Nature's Bounty

After working both of the past two Saturdays and missing out on trips to our local Farmer's Market, this morning I was actually free - huzzah!  We stopped for breakfast at the best bakery around and my blackberry-peach muffin was delicious.  So was Nick's almond croissant.  Then it was off to the market, which was every bit as adorable as Nick had said.

It might be a trifle smaller than the Farmer's Market we were used to in Vienna, but it's much more interesting.  For one thing, it's not clogged with stall after stall of folks selling mediocre meals instead of actual produce, the way Vienna was (I don't go to the market for crepes, sorry).    This market is mostly produce, with a couple of stalls offering fresh eggs, fresh frozen local meats, flowers, and some breads, teas, and other specialty food items.  There is a stall selling locally raised vegetable and herb plants for replanting, and the herbs look better than anything at the Vienna market ever did.  Another stall appears to be run by a local nursery of sorts and has decorative plants for replanting.  There is even a booth for the a Virginia Agricultural Extension, to answer questions about gardening and growing food in Virginia.

We brought home fresh tomatoes (large and cherry), basil, blue potatoes, 2 lbs of frozen ground beef, and a pound of frozen maple sausage.

The weather was lovely, with bright sunshine, and the flowers and veggies were so brightly colored and beautiful that I couldn't resist taking some photographs.  Enjoy!