Now in its 17th year, the Mineral Farmer’s Market is an LKA® “Must Do”. Located just five miles south of Dickinson’s Store in the town of Mineral, summer Saturdays are bustling on an otherwise empty field that serves as the Mineral Farmer’s Market. Load the family in the car and bring your dog and head for the Market to pick up goodies for your weekend. While the MFM officially opens in the first Saturday in May, it will have special pre-season dates April 5 and 19.

Founded in 2009, the Mineral Farmer’s Market 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 Market 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, although 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 as well.

Doing a little landscaping? 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 cheerful bouquet of cut flowers will brighten anyone’s day.

A typical visit to the dog friendly market (pick up some treats for your four-legged friend) 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! Are you an adventurous cook? Ask the farmer how best to prepare that cut of meat or interesting looking vegetable. “Part of the fun of our farmer’s market is getting to know who grows your food”, says Market Manager Becky Vigon. “It makes for a deeper appreciation of what we eat and how it gets to our plate.”

Several years ago, Vigon worked with the USDA and the Virginia Department of Agriculture to facilitate the acceptance of SNAP at the Market.  The produce, meats, honey, baked goods, sauces, and vegetable seeds (and plants to grow food) are all eligible for SNAP/EBT. Grant money allows the Market to match SNAP funds for up to $30 a week. “Our FreshMatch program has been wildly successful,” says Vigon. “We’ve been able to get more healthy food to our neighbors, and more money directly to the farmers that grow it. Buying locally and knowing that your food dollars stay right in your community instead of padding a huge grocery conglomerate’s bottom line is an important part of shopping at a farmer’s market. “

The Market 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. We invite you to 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 noon. The open-air market is situated on a large field on US 522 N, across from the Luck ball field and town playground. Street parking makes your visit convenient. For more information, visit www.MineralMarket.org, or call Becky Vigon at (540) 854-7626.

We hope you’ll make a visit to the Mineral Farmer’s Market an essential part of your weekend, whether you’re visiting Lake Anna or live here year ‘round. Meet me at the Market!