In the busy, fast-paced world of Washington, DC, how do you eat right? A wonderfully colorful variety of fruits and veggies can be had for quite a deal at those quaint little produce stands popping up all over in the summertime. What's great about the DC area is that you can find such healthy alternatives right in the city, as well as in more suburban areas.
Your local farmer's market offers veggies that aren't pre-packaged, stamped, and wearing those small stickers that mean you probably should be looking elsewhere for your nutrition requirements! Irradiated, non-organic produce is just not ideal. If you have access to sun-ripened fruits and veggies, by all means, go for it!
For Eco-minded, health-conscious vegetarians, vegans, and raw vegans, they truly are the equivalent of a quick trip through a fast food drive-thru. If you're pressed for time on a lunch break, or traveling on vacation with the family and need to satisfy a few hungry kids in the backseat, roadside produce stands can really come in handy. Armed with nothing but a knife and some napkins, you can eat a fresh lunch that's healthy, local, and deliciously satisfying.
Those of us aspiring to eat more raw fruits and veggies as well as seasoned raw vegans truly are lucky to happen upon one of these stands not just while meandering down a country back road or lonely highway but near your job, or near your home. Who can resist juicy, red, ripe tomatoes grown the old-fashioned way? Cucumbers and melons are the perfect cool-down foods after a sweltering day in the sun - or a hot and heavy day at work. The snap and crunch of raw okra and sugar snap peas replaces those potato chips you want to avoid.
The next time you see one of those little stands on the side of the road, don't hesitate! Pull over, check out the selection, and have a quick chat with the grower. It's nice to put a face with your food. Fresh produce is loaded with all the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals your body craves. Sun ripened is supreme. This is fast food the way nature intended!
FRESHFARM Markets is a network of 11 farmers markets scattered throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. The organization was started in 1997 when the first market at Dupont Circle opened. FRESHFARM Markets incorporated in 2002 as an independent and nonprofit. They are producer-only markets, meaning farmers can sell only what is grown or produced on their own farms, ensuring local, freshly grown fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products.
FRESHFARM Markets features cooking demonstrations through the Chef at Market program, where local chefs, cooks, and home-cooking enthusiasts create freshly prepared dishes with the produce. The Gleaning program distributes surplus produce to local communities who are in need of food. And be sure to check out the wonderful database of recipes on the website!
You can find a FARMFRESH Market in Dupont Circle, on H Street NE, Penn Quarter, at the Health and Human Services Building on Independence Avenue SW, and near the White House on Vermont NW. In addition to these markets, there are others supplied by local producers in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and various locations around the city. (See the Washington Post list for more area markets.) Several of these markets, including the ones at 14th and U and at Bloomingdales made the list to Top 20 Farmer's Markets.
Needless to say, DC farmer's markets are right in line with the new emphasis on healthy eating promoted by the First Lady, Michelle Obama. She is a major supporter of local farm markets, has planted a garden at the White House, and supports the urban gardening movement in the city.
For a longer introduction to DC farmer's markets, see the 29-minute video.
You can find raw food, fast food right in the city. Want the home of your dreams, in the neighborhood of your choice, near some of the best-rated farmer's markets in the nation? Don't hesitate to call Rachel Valentino, DC's "Best Real Estate Agent" as voted by the Washington City Paper for a no-pressure consultation. Rachel is on top of DC's real estate scene and active in all avenues of the market - including private residences, new construction, luxury market and the condo and co-op community.
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