Crop Rapport: Cibola Farms

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

If you frequent the Arlington Farmers Market on Saturdays, Cibola Farms is a familiar vendor. Cibola Farms was founded by Rob Ferguson and Mike Sipes in 1999. It “produces bison and free-range hogs and direct markets buffalo meats and free-range pork using sustainable management practices” and humane handling techniques.

The Cibola stand is the one dominated by multiple coolers holding a smorgasbord of pasture-raised bison and free range pork products. And if you have shopped at the market during the last year, you might have had the pleasure of meeting Jerry Settle.

Jerry, with his easy and warm smile, starts his morning when most of us are still dead to the world. He arrives at the farm at 4:00 a.m., packs up the truck, and leaves from Culpeper around 4:15 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. for the markets. He stops by Falls Church to unload buffalo and pork cargo for the farmers market there, and then heads over to the Arlington Market by about 6:30 a.m. (Cibola Farms also regularly sells at a third farmers market, in Dupont Circle.)

Once at the Arlington Market, he must wait until 7:00 a.m. sharp to set up the Cibola stand. None of the vendors can begin selling product until 8:00 a.m. Those are the rules.

You can buy an impressive array of bison and pork products at the market — everything from steaks, roasts, ribs, ground meat, jerky, bacon, ham and lard, sausage/hot dogs, and even soup bones. I have been eagerly working my way through the inventory on my Saturday morning visits.

Cibola customers are passionate and loyal. One customer of three years who is temporarily relocating to Georgia purchased coolers full of products to the tune of $150 because he just can’t go without for that long. Especially without his favorite, the summer sausage.

My personal new favorites now that summer has come around are Cibola’s American Buffalo Hot Dogs. Hot dogs are the perfect summer grill food, but I never much cared for pork dogs. That is why my husband and I were intrigued by the promise of Cibola’s buffalo dogs. We first purchased the dogs when we couldn’t find the Cibola buffalo chili that we’d regularly purchase for weekend lunch, and when we felt like something different than the buffalo patties.

The buffalo dogs have been custom made for the farm for the last nine years and sell for $9.50 per pound. (A pack of four dogs cost me $7.98.) Ferguson explained that the hot dogs are “emulsified meats (whipped up to a fine and tender consistency) and fully cooked” whereas the buffalo half-smokes that you will also see at the market are “coarsely ground and a raw product.” The dogs have become popular at the markets, especially when Cibola used to do cooking demonstrations. People started out skeptical, and then couldn’t get enough.

Buffalo is a good healthier alternative to pork or beef dogs as the meat is leaner, contains more protein, but with less calories and cholesterol.

Because of condo rules, I regrettably don’t have a real grill. But I “fire up” my grill pan for the Cibola dogs so I can get some “grill” marks and pretend. ( Ok, pathetic.) There is a delightful smokiness to the dog that stands up well to a combination of mustard and ketchup, but also allows the dog to be perfectly satisfying and flavorful sans condiments. The interior of these dogs have a darker/richer hue — not that artificial, eraser pink of the run-of-a-mill store-bought dog. I am also not a huge fan of natural casing hot dogs, so the fully cooked, casing free Cibola dog is ideal in my opinion. Unlike this Weiner, which is one that only a mother could love, Cibola’s buffalo wiener is obscenely good. And safe to Tweet about. (I wouldn’t lie!)

- Johnisha M. Levi

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Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets and Hours

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market • 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m. (May-Oct); Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 9-noon (Jan-Mar); Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market • George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
McLeans’ Lifestyle and Farmers Market • 7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean; Saturdays, 9-1p.m.
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m. (Apr-Nov); Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market • 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Rosslyn Farmers Market • Wilson Blvd. & N. Oak St.- Thu, 11-3 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets

Tags: Arlington farmers market, buffalo, cholesterol, Cibola Farms, Crop Rapport, dogs, farmers' market, Fourth of July, free range, grill, Gut Check, hot dog, Jerry Settle, Johnisha M. Levi, lean meat, low calorie, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, nutrition, pasture raised, pork, protein, steak, wiener