by Maria Helena Carey
Are you looking longingly at community gardens as you walk around the neighborhood? The tender carrot greens seem to unfurl more each day and the pea fronds are inching along nicely. Urban farming isn’t your cup to tea? Want something local and delicious before the weekend? You can fill up your grocery bag with local organic vegetables and products without ever leaving Hill East starting Wednesday, June 3 when the Watkins Farmers Market resumes at the corner of 13th & E St, SE.
The market is operated by the Tuscarora Organic Growers Cooperative, a group of over 40 farms only 2.5 hours from DC. The market sells only organic fruits and vegetables, and local products like honey and eggs come directly from the Tuscadora farms. Credit cards, SNAP/EBT, WIC/Senior FMNP, checks and, of course, cash is accepted. The market runs from 4 to 8 p.m. each Wednesday.
This week you’ll find chard, kale, lettuce and spinach, as well as freshly harvested beets, carrots, rhubarb, fennel, bok choi, and scallions. You can buy a pint of strawberries but I’ll warn you, the chance of it even making it to the kitchen is slim. They cold store apples so keep our eye out for their delicious Honeycrisps.
The market runs through the fall.