Crop Rapport- Buchanan Farms

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Only two weeks left to visit the Brambleton Farmers Market- one of the five different Loudoun market locations. For those of you not familiar with Brambleton, it’s a relatively new development, situated just across from a slew of brand spanking new developments. Brambleton Town Center has everything from movie theatre, to a Caribou Coffee and, yes, even a farmers market every Sunday morning.

But like I said, there are only two more Sunday’s to go before this one shuts down for the winter and before it does, you’re going to want to check out Buchanan Farms.

I was never one of those people who went to a farmers market to buy meat. Like most, I bought my chicken and beef from the supermarket, occasionally splurging on the organic chicken, or the free range beef but I never really put that much thought into it.

Enter Buchanan Farms.

I had the pleasure of speaking with owner Sharon Buchanan who said that the 1200 acre farm has been in the family for over 200 years.

All the meat is organic, grass fed, and butchered by a private butcher. “Our animals are humanely raised on green pastures and have access to multigrain feed for their entire lives,” said Buchanan, which, in turn “produces a higher-graded quality meat.”

Everything from pork, lamb, lamb sausage, and black angus is available; however not everything all the time. They only have a certain number of animals at any given time so when it’s gone, it’s gone.

“It’s all about quality, not quantity,” she says.

Rightly so.

You get a real sense of where your food comes from when you realize that the steak is from a farm not 30 miles away. All the feed for the animals is grown on the farm and the entire family lends a hand in helping out. There is a real sense of community from Buchanan. She knows all the vendors and is very involved in ensuring that farmers markets keep promoting their privately owned vendors.

Buchanan Farms encourages visitors out to their farm in Waterford, Virginia and hopes to have a website up soon. Until that time you can contact them at:

Buchanan Farms - 40817 Browns Lane, Waterford
(540)882.4633
buchananmeats@aol.com

If you’ve happened to bring your furry friend to the market with you, stop by Jumping Jack Dog treats, for some all-natural, dog-approved treats that are as tasty as they are healthy for your pup. We picked up a sack of almond butter flavored treats and Nitro, our corgi, just about went crazy over them. And with flavors like apple and peanut butter, there’s sure to be something for even the pickiest of eaters.

Visit Jumping Jack’s website here.

Brambleton Town center doesn’t boast the biggest farmers market out there; there were perhaps 7 vendors there at the most. But you can tell that everyone there truly believes in their product and take extreme pride in being able to share it with the community.

Brambleton Farmers Market is located at the Sport & Health Parking Lot by Olympia Dr & Soave Drive in Brambleton Town Center and runs from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. until October 30th so get out there now while you still can!

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Northern Virginia Farmer’s Market 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.; 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, 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 
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 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.; 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
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 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.

– Jennie Whistler

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EcoFriendly Meats Arlington

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, May 14th, 2010

(Image: Bartolomeo Passerotti)

Arlingtonians are getting a new sustainably-focused protein pipeline today courtesy of EcoFriendly Foods‘ satellite butcher counter at the always community-minded Westover Market.

EcoFriendly specializes in humanely-raised animals plucked from 40 family farms spread across Southwestern Virginia and the North Carolina.

“We’re going to bring pretty much the full line of EcoFriendly products,” EcoFriendly co-founder Bruce Saunders said of his vision for the full-service butcher shop.

For the initial roll out, Saunders plans to whet people’s appetites with: “steak-ready” cuts of beef, ground pork, beef and lamb, marinated kebabs, homemade meatballs, meatloaf mixes and make-at-home stir-fry kits (fresh basil, garlic, shallots and hot peppers bundled with the ground protein of your choice).

Discerning carnivores can also claim their share of fresh rabbit, a whole Duroc pig, two spring lambs and the 1/2 side of raw beef Saunders will carve on demand.

Future additions to the display case could include: pasture-raised poultry, homemade sausage–Saunders suggested they would likely lead with a sage-black pepper breakfast blend, as well as bulk, hot and sweet Italian sausage–and marinated beef hearts.  Meanwhile, anyone looking for hard-to-find offal or special orders (Saunders envisions filling whole ham, pork picnic shoulders, suckling pig and brisket orders on a case-by-case basis) can take advantage of the shops newly minted email address: westoverbutchershop@yahoo.com

Meanwhile, Saunders suggested that anyone worried about boosting their beef intake after all the media harping about slack regulation should know EcoFriendly maintains a strict, single-animal per grind policy.

“We’re calling it the 1-cow revolution,” he said of their closely monitored and readily traceable production practices.

The operation gets (quietly) underway today at noon, with a full-on grand opening–think: pig roast, beer garden and possibly some live entertainment–scheduled for Saturday, June 5 at 2 p.m.

–Warren

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