Shop Fresh and Local at the Ashburn Farmers Market!

Ashburn Farmers Market Saturdays 8am-noon Ashburn Village and Shellhorn Roads, behind the Giant.

LVHMA announces the Grand Opening of our NEW Farmers Market in Brambleton, this Sunday June 7, 9am-1pm. This Market will run the first Sunday of each month, from June through November 1. Stop by and visit if you're in the area--it's worth a special trip!

This Week on the LVHMA Farms

Each week we try to let all of the friends of the Farmers Markets in on what is happening on our Member's farms and businesses.

Even professional farmers have problems with their crops--Don Dramstad of Don's Dahlia's in Leesburg (Leesburg Market) was planning on selling 400 or so beautiful cut peony blossoms at the market this week. Unfortunately, all the rain we experienced during May caused a botrytis fungus to disfigure most of his blossoms. Don was able to harvest about 100 blooms and is holding them dry cut under refrigeration for wedding flowers in August. Don and Rhonda will return to the Leesburg Market in mid-July with their gorgeous dahlia blossoms--unless Mother Nature has other ideas!

Warren Howell of Allder School Berries in Purcellville (Purcellville Market) also had a run-in with the contrary side of Mother Nature. A large number of his floricane early raspberry bushes didn't survive the winter. Warren speculates that the mild winter with several alternating warm and cold spells took it's toll on his plants--unfortunately, the result will be a small spring raspberry crop. Luckily, the other berry crops do not seem to be affected.

Doug and Kim Bowman of Hidden Creek Apiary in Purcellville, VA (Ashburn Market) has had an unwanted visitor lately--a black bear has been raiding their bee hives! The young bear has been returning every three days and causing all kinds of damage. Doug has even seen the bear lurking around as he was busy stringing electric fence to protect the remaining hives. We'll keep you posted as to the outcome of man vs. bear!

Check back next week for more news from the LVHMA Farms!

New at the Market: Bok Choy!

You may see it called Bok Choy, Bok Choi, Pak Choi or Pak Choy, but it all adds up to one versatile Chinese vegetable! A member of the Cabbage family (Brassica rapa, Chinensis group), Bok Choy can be used in salads, soups, stir-fries and main dishes of all nationalities. It has been cultivated in China since ancient times and was introduced to Europe in the 1800s. Bok Choy comes in a number of different varieties: ones with green or white stems and various sizes from miniature or "baby" to large vase-shaped bunches.

A cup of shredded Bok Choy has only 9 calories, so it is a great vegetable to add to any main dish or salad. Bok Choy also is a good source of Vitamin C, calcium and Vitamin A, plus it contains glucosinolates which may prevent cancer.

Bok Choy can be cut into bite sized pieces, sauteed in olive oil with onions, crumbled bacon and minced garlic, then simmered in chicken broth for a delicious side dish. It works well stir-fried with chicken breast pieces, shredded carrots, onions and garlic with rice wine vinegar served over rice as a main dish. Bok choy also combines with thin slices of beef and sweet red pepper in a stir-fry flavored with ginger and soy sauce. Practically any recipe calling for cabbage or snow peas will also work with Bok Choy.

Earth Day Every Day Tip:
Wash your laundry in cold water--or at least use warm-wash and cold-rinse cycles. Most detergents will work as well in cold water as warm temperatures. Using a cold water wash in every US household would save the equivalent energy of 100,000 barrels of oil a day.

Products in season for the month of June

Apples * Arugula Asparagus Basil Beef Beets Bok Choy Breads Broccoli Broccoli Raab Cabbage Carrots * Cheese Cherries Chicken Cilantro Collards Cucumbers Currants Dill Eggplant Eggs Fava Beans Fennel Flowers Goat Green Beans Jams & Jellies Kale Kohlrabi Lamb Lettuce Mint Onions * Parsley Pastries Pies Plants Pork Potatoes * Raddicchio Radishes Raspberries Rhubarb Sage Salsa Soaps Sorrel Soups Spinach Strawberries Summer Squash Swiss Chard Tat Soi Thyme Tomatoes Turkey Turnips * Wine Wool & Products Yogurt

This week's recipe

Bok Choy Salad
1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds
1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds
2 (3 oz) Packages Crushed Ramen Noodle Pasta
2-3 Cups Chopped Bok Choy
3 Chopped Green Onions

Instructions:
Whisk together the vinegar, oil, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter or margarine over medium heat in a small skillet. Crush the ramen noodles while still in their packaging, and add to the margarine along with the almonds and sesame seeds. Saute the crushed ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds until golden brown.
Remove from heat and drain on a paper towel. Mix the Bok Choy and onions together in a serving bowl, sprinkle with the noodle mixture, then dress with the vinegar mixture--serve immediately.

Do you have a favorite recipe using seasonal ingredients from the Farmers Market? Email them to info@loudounfarmersmarkets.org and we may use them in our newsletter!

News from the Market Vendors

Baguette Republic ~ Try our wonderful artesian breads, crossiants and muffins! Tel: 703-870-7740 E-mail: orders@BaguetteRepublic.com

Baker Pork ~ If you like North Carolina style barbeque sauce, you've got to try our sauce made from a secret family recipe! Great on our ribs or cook up a pork butt or shoulder to make a superb pulled pork. We also can provide you with a complete Barbeque Catering Service--just call Tel: 540-477-3550 E-mail: bakerinc@shentel.net

Beckys Pastries ~ Bun's Bread, Apple Turnovers, Cinnamon Rolls and much more. We bake most of the night so you can have them FRESH!

Beechwood Orchards ~ We have FRESH PICKED STRAWBERRIES! Be sure to get enough to make your own Strawberry Shortcake, Jams and Jellies, and fresh Strawberry Pie. E-mail: info@beechwoodorchards.com

Blue Ridge Gardens ~ We have a beautiful selection of perennials and shrubs for your garden--now is the time to plant!

Cherry Glen Farm ~ Sorry, but we will not be at the Market this week. Tel: 301-428-3599 E-mail: tkirkman@cherryglengoatcheese.com

Corcoran Vineyards ~ We will be offering tastings and sales of our Award winning Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Meritage. Enjoy! Life is Grape!! Tel: 540-882-9073 E-mail: lori@corcoranvineyards.com

Glascock's Produce ~ Have you tried our Sugar Free Apple Butter and Peach Butter? They are NOT made with any "fake" sugar--only the sweetest varieties of apples and peaches from our orchards in God's Country, Berkeley Springs, WV! Tel: 304-258-1431 E-mail:

Hidden Creek Farm ~ Looking for local Honey? We've got it here! Also shitake mushrooms, red lettuce, scallions, swiss chard, radishes, broccoli and fresh cut flowers. Tel: 304-671-3676 E-mail: hiddencreekapiary@live.com

Milcreek Farm ~ We have FRESH large brown eggs from our free range hens! Proud to offer you our pasture fed Beef, Lamb, and Goat. Also, we are currently taking orders for our freezer beef and lamb. Sold in 1/4's and 1/2's. Tel: 540-822-4181 E-mail: milcrk@aol.com

SnowBear Farm ~ We offer a wide range of Certified Naturally Grown vegetables, plants, berries and fruit. CNG certification very similar to Organic certification and none of our produce or plants have been sprayed with any chemicals and are grown from organic seed. Tel: E-mail:

Westmoreland Produce ~ Fresh produce from the Northern Neck of VA. This week we will have lettuce, radishes, spring onions, spinach, herbs and lots of vegetable plants! Tel: 804-333-4487

Woodtrail Graziers ~ Father's Day is just around the corner--check our selection of drug and chemical free meats for a special dinner to show Dad how much you really care! We use no antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides (e.g., worming meds), and no herbicides on our pasture for safe meat everyone can enjoy. Tel: 540-554-8665 E-mail: woodtrailfarm@rstarmail.com