Founded in 2009, the MFM has quickly been adopted by area visitors and residents as a communal meeting place. Local farmers proudly display the products of their labor: loads of impeccably fresh, locally grown produce for your family are piled high in tempting and colorful displays. Besides seasonal produce, the MFM offers chicken, duck, and quail eggs, USDA inspected pork, lamb and beef, sausages, chicken, and turkey.
Summer fruits are a treat to look forward to. You’ll learn to choose a perfectly ripe melon and will want to gorge yourself on sun-warmed peaches. Our growers have a friendly competition to see who can get the first plump tomatoes to Market, and high tunnels and inventive growing practices make early and late vegetables possible. Understanding what fruits and vegetables are in season and at their peak is part of the experience. Even gourmet mushrooms and microgreens have become popular and consistently available.
Local bakers offer freshly baked sourdough breads, muffins, scones and cookies, cakes and pies. There are often gluten-free/sugar-free options.
Local growers have many varieties of plants and shrubs to beautify your home, and potted and cut flowers to enjoy this summer. If you enjoy gardening, you’ll find plenty of native, bee-friendly blooms, plus expert advice from the Central Virginia Master Gardeners.
A typical visit will have you snacking on cookies and fresh-squeezed lemonade as you stroll the grassy lot. Booth after booth of friendly faces greet you, and you’ll be plied with free samples and enticed to have a taste of freshly roasted coffee, or a tender, flaky scone bursting with juicy berries.
Try some homemade fruit preserves or a bite of a ripe heirloom tomato or melon before you choose. Pick up some frozen quiche or tamales and a bag of salad greens for a quick supper (don’t forget salsa!) or splurge on grass fed beef steaks, onions, peppers and corn on the cob for the grill. You won’t want to miss the homemade pickles, barbeque sauce and herbal vinegars and seasonings either. Don’t forget the local honey – it’s terrific!
MFM also plays host to local artisans. You’ll enjoy browsing for handmade jewelry, fabric rugs, goat milk soap, porch décor, cutting boards, cloth items, wind chimes, yard art and lawn games. Check out the “Crafter’s Alley” on the last Saturdays of each month.
The Mineral Farmer’s Market is open seasonally from the first Saturday in May through the end of October, and runs each Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm. The open-air market is held on a field on US 522 N, across from the Luck ball field and town playground just minutes from the lake. For more information, visit www.MineralMarket.org, or call Becky at (540) 854-7626.
