The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmers Market kicked off its 24th season on May 3 with an opening performance by local band “Granny and the Boys.”
The farmers market is located next to the USDA Headquarters at 12th and Independence Ave., S.W., and runs every Friday from May 3 to Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shop for produce, fresh-cut flowers, textile products, homemade breads, and local foods—from cheeses to dog treats. Breakfast and lunch options are plentiful, too. Food businesses at the market use local ingredients sourced directly from farmers and ranchers in the region. After shopping and eating, borrow a blanket to picnic on the lawn and listen to music by local artists.
“We are excited to welcome vendors and visitors to the USDA Farmers Market again this year. For 24 seasons, the market has been a place for local producers to sell to not only to the employees working nearby, but also to the city’s visitors enjoying the National Mall,” said Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Greg Ibach. “More than 30 vendors sell a range of local products, from honey to hot sauce, made right here in the Chesapeake Bay region.”
The market also features VegU, the popular fruit and vegetable education program, to teach shoppers how to grow, pick, prepare and store different fruits and vegetables. Visitors can receive a “VegU-cation” by attending 10-minute classes in the VegU tent between 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Other special activities include a celebration of Pollinator Week on June 21 and National Farmers Market Week on August 9.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service operates the USDA Farmers Market and works to improve marketing opportunities for producers across the country through the combination of research, technical assistance and grants. AMS connects consumers to producers at more than 8,600 farmers markets across the United States through the National Farmers Market Directory, available online at www.usdalocalfooddirectories.com.
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