It’s berry season, and Arlington County residents may find it easier to get fresh ingredients for their raspberry pies. Citing the increasing popularity of farmers’ markets, the Arlington County Board this month relaxed its laws so the markets can now operate virtually anywhere.
The rule changes allow the markets to operate in nearly every zoning district. The markets also no longer have to be run by a nonprofit organization and only have to apply for a one-time permit, instead of reapplying every year.
That’s good news for farmers markets, said Angela Fox, president of the Crystal City Business Improvement District, which runs Crystal City’s market.
“What they’ve done is simplify the process, which if that’s the way it works, we should be pleased by it,” Fox said.
Farmers markets saw a boom in recent years — Virginia now has 200, up from 88 in 2004, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Arlington already has six regular farmers markets as well as a smaller market at the Silver Diner in Clarendon.
The “buy local” movement, which encourages people to buy food grown nearby, has fueled the popularity of farmers markets. Concerns about terrorist attacks against the nation’s food supply are also a factor, said Elaine Lidholm, a spokeswoman for the agriculture department.
“You truck something in for 3,000 miles, and it takes a lot of energy to move that food. But if you buy it locally, you’re reducing the carbon footprint,” Lidholm said.
Fox estimated that between 700 and 1,000 people buy from the Crystal City market every week, which runs Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“It’s green; it’s a great viable option,” Fox said. “It feels like going to the farm.”
And there’s room for growth.
“I would say it’s fairly just begun,” said Chris Guerre, who owns Maple Avenue Market in Vienna, the only farm to deliver fresh produce to Arlington County Public Schools. He also sells at an Alexandria farmers market. “It’s a good time for local food and for people caring about what they’re eating and about what they’re putting in their bodies,” he said.
Melinda Artman, zoning administrator for Arlington County, said she expects new markets to open in the next couple of years — she’s already had a couple of inquiries about permits this year, she said.
