Farmer’s Market Brightens Winter Blues
Francesca Black, staff writer
The market for local food in Charlottesville abounds with options to experience Virginia’s horticultural bounty. A crucial source comes to residents as the City Market, where local farmers, artisans, and vendors showcase their talents.
In the winter months, January to March, the market is staged at the IX Art Park. Although minimal compared to its seasonal counterpart held near the Downtown Mall, the Winter Market still proves vital.
On entering the Market, tucked behind Three Notch’d Brewing Company and the new North American Sake Brewery, a large tent, helpful for the cold mornings, holds a plethora of food and crafts from around central Virginia. Farms such as Agriberry offer seasonal fruit, while Free Union Grass Farm offers fresh, local duck, chicken, beef and pork products.
Bakery options are also available for morning snacks or take away, including the vegan, gluten-free Moon Maiden’s Delights or the regionally sourced Little Hat Creek Farm which, along with bread and pastry, also offers vegetables.
Carpe Donut, a popular food truck at the market, provides hot coffee of cider ($2.50) and local cider donuts ($2/$10 for a half dozen).
For pet lovers, Zeus’s Gourmet offers locally made dog treats.
If it gets too cold, the two breweries, Three Notch’d and North American Sake, are open as well. The colorful murals and play areas make this a kid-friendly event.
All and all, the Winter Market, IX Art Park, 522 2nd Street SE, offers a wide variety of local food, produce, and other Virginia culinary products to make the winter a little bit warmer.
