Union Market will host a year-round farmers market on Sundays beginning Sept. 17. FRESHFARM, the D.C.-based nonprofit that operates over two dozen markets across the region, made the announcement on social media this week.
Union Market will host a year-round farmers market on Sundays beginning Sept. 17. FRESHFARM, the D.C.-based nonprofit that operates over two dozen markets across the region, made the announcement on social media this week.
The market will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and feature over a dozen local farmers and vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, pastured meats, baked goods, prepared food, roasted coffee and tea, plus flowers. For now, there will not be a compost drop-off station, as there are at some of the area’s other markets.
FRESHFARM has a few locations in Northeast D.C. but only the one on Monroe Street NE near Brookland Metro station currently operates year-round. The nonprofit’s senior markets manager, Katie Wolffe, says one of their goals is to expand existing markets into year-round ones.
“If food access is important in the spring, summer, and fall, it is also important in the winter,” says Wolffe via email.
Union Market will have the following vendors to start:
FJ Medina and Sons Farm, which sells vegetables, herbs, berries, and plants from their Virginia farm
Marco’s Produce, which sells vegetables, herbs, and plants from their Virginia farm
Rock Run Creek Farm, which sells microgreens, mushrooms, and plants from their Virginia Farm
RavenHook Bakehouse, which sells bread, baked goods, and pastries
The Pork Stork, which sells beef and pork
Blue’s Coffee & Tea Company, which sells coffee and tea
Believe N Bread, which sells bread, cookies, and cakes using organic or gluten free flour.
HEX Ferments, which sells ferments like pickles and kombucha
House of Empanadas, which sells empanadas
Pho From Home, which sells hot and takeaway pho
Priority Pickles, which sells ferments and pickles
Republic Restoratives, which sells local spirits
Taco Dirty To Me, which sells tacos
The Baking District, which sells cookies and pastries
Abi’s Mexican Food, which sells Mexican food
Nicole’s Kitchen, which sells pastries and sweets
Chacho Spirits, which sells local spirits
Wollam Gardens, which sells plants and bouquets of flowers
A farmers market is not the only new thing to do at Union Market — Stephen Starr just opened up a flashy Mexican restaurant called El Presidente.
Wolffe said FRESHFARM is also interested in opening new markets and evaluates each opportunity when the nonprofit is approached by community members.
FRESHFARM, which is the country’s third largest third-largest farmers market organization, opened a small market at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum in April. It is closing in mid-November and will re-open again in April. The nonprofit hopes to expand the farm stand once they build a dedicated clientele. It’s the first FRESHFARM market in Ward 8 east of the Anacostia River, an area with fewer grocery store options than the rest of the city.