Help the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace raise money for needy families

This is great: the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace, our neighborhood farmers market, is holding a Thanksgiving event to donate $50 of credit to the market to needy families. Their original goal was to raise enough to donate $50 to 50 families, but they've already topped that number. Their new goal is to raise enough to donate to $100 to those families -- $5,000!

You can help by going here and donating what you can, and read on for more info from the Marketplace folks:

The Columbia Heights farmers market has already surpassed its goal of raising $2,500 to give 50 needy families $50 each to spend at the market before Thanksgiving. Based on the success, they're now shooting to raise $5,000 with less than 2 weeks to go.

Every year the market matches federal food assistance dollars 2-to-1 to help low-income residents access the fresh local food at the market. That program has been a huge success, so much so that the market runs out of cash every year well before the end of the season. The Farmers Market Thanksgiving campaign came about to extend that program at a time of year when people are celebrating food and family. 

An added bonus: the money goes to the local producers and farmers that make the market so special.

It's not too late to help out. Check out their fund raising page here
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/farmer-s-market-thanksgiving

Last Petworth farmers market of the season is today: kids' Halloween events, costume contest, music, more!

It's getting chilly, and the Petworth Farmers' Market is ending their season today. In celebration of a successful year, and for the holiday, they're having a lot of kids' events too. Take a look and go pick up some farm-grown good stuff.

The market is today (Friday) from 4-8pm at the triangle where Georgia Avenue, 9th Street and Upshur Street NW meet.

Here's more info on the kids' events.

PETWORTH COMMUNITY MARKET HOSTS: The Final Market and Halloween CelebrationDate and Time: Friday October 25 from 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Events and details: Parents and friends bring your children and/ or pets dressed in costume from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. for….

• A Scavenger Hunt
• Create your own Trick-or-Treat Bag
• Coloring
• Halloween Bucket Ball Toss
• Mummy Bowling
• Trick-or-Treating
• Eminence Band will close out the season from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Trivia night at Looking Glass on Thursday to benefit the Petworth Community Market

If you like beer, trivia or farmer's markets, you're in luck: on Thursday starting at 7, the Looking Glass Lounge is hosting a trivia night to benefit the Petworth Community Market. The market, which takes place every Friday from 4-8 pm at 9th and Upshur, is one of the few that happen during the week.

Some of the questions will be fruit- and vegetable-related, and there's a suggested $10 donation, with the money going to pay for equipment, staff and more for the market.

So bone up (ha) on your fruits and veggies and get to Looking Glass!

Here's more details from their Facebook event:

Put your fruit and veggie knowledge to the test at the first-ever Petworth Community Market TRIVIA NIGHT! 

What vegetable's name means "the large pearl?"
Are eggplants a fruit or a vegetable?
Thursday, September 12 

at the Looking Glass Lounge (3634 Georgia Ave NW)
Sign-in opens at 6 / Trivia starts at 7 

$10 suggested donation 

Funds raised at trivia night will help pay for equipment, staff, and bonus dollars at the Petworth Community Market.

Columbia Heights Community Marketplace celebrates Nat'l Farmers Market Week this weekend

This weekend is National Farmers Market Week, and the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace is the host to some officials from the US Department of Agriculture. There's going to be cooking demonstrations, music, and educational activities for kids, plus a presentation about some USDA farmers market data.

The Community Marketplace is really a nice market if you've never been -- my favorite parts are the bakers and the sausage makers (which I guess means the butchers and the bakers, but not the candlestick makers.) There's also lots of produce, flowers, and craftspeople. Sometimes popsicle makers and others show up too.

The market is in the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza in the triangle at 14th, Kenyon and Park Rd NW from 9am-1pm, rain or shine.

Farmer's market update: MtP, Columbia Heights, 14&U, Petworth all open!

If you like farmer's markets, this is your time. All of our local markets are open, with Columbia Heights, 14th and U and Petworth all starting recently and the Mt. Pleasant Market opening a few weeks ago.

I'm a big fan of the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace, which aside from produce, meat, cheese and dairy also has crafts and other services. It's pretty great. It's on Saturday from 9am-1pm at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza, the triangle where 14th, Kenyon and Irving meet.

Mt. Pleasant's market is a bit smaller, but still with a nice selection and a good, neighborhood-y vibe. Random neighborhood folks will play music there sometimes and it's great to go shopping and then grab a coffee and pastry across the street at Heller's Bakery. They're also open every Saturday from 9am-1pm at Lamont Park, where Lamont hits Mt. Pleasant Street.

I haven't been to the Petworth Community Market, but they have the distinction of being open on Friday afternoons, from 4pm to 8pm on 9th between Georgia and Upshur.

14th and U is one of the older markets around, and as such has a pretty big vendor presence. They're also open Saturdays from 9am-1pm.

So go! Which is your favorite?

Petworth Farmers Market opens today! 4-8pm at 9th and Upshur

The Petworth Market, a rarity in that it's during the week, starts today! Located at the open area at 9th and Upshur NW, they're open every Friday from 4-8pm. Here's more from them:

The Petworth Market Opens Today! Calling all Petworth friends, fresh fruit lovers, children and Ward 4 residents. Petworth Community Market opens TODAY, this Friday, May 3, from 4 - 8 PM. We will have local produce, music from Superior Cling and a tasty demo from Chez Billy! Come see us each Friday, starting today, from 4-8 p.m. at Upshur & 9th Streets, NW at Georgia Ave. See more details below:

Local Food The market will have local goodies including eggs from Radix Farm, Apple Butter from Kuhn Orchards, Qualia Coffee, Goldilocks Goodies and more!

Columbia Heights farmers market starts May 4, MtP market already going

 

The weather is nice, which means among other things (patio bars, for example) it also means it's farmers market time!

Mount Pleasant's market (pictured) is already up and running, starting last weekend. They're open from 9am-1pm on Saturdays, and I've always liked it. You can grab some food for meals, some fruit and then head across the street to Heller's bakery for some breakfast and coffee. Plus there's occasionally random bands that will set up and play, which is always fun. They're located at the Lamont triangle park at Mt. Pleasant Street and Lamont.

And our very own market, the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace, will be starting up in a couple weeks: May 4 is their first day. The market, which has a lot of farmers, bakers, cheese and sausage makers and other artisanal food types, also has crafters and other fun stuff. They're also open on Saturdays from 9-1 at the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza at 14th/Park/Kenyon.