Market Central’s Farmers Market at Ix, June 7, 2025 Hour: 8:00a.m.-12:00 p.m.
June is here, it’s getting hot! Hopefully a few of these storms pan out to give us some rain to head into the summer. More warm weather produce is appearing at the market. Strawberries, greens, beets, and kale are plentiful and the blueberries and cucumbers are joining the color and vitamin parade. We are so lucky to have access to such healthy food. Check to see which vendors are having sales on garden plants. Of course you know the grocery list may be completed by the bakers, honey and mushroom, and value-added vendors. The first Saturday of the month signals Deep Roots Milling will bring their supply of regionally grown and fresh milled flour. Nona’s Italian Cucina also attends the first Saturdays with award-winning tomato sauce, based on a recipe the family learned from their neighbor when serving a tour of duty in Italy.
In other news, we’re glad to report that our USDA Farmers Market Promotion Grant seems to be back on track. Market Central and the IRC (International Rescue Committee)New Roots won the grant together in October 2024, but the funding got caught up in the federal grant freezes. Keep your fingers crossed for consitency with the reimbursements. These grants help us manage the market and programs without increasing fees for farms and food businesses (which no doubt would end up with higher food prices) . It is very expensive to rent the market space. For that reason, we are in the hunt to find and invest in a space to ke improve safety, security, and hold markets more than one day per week. As part of the Climate Resiliency Cohort grant, (a separate grant)we are working toward the goal aof a sustainable market. Any community members interested in the future of local farmers markets, you are welcome to look into the Market Central Board. Contacts are on this website. Additionally, Market Central is seeking a part time bookkeeper with our FMPP grant. So much to keep up with and we welcome community participation!
This Saturday, we introduce the first Charlottesville Investment Collaborative ( a local small business development non-profit) Launch Pad candidate The Lauchpad is a program to support emerging businesses who have completed business training at the CIC. Both City Market and Market Central sponsor small businesses for a few markets. This week’s business is Thuh Dripp, LLC. intrducing a line of house-made skin products. Several of our paying vendors (MixEve, Milk Glass, ElRoi, and Sleepovers Bakery) are graduates of the program.
See you at the market, even if it rains! The farmers and vendors will be there for us.