Why Shop at Field to Table

Farmers markets have become a critical ingredient to our nation’s economy, food systems, and communities. Connecting rural to urban, farmer to consumer, and fresh ingredients to our diets, farmers markets are becoming economic and community centerpieces in cities and towns across the U.S.

But shopping at a farmer’s market is more than on-trend…

It’s a stroll down the street, a regular catch-up with neighbors, a cup of coffee and a fresh pastry on a crisp morning. It’s a respite from the week’s routine, the comfort of familiar faces in safe spaces, and the contentment found in your favorite weekend morning routine. It’s a habit that cultivates your health, your community, your environment, and your local economy:

Access the Freshest, Highest-Quality, Healthiest Foods

Our vendors offer access to fresh, high-quality foods, sourced from farms and producers located within 125 miles of Arlington–meaning customers are getting fruits, herbs, and vegetables in season,  at peak ripeness, and at their optimal tastiness! Our packaged food items offer the same: made from scratch by small producers in limited quantities, these foods are often without anywhere near the additives found in mass-produced packaged goods.

Explore the Variety of Offerings

Each of our markets offers a broad variety of fresh produce and a diverse selection of prepared foods, offering our customers the opportunity to try items that aren’t mass produced and therefore not  ordinarily sold at a mainstream grocer.

Support Sustainable, Environmentally-Friendly Food Production

When you shop at our farmer’s markets, where all products are grown or produced within a strict 125-mile radius of Arlington, your money goes to growing the food instead of food miles, reducing transportation-related emissions–helping to keep pesticides out of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Our produce vendors are not industrial-scale farmers, so they don’t  have to use as much fertilizer to produce their fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Some vendors also use liquid instead of dry fertilizer, which helps to cut the amount needed; less fertilizer means less runoff flowing into local waterways.

And for our green folks who love getting into the weeds (pun intended): Many of our produce vendors use a variety of other sustainable/regenerative farming techniques in their operations, including integrated pest management practices (IPM–reduces the need for chemical crop protection measures), limited and/or organic crop protection spraying (to supplement IPM when absolutely necessary), annual soil testing (to prevent overuse of fertilizer), crop rotation/cover cropping (promotes soil health/fertility through nutrient retention), solar/biomass energy (for heating greenhouses), and drip irrigation (reduces water use).

Get to Know the People Who Make Your Food

At our farmer’s markets, you know exactly who your food is coming from! Ask vendors about their products and operations directly, get suggestions on how to store/cook/prepare things you haven’t tried before, learn how products are made, and become acquainted with vendors and their background. At the heart of it is being able to personally connect with the food you eat and the people, plants, and animals who make it possible.

Support the Local Economy

Your money goes directly to the people who are growing and making the food you buy. Farmer’s markets shorten  the supply chain by cutting out varying levels of middle-men, helping producers keep the majority of their profits. Here, your money isn’t going to a corporation headquartered halfway across the country; it’s going to people who live, work, and spend right here in this region–boosting local economic health.

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