See what we see at Cheverly Community Market!

 Visit us on flickr and see all the beauty that we see at Cheverly Community Market!

Thank you for celebrating Buy Local Week and high summer with us this morning!

What a gorgeous morning -- we were treated to perfect weather (not too hot, not too humid), great music by The 7erUppers, a wonderful CPRC storytime, fantastic food, surprise visits by Simple Pleasures Ice Cream and children's author Edward Faine, great community activities, loads of friends, and all sorts of treasures. Mornings like this make all the hard work of the Market absolutely worthwhile for us -- we hope you enjoyed it, too.

We extend a special thank you to Liz O'Leary, our departing Operations Manager. In the past year and a half, Liz has helped to guide the Market through processes that will enable us to become a bigger, stronger organization with a greater community outreach, and her efforts had a great effect on all of us. We will miss her gentle southern ways and sunny disposition at the Market, but we're sure she'll come away from the island for an occasional visit.

Photos from today's Market -- along with shots ranging all the way back to our early Markets in 2008 -- will be posted in our flickr group very soon. We have exciting things ahead for you in August, including more new vendors, a special Community Forklift event, and all the wondrous experiences you have come to expect at Cheverly Community Market. We're very proud to be part of this community. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Who's coming to Cheverly Community Market this Saturday? The big lineup (July 27 edition.)

We are looking forward to a gorgeous high summer morning on Saturday -- it's an ideal day to join Cheverly Community Market and celebrate Maryland's Buy Local Challenge Week. Bring your friends, neighbors, and family for a terrific morning of the best local food, craft, and music. We can't wait to share everything with you!

VENDORS
Alcoba Coffee Beans
Benny's Fruit Stand/Rebert Farm
Cafe Ambrosia
Cakes by Ruthann
Cheverly Breadbasket
CrossKrafts
Elk Run Winery
Gigi's Quilts
Martha's Jams
Natural Nick's Produce
Natural-holic with Scents
Shlagel Farms
Tasha's Cookies & Treats
Two Oceans Seafoods
Waltz Family Farm

COMMUNITY GROUPS 
Cheverly Garden Club

Cheverly Parents Resource Center School Supply Drive

Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek

Prince George's County Master Gardeners

ENTERTAINMENT
Music by Making Gin
CPRC Storytime (10am on the Community Center steps)

Make sure to visit the big green Market tent to buy a Cheverly Community Market reusable shopping bag ($3), a gift certificate (in any denomination), visit with our Board members, or peruse the Maryland's Best Governor's Buy Local Cookout. Don't forget to vote for Cheverly Community Market in the American Farmland Trust America's Favorite Farmer's Markets contest by pledging to spend $10 a week at the Market. And make sure to say farewell to Operations Manager Liz O'Leary and welcome our Interim Operations Manager, Diane Beedle! The Board and Communications Manager Kathryn Andrews will miss Liz dearly, but we're very excited about bringing Diane in!

Finally, some people have asked about the Cheverly Exchange Trivia Contest. Here's a note from moderator Rachel Dabney-Rice:

We started our Cheverly Trivia Contest at the beginning of the summer and since then we've have about 50 new members join. Some of those new people have been wondering what this Trivia thing is all about. So here's an update:

The Cheverly Exchange decided to team up with some of the vendors who come to the Cheverly Community Market as a way to promote some friendly competition and the Market at the same time! The Friday before each Community Market this summer we will post a Cheverly related question and the first person to reply to all will win the prize that week. We've had quarts of strawberries from Shlagel Farms, bread & pastries from the Bread Basket, etc. We have prizes like fruit from Benny's Market and cupcakes from Carefree and Classic Bake Shoppe coming up before future markets. 

This Friday we will post a question at 10am. The first person to 'Reply All' to the question correctly will win a Gift Certificate good for a pair of earrings from Little Peeps Emporium (value up to $12).

We've asked anyone who's already won this summer not to answer as to give others a chance to win too. 

It's all about fun and we hope it entertains and even educates people on Cheverly history, geography and more at the same time!

This week at the Market: Waltz Family Farm

image by British illustrator Ben Newman via pockopeople

The Waltzes have been busy at their local fair this week, but they recently picked up lots of pork (and they're waiting patiently for the cured products). Waltz Family Farm will also have a nice selection of beef, including ground beef. Laurie tells us that the lamb supply is low, so come early for the best selection. We also hear that they'll have lots of new items at the following market and some good specials this market, so come hungry ! 

This week at the Market: Martha's Jams

Martha Allen of Martha's Jams continues to amaze...this week, she has been busy filling a request for sugar-free jam from a little boy she met at Cheverly Community Market. Now that's customer service!

Make sure to stop by and visit Martha this Saturday to stock up on your homemade favorites!

Field Trip: Maryland's Best Governor's Buy Local Cookout

Last night, we had the great good fortune to attend the Maryland's Best Governor's Buy Local Cookout at the Government House in Annapolis. Hosted by Governor Martin O'Malley, the picnic featured 14 teams of local producers and chefs celebrating local food during Buy Local Week.

Here are just some of the wonderful things we saw and tasted.

And here are the recipes. 

(Our printed copy will be at the Market table this Saturday if you'd like to peruse it and chat!)

Thank you to the amazing team that put this event together, and to Governor Martin O'Malley for hosting such a great Maryland celebration! It was inspiring, and we are proud to support Maryland agriculture and Buy Local.

Community at the Market: Prince George's County Master Gardeners

Please welcome the Prince George's County Master Gardeners back to Cheverly Community Market for their monthly Plant Clinic. This is a great opportunity to get help from people with real green thumbs. Bring plants or photos and sit down with the experts -- they can help you identify problems and find solutions, as well as helping with some creative thinking about what to grow here in Cheverly!

The Master Gardener program is administered by the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension Service. The program's mission is to educate residents about safe, effective and sustainable horticultural and gardening practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes and communities in Prince George's County. Master Gardeners are volunteers, trained by the university, who provide horticultural education services to individuals, groups, and communities including government agencies, neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, historic sites, schools and youth groups, senior citizens and garden clubs.

This week at the Market: Tasha's Cookies, Cafe Ambrosia, Cheverly Breadbasket, Two Oceans Seafood

We are lucky to have such a large and wonderful group of vendors this year -- it really is an embarrassment of riches when you consider that we started with just four vendors in the parking lot in 2008! There are more choices than ever at Cheverly Community Market and we're always working to bring you even more great vendors. With so many wonderful options, sometimes we don't highlight some of our favorites. Today, we're out to share them with you!

 Have you visited the big cookie truck yet this season? If you haven't yet tasted Tasha's Cookies & Treats, you are missing out! Natasha Williams makes delicious cake-like cookies that are soft and delicious, as well as extra-good cake pops and other treats! We're especially partial to the chocolate-chip toffee and her out-of-this-world oatmeal raisin. 

The good people of Cafe Ambrosia, sponsored by the St. Ambrose Ladies of Charity, bring us freshly brewed coffee, as well as water, juices and other treats. We are incredibly grateful to them for the countless caffeine boosts over the years.

What would a Cheverly Community Market morning be without delectable breads and pastries from Cheverly Breadbasket? Arvind Lal brings us wonderful baked goods from local baking masters Firehook Bakery and amazing tortillas and chips from Hyattsville favorite Moctec Mexican Foods. We're big fans of the Challah (it sells out quickly, so buy early) as well as the earthier breads, and we've been known to open a bag of chips and a package of fresh salsa post-market and make it our entire lunch. Don't judge. 

Two Oceans Seafood brings us fantastic fish -- delicious salmon, ahi tuna, and more, as well as gorgeous eggs and chicken from their farm in Stevenson, Maryland, and local honey, flavored oils, and vinegars. They're taking orders for Thanksgiving turkeys, too, so visit them this Saturday if you want to get a jump on the holidays.

If you haven't met these great vendors and sampled their wares, make sure to do so this Saturday!

Community at the Market: CPRC Storytime

Join Cheverly Parent Resource Center on the steps of the Community Center this Saturday at 10am for The Ugly Vegetables, by Grace Lin. This is a lovely story about learning that everything has its own beauty and purpose.

image via Grace Lin

Visit Grace Lin's website for some great activities, including recipes, coloring pages, a play, and even learn a little chinese!

This week at the Market: Benny's Fruit Stand/Rebert Farm

These are the days to store away in your memory for those long, cold winter months. Hot and sunny afternoons spent devouring fragrant, ripe fruit, the juices dripping down your arm or off your chin. We all have sensory experiences that see us through deep freezes and months longing for real fruit.

This week, visit Benny's Fruit Stand/Rebert Farm at Cheverly Community Market for Red Haven peaches, white peaches, white and yellow nectarines, a variety of plums, donut peaches (we know you've been asking about them!), apricots, blackberries, and blueberries. Make some more of those exquisite summer memories this weekend to get you through winter!

Community at the Market: Cheverly Garden Club

Earlier this year, a longtime member of the Cheverly Garden Club, perished in a fire that destroyed her home. Councilmember and Cheverly Community Market Board member MJ Coolen was instrumental in helping out in the aftermath.

Over the years, the Syslo property on 59th Place was the source of many of the lovely plants and cuttings that the Cheverly Garden Club sold at its annual spring sale. this Saturday, the Garden Club will be giving away the remaining rescued plants (one per person, please). It's a nice way to remember someone who, in her own small way, made Cheverly a more beautiful, neighborly place, and we thank the Garden Club for this lovely gesture.

We're thrilled!

Wow -- we just got word that we're doing very well in the American Farmland Trust contest -- we're currently among the 100 most celebrated farmer's markets in the United States! Please keep those votes & pledges to spend at least $10 a week at the Market coming. Many, many thanks for all your support!

This week at the Market: Cakes by Ruthann

Cakes by Ruthann brings us delicious tastes from far-off islands using local produce. There are so many ways to buy local, and we love seeing how everyone -- vendors and customers alike -- supports local farmers. Andrea and Nicki use fresh, local fruit to make their delectable peach punch, the very popular strawberry lemonade, and mini apple pies. Make sure to visit Cakes by Ruthann at Cheverly Community Market this Saturday and try some of these ultra local treats!

The spicy jerk chicken patties are back along with spinach, beef and curry chicken Jamaican patties. In many hot climates, the common wisdom is to consume spicy foods to combat especially warm days -- why not try it this Saturday?!

Community at the Market: CPRC School Supplies Drive

Visit CPRC at the Market this Saturday and make a difference in a student's school year. In late June, CPRC kicked off its 2013/2014 School Supply Driveto benefit Cheverly’s own Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School. 

Make a donation by cash or check (you can also make donations online via Paypal), or bring purchased supplies to the Market this Saturday. A complete list of needed items is  on the CPRC website.

And make sure to vote for CPRC as the Best Parent Education Program in the Awesome Awards, sponsored by Red Tricycle and Zulilly.

This Week at the Market: Shlagel Farms

 If you love produce the way that we do, this time of year really does make you feel like a kid in a candy store!

This Saturday, visit our beloved Shlagel Farms at Cheverly Community Market for the very best in Maryland produce.

Eileen will have amazing fruit and vegetables that highlight the best reasons to Buy Local: great quality and healthy choices. Select white sweet corn, kale, collard greens, scallions, cabbage, carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet onions, squash, zucchini, green peppers, speciality peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peaches, black and blueberries, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, green beans and brown eggs to celebrate your Maryland Buy Local Challenge.

Run out of bags to carry everything? Stop by the big green Market tent and pick up a few of our Cheverly Community Market reusable shopping bags -- they're just $3 each and they'll remind you to Buy Local!