Good Thinking!

By Jordan Wright

Crystal Farms, the new Farmers’ Market on Crystal Drive has a novel idea to re-use bags. You know the flimsy ones we try to recycle that sometimes blow away and get caught up in trees and make that fizzy flapping noise in the breeze for weeks.

Perusing the naturals at the Farmer’s Market.

Do we really need to use those anymore? They are also asking for the nice eco-friendly, re-useable bags. We have dozens of cloth totes around the house from past events. What a clever way to give these a second life!

The plan is to let other shoppers use them…a bag-sharing plan. (Please just the ones that are in good condition.)

500 billion plastic bags, over one million every minute, are used worldwide every year with most of them ending up in landfills or the aforementioned trees. They break down into tiny particles that contaminate our waterways eventually our food system.

There will be designated areas at the market to collect them and they will give them to shoppers who have forgotten to bring theirs from home.
Check out this market with over 20 farmers and producers:

* Atwater’s Bakery: artisan breads, scones, cookies, organic ingredients
* Baguette Republic: baguettes, boules, challah, focaccia, rolls
* Barajas Produce: beans, beets, broccoli, herbs, salad mix, mustard green and more
* BIGG Riggs Farms: apple butter, hot pepper jelly, vodka sauce, fruit jams
* Four Seasons Nursery: cut flowers & herbs, culinary and medicinal herb plants
* G. Flores Produce: seasonal fruits and vegetables, cut flowers and herbs, container plants
* Graces Pastries: quick cakes, breads, scones
* Great Harvest Bread Co.: breads, cookies, baked goods
* Guata Java: premium Guatemalan coffee
* Kuhn Orchards: fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers and plants, fruit butters, jams, jellies, canned peaches

A Monster Apple Pie and other sweets at the Farmer’s Market.
* LynnVale Studios: over 100 different kinds of specialty cut flowers and culinary herbs
* Meat Crafters: all natural handcrafted meats, cured, fresh and smoked
* Mount Vernon Farm: 100% grass-fed beef, lamb and pastured pork
* Red Apron Butcher Shop: bacon, pastrami and hotdogs
* Salsa Las Glorias: Salsas and Pico de Gallo made with locally grown ingredients
* St. Ambrose Apiaries: Honey, honey related products, 100% beeswax candles
* Teaco: wide varieties of loose leaf teas
* Toigo Orchards: applesauce, apple/pear butter, pasta sauce, honey and fresh fruits
* Tysons Farms: wide varieties of seasonal fruits and vegetables including peaches, plums, cherries, berries, beans, zucchini, peppers, cabbage, beans, eggplants and much more
* Walnut Hill Farm: seasonal vegetables including corn, potatoes, beans, kohlrabi, onions, watermelon and more
* Westmoreland Produce: seasonal vegetables and fruits, container plants, cut herbs and flowers

Radishes at the Farmer’s Market.

Crystal Farms Market is held on Tuesdays from 3 pm to 7 pm on Crystal Drive between 18th and 20th Streets in Crystal City. The market runs until October 27.