FreshFarm Markets Brings Local Farms to Washington, DC

In recent years, there’s been a drastic shift in the culinary world. The focus, from chefs down to consumers, has put a spotlight directly on the carbon footprint caused by eating.

In an effort to reduce that, a massive local food movement is underway, with people trying to mostly consume products grown or raised near where they live.

In the D.C. area, this trend has been successful because there are numerous farms raising almost anything you could want, allowing you to cook entire meals with ingredients that all come from within 100 miles of your house.

Of course, as busy as we are, no one has the time to drive down to rural Virginia or up to southern Pennsylvania to buy an organically raised chicken.

That’s okay, because everything is brought here for the area’s numerous farmers markets. They dot the area, allowing you to buy farm fresh, healthy food whenever you want.

The biggest purveyor of area farmer’s markets is FreshFarm Markets, which runs 11 markets in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

They are so large that they have a market open somewhere in the D.C. area five days a week. On Tuesday, there’s a Crystal City location. Wednesday’s they host two, in Foggy Bottom and by the Health and Human Service Building in Southwest DC. On Thursday, there are options at Penn Quarter and near the White House. These weekday markets are typically open from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 at night.

On Saturday, four of their spots are open: Silver Spring, Bethesda, H Street NE and St. Michael’s. Sunday brings their largest farmer’s market, the Dupont Circle Market, located just north of the circle. Weekend markets are typically selling from 9:00 a.m. to noon or one.

You can see FreshFarm’s full schedule here.

FreshFarm Markets’ suppliers are some of the area’s best farms and the list of food to purchase is astounding. Just about everything is grown or raised in the Washington, DC region.

At the Bethesda Market, you can pick up locally grown lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers from Mocks Greenhouse which brings their produce to D.C. from just over 100 miles away, in Berkley Spring, West Virginia.

For fruits, Black Rock Orchard, provides to almost all of FreshFarms’s locations, bringing apples, raspberries, apricots and nectarines. They all are grown in Carroll County, MD, just northwest of Baltimore.

But this generation’s farmer’s markets aren’t limited to produce. No, they also provide a stunning array of meats.

If you are looking to cook a lamb dinner, there’s no need to pick up chops butchered in New Zealand and flown over the Pacific. Virginia Lamb raises lambs on a farm in Berryville, just 60 miles west of the city. Virginia Lamb only sells at the Dupont Market though, so if you are interested, be sure to head there.

At FreshFarm’s Annapolis location, you can buy bison meat that is raised right in Maryland. Yes, this area has its own bison farm, Gunpowder Bison & Trading Company, in Monkton, Maryland, just 30 miles north of Baltimore.

The selection of cuts for bison are the same as cattle. There are bison steaks, roasts, burgers and sausages. It’s a healthy and more-environmentally friendly alternative to beef.

There’s also freshly made cheese to purchase. In Shippensburg, PA, Garden Path Farm makes cheddar and asiago from their cows and feta from their sheep, which they bring down to the H Street NE farmer’s market.

So next week, do yourself and the environment a favor, and check out the area’s local farmer’s markets. There’s certainly one near you.   And when you go, set a goal: just like locavores want, see if you can put together a meal that comes entirely from this region. It’s much easier than you think.

- David

Mylife in Metro DC: Destination Dewey

I feel like it is an unofficial rite of passage that every true DC’er, at some point during the summer, takes a long weekend trip to Dewey Beach before they are dubbed the honor of being a REAL DC resident.

Each year, come Memorial Day weekend, Facebook is a flutter with endless photos tags and check-ins to all the local Dewey bars and filled with status updates like “Monday, Tuesday, Dewey!!!!!!”

And I’ve found that until you’ve been there yourself — you feel like a DC outsider.

With one year of city living under my belt and no beach trips on the record, it was time for me to take the plunge.

So when a friend invited me to join her and 6 of our other friends for a long weekend at her parent’s gorgeous beach house (read: FREE place to stay!!) in Bethany, I jumped at the invitation.

True, Bethany Beach wasn’t located right IN Dewey (it’s less than 10 miles away), but the beaches were equally as beautiful and it was just a short jaunt away to the local nightlife that attracts all the young vacationers to Dewey Beach.

We planned our trip for the weekend AFTER Memorial Day.  Yes, I know, everyone loves Memorial Day Weekend in Dewey, but her parents were using the house and the 6+ hours in traffic both ways was less than desirable for my “weekend getaway.”  So we set out on our adventure after work on Thursday.

If you are planning your trip for a non-holiday weekend, I would highly recommend this – we hit zero traffic and were there and ready to hit the beach first thing Friday morning to make the most of the day.

The beaches were much nicer than other local spots I’ve visited, and not long after we picked out our sandy spot, we had some pretty intense games of bocce ball and tag football going on.  The weather was perfect for a long day at the beach, not too hot with a welcoming breeze.

Personally, the water was way too cold for my liking, but we did catch a curious pod of dolphins playing right in the wake by the shore (closer than I’ve ever seen), which more than made up the chilly water!

That night we headed in to Dewey to check out the bar scene.  If you are staying Bethany I HIGHLY recommend you check out the local bus schedule and take the bus into Dewey.

The bus cost us a skimpy buck each, whereas the short cab ride was rumored to cost over FIFTY dollars– yikes.  Do take note that even though last call at the bars is at 12:45am, the last bus back to Bethany picks up at 12:40am in front of the Lighthouse Restaurant, and you don’t want to miss it!

The group decided on Rusty Rudder as the first stop for the evening.  That night a cover band, “Kristen and the Noise” was playing and the bar cover was seven dollars per person.  Drinks were reasonably priced (drafts are your most cost conscious drinks) and the bar was HUGE with multiple options for music and “bar scenes.” The inside is more club-like, while the outside deck feels more like your typical beach bar.

After a few hours of enjoying the patio and the band, we decided before heading to the bus stop, we’d cap off our night with a trip to Nalu Hawaiian Surf Bar & Grill to snag a bite to eat.  If you are looking for delicious late night food, give Nalu’s a try, we had the most delicious and large serving of nachos I’ve had in years!  Yum.

The rest of our long weekend was filled with more beaching and trips to some of the other local attractions.

The Bethany Boardwalk was adorable filled with local shops, ice cream parlors, restaurants and on this particular Saturday, a local craft fair.

We also took a trip down to Rehoboth to find some bargains at the shopping outlets.   As a self-proclaimed outlet shopping expert, I must say these are some of my new favorites – I will most certainly be taking a trip back just for shopping!

With the long weekend in Delaware now behind me, I feel that I’ve truly embraced my inner DC persona and can now confidently join in with others as they talk about their beach weekends and which local Dewey watering hole is their favorite.  An outsider no more.

And maybe, just maybe, next year I’ll even go down for the infamous Memorial Day weekend.

- Kristin

To share your favorite Dewey stories, learn more about MyLife, view pictures, videos, post comments, and suggest adventures please “like” MyLife in Metro DC on Facebook!

Leesburg, VA Market Report – 6/7/11

Our Northern Virginia Market continues to show a steady increase in the average sale price.  And with the exception of a few isolated markets, the average sales price continues to increase year over year.

However, the Leesburg, VA statistics do not reflect the overall climate of Northern Virginia.  While most markets have shown modest gains in sale price along with slight decreases in number of active listings and slight increases days on market, the Leesburg market shows reverses in all trends.

This is probably dictated by the further commuting distance to employment centers, and by the age of the current properties on the market and the true lack of home sales compared to the hot bed of new home sales in the Southern Loudoun markets such as Ashburn, Aldie, and Chantilly.

Let’s look at the Statistics for April:

101 Sales for April, 2011 (Down 18% from 124 Sales in April 2010)

199 Listings for April, 2011  (Down 7% from 214 Listings in April 2010)

Average sales price for April, 2011 was $411,933  (Down 1.5% from the Average of $411,933 in April 2010)

Average days on the market listing to contract for April, 2011 was 80 (Up 36% from 51 days in April 2010)

When you are considering selling your home or purchasing a new home, pick a reputable, well know and well-capitalized company, interview at least 2 qualified agents, and move forward.  If you’re purchasing, interests rates are still at all time lows.  If you’re selling, join the market while there is still limited inventory and interest rates are still attracting buyers!

Commentary and analysis provided by Jim Agnew, Avery Hess, Realtors, Dulles/Westfields Regional Office
Search for homes in Leesburg, VA and the entire DC Metro:www.averyhess.com

Take a Paddle on the Potomac

Everyone knows just how swelteringly hot it can get in Washington D.C. during the summer. These past two days of 95 degree temperatures and 90 percent humidity confirmed what everyone that lives here already knows.

In the summer, you have to beat the heat.

For some people, that means heading to the nearest pool and for others, staying inside with the air-conditioning blasting.

For the outdoors-type, people who aren’t swayed by the daily forecast, Washington, DC offers an excellent way to cool off during summertime. And if you’ve ever driven across the Memorial or Key Bridge, you know exactly what this is.

The Potomac River may be one of this city’s most underappreciated features. There’s no reason you shouldn’t take advantage of it. And there are two great ways for all types of adventure-seekers to enjoy it.

The first is with a kayak. For beginners, people who’ve never navigated their own boat, the lower part of the Potomac, south and east of Great Falls Park, offers serene water and a calm place to learn. There are no rapids and a slow current, which means kayaks are easy to control and steer.

For the thrill-seeking, expert kayakers, there are the rapids of Great Falls Park. This whitewater run presents the toughest rapids anywhere near Washington, D.C., and should only be attempted by those with advanced experience.

For those who don’t own a kayak, there are two great places to rent from and learn how to use the small crafts.

At Jack’s Boathouse, which is directly under the Key Bridge, right on the river, kayaks can be rented for $14 an hour. On the weekends, Jack’s is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A little further north up the river, but with cheaper rates, is The Boathouse at Fletcher’s Cove. There, a kayak can be rented for $10 an hour. A full day’s rental costs just $28 dollars. On the weekends, they are also open for 12 hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Kayaking isn’t the only way to experience the river. For those that have paid close attention while looking at the Potomac, they’ve noticed another water sport that is sweeping the area: Paddle boarding.

What is paddle boarding? Well, it’s basically surfing without the waves.

Paddle boarders take out on the water what is essentially a giant surfboard, but one that’s wider and easier to balance on. You also take with you a long paddle. That’s it. Dip the paddle in the water and easily push yourself around the river.

It’s simple enough to learn, and Jack’s Boathouse rents paddle boards to the uninitiated for $20 an hour.

If you’d like to a lesson though, Paddle DC offers one-and-a-half hour blocks for one person at $65 a session. If you’ve got a friend, save $10 and get the lesson for $120 total.

Either way, to get the most out of this seriously hot summer, head down to the river and try something different.

-David