe.

Tomatoes, White sweet corn,cherry tomatoes, green beans, white superior potatoes,s eggplants, peppers, okra, squash, baby lima beans (boil and eat like edamame) , RIPE cantaloup for Eating NOW, watermelons, cukes.

Those mild-flavored, yellow pattypan squashes look funny but they are made for stuffing (or you can slice them for the grill). Just slice off the top for a lid, hollow them out and stuff them with ssauteed chopped veggies or cheese or a mix of sauteed meat and rice and veg...

http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/products/vegetables/pattypan/

Tip:
* To know if the squash is cooked, poke it with a knife as you would do with a potato. Its tender flesh can be scooped out with a spoon.
* It appears in numerous dishes in the islands.
* Prepare pattypans like stuffed peppers. Bake for 20 minutes covered with aluminum foil.
* Sauté thinly sliced pattypans, seasoned as you would a sauté of chanterelle mushrooms.
* They go well with highly-flavored accompaniments: stuffings with ginger, vinegar, sweet and sour soups.

Recipes

Prepare like stuffed peppers.
If you decide to stuff the pattypans, cut off the lids; hollow out the inside with a spoon; heat some butter and oil in a skillet until foamy, add onion and cook gently until translucent; add meat and spices; cook for 3 minutes longer; blend in some bread crumbs; stuff the pattypans and place them in a baking dish into which you've poured 1/2" of water.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350° F, covered with aluminum foil. They can be served on their own, or with a tomato or white sauce, depending on the ingredients of the stuffing.
At the end of the cooking time, you can remove the lids and gratiné the pattypans by laying a piece of brie cheese over the stuffing.
Stuffing for a one-dish meal
Squash flesh, mushrooms, chicken breast and shallots, diced and sautéed; add cream, mint, parsley, salt and pepper and bake for at least 30 minutes in a 350° F oven.
OR
Stuff with a knob of butter or a mixture of ground meat( beef, pork or lamb), tomatoes, sautéed onions, garlic and ginger.

NanBon: lots more peach and berry cobblers.

7th Street Garden is back with eggplants, herbs, plants, greens and some surprises.

Breadline continues to have those great squares of onion focaccia, baguettes, muffins, cookies and loaves of multi-grain, whole wheat and French Country breads. (Let them know if they are running out of your favorite breads before you can buy them.)

See you Sunday

Robin, Ted, Ben, Jess


--
Robin Shuster
Markets & More
14& U Farmers Market
Bloomingdale Farmers Market

email: marketsandmore@gmail.com (sign up for our weekly market email!)
The 14&U Farmers Market:
Day: Every Saturday May 10- November 22nd,
Time: 9am - 1pm
Place: On the sidewalk of the Reeves Plaza, at the NW corner of 14th and U Streets NW.



The Bloomingdale Farmers Market:
Date: Every Sunday May 18th- November 23rd,
Time:10am - 2pm
Place: In front of the Big Bear Cafe on First and R Streets NW.

We Welcome WIC and Senior GET FRESH checks at both markets.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Bloomingdale Farmers Market 2008 !

IMG_7403

The Bloomingdale Farmers Markets resumes this Sunday 10-2.
100 Block of R Street NW


The market will run from 10am till 2pm each Sunday rain or shine, May 18th through November 23rd.

Senior and WIC GET FRESH checks are welcomed

Our theme this year is act Green, lets try to have a plastic bag free market. Please bring reusable bags or recycled store bags to haul the bounty of the Good Earth home. Buying locally grown or raised foods will help to reduce your annual carbon footprint by 11%. Using your own bags will reduce that amount even further. Ask about the new line of compostable single use cups and plates that the Big Bear Cafe plans to use. We are going to start a demonstration composting project at Emery Elementary school using the post consumer waste from the Big Bear.


IMG_7409
who will be there?

Reid will have herb plants for sale
Truck Patch will have free range Pork and great spring salad greens
Bread Line Fresh baked breads


more info will come later in the week.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Last Bloomingdale Farmers' Market of the Season




Last Market Day Till 08

We have had a great first year in Bloomingdale and with your support we can look forward to many more years of locally grown produce, free range meats, eggs and top shelf baked goods.

Our market is small but every one of our producers is simply outstanding. We get unique items that can't be found in some of the larger markets.

We have a very special market location, within walking distance for most people, with a shaded park and, of course, the Big Bear.

Every Sunday since June we have closed the 100 block of R street NW to cars and opened it up to the neighborhood. A weelky block party with something for everyone.

Babies in strollers to octogenarians, every race and life style, dogs and their pet humans, all at market, all having fun.

Live music by DOS, the Haitian Boys Choir and our free pig roast were a real crowd pleasers.

LOCAL, GREEN and HEALTHLY . When you buy locally you strengthen the area economy in a green manner. The reduction of green house gases by shorter transporting and multiple warehousing. Smaller impact on resources because market products aren't repacked many times before they arrive to the consumer. Many Market goers took the extra step of bring reusable bags to market, something we will really push next season.

Healthy produce, meats and baked goods and they all have tasted sooooooooooo good!

If you have enjoyed the Bloomingdale Farmers Market and want it back next year this is your chance to sound off. Please e-mail me with your market story and I will compile all your comments to pass along to the people that make the decisions. mcginnfamily@aol.com

Thanks for your support.

ted mcginn


Dear Friends of the Bloomingdale Farmers Market:

Please join us for the LAST MARKET of the 2007 season this Sunday and gather your Thanksgiving goodies so that you can cook up a table filled with our regions wonderful local foods, baked and boiled, braised and sauteed, stir fried and roasted.

Local Bloomingdale baker Aisha Bond will have her sweet potato pie,bread pudding, buttermilk pecan pies and brownies for your Thanksgiving feasts. ( They freeze very well)

Blueberry Hill has holiday wreaths from their own flowers.
Greens to braise and saute and stirfry: collards, kale, spinach, chard, Tat Soi, Bok Choy,
Salads, lettuce mixes, endive, arugula, mesclun,
Brussels sprouts loose and on the stalk to bake and saute (DON'T boil them!)
Green and Purple Broccoli
White, Purple and Cheddar Cheese Cauliflower
Yukon Gold and Fingerling Potatoes to bake, boil or mash
Beets
Winter Squash: Butternut, Acorn, Carnival, varieties to mash, puree, roast or make into soup
Breadline's bags of bread and cornbread for stuffing
Lamb and pork sausages, bacon and ham to season your stuffing and brussels sprouts
20 varieties of apples to eat, bake or make into sauce
Pears to poach in red wine or mulled cider
Fresh herbs
Baby Turnips to braise in butter or roast or mash
Jade Green beans
Ciders to mull


Reid has tables and tables of eating and cooking apples, Asian pears,bartletts, bosc, apple butter, apple sauce, pumpkin pear butter, fruit sauces, jams and their famous ciders: apple. apple-cherry, pear.

Lots of meadow- raised Lamb fron New Asbury Farms and Truck Patch's Pastured Pork to stock your fridges.

And of course, we will have lots of recipes to inspire you.

Bloomingdale Farmers' Market
Sunday November 18
First and R Streets NW (between Rhode Island and North Cap)
10-2 pm

We welcome WiC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition coupon.

Robin and Ted

--
Robin Shuster
Markets & More, LLC
Director, Mount Pleasant Local Food Market
14 & U Farmers Market
1318 Wallach Place NW
Washington, DC 20009
1-(202)-536-5571
703-328-6559
The Bloomingdale Farmers' Market:
June 17- November 18th, 2007
Rain or Shine
Sundays, 10-2
First and R Streets NW
right next to the new Big Bear Cafe

We welcome WIC and CSFP Senior Farmers Market Coupons.




last bloomingdale farmers market for the year.




this sunday.
10-2.
first and r nw.


please come out and support the farmers market for its last sunday of the season.
the more support we give the market, the more vendors will be interested in setting up.

lets at least make sure that the ones currently setting up will be back next year.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

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.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

NanBon, appearing live at the bloomingdale farmers market!

NanBon
Sweet breads and desserts

Can I take your order, please???

NanBon’s delectable desserts compliment any meal or moment. Our signature bread pudding is so sweet and light and lovely, it bakes more like a soufflé than any other bread pudding you’ve tasted. Don’t forget our delightful pies that touch that special spot in the tummy that you thought only grandma or that special aunt could touch.

Menu:
Bread Pudding* Lemon Sauce
• Cinnamon raisin 8oz $8
• Apples and caramel 12oz $12
• Chocolate
• Peacans
Small- $7 meduim-$15 Large- $25
*Try our lemon sauce made from our homemade lemon curd as the perfect compliment to any of our bread puddings.

Buttermilk peacan pie: Sweet potato pie:
Large pie $25 Large pie $20
Tartlette $4 Tartlette $3

French apple tart: Rasberry frangipone tart:
8 “tart $10 8” tart $10
tartlette $4 tartlette $4

Brownies:
Individual $3 Dozen $30

HOLIDAY ORDER DISCOUNT!! Receive 10% OFF orders over $50.
Call 202-409-6485 or order online at acwbond@gmail.com.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

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

Sunday, September 09, 2007

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.