Local

Grassential, LLC – Potomac, MD
Owner, Matt Rales of Potomac, Maryland, lives near Washington DC. From this oasis, amidst an ever increasing urban environment, operates a start-up, grass-based livestock farm called ‘Grassential LLC’  focusing on encouraging animals to eat as much forage (grass, herbs, legumes) as they can. For lambs this is 100% and for chickens about 35% of their total diet. These greens provide a wealth of nutrients and health benefits for the animals as well as for those of us who like to eat responsibly-reared meat. grassentialfarm.com

Parker Farms – Virginia
Rod and Chris Parker’s father, Mr. Edelen Parker, originally started as Piscataway Farms. In 1974 Parker Farms began farming for local customers. As their philosophy of quality and customer satisfaction spread, growth expanded to the point of shipping to retailers and high end wholesalers in the local area outside Washington, D.C. Soon the word of Parker Farms got out to retailers and Parker Farms became one of the largest and outstanding shipper’s of vegetables on the East Coast. parkerfarms.net

Irwin Mushrooms – Pennsylvania
The R.L. Irwin Mushroom Company was started in 1946 by Raymond Irwin. He had the idea of shipping fresh mushrooms from Kennett Square, PA, the Mushroom Capital of the World, directly to restaurants and hotels in Washington, D.C. Thanks to his ingenuity and hard work the Irwin Mushroom Co. is still going strong over 60 years later. irwinmushrooms.com

Fresh Link – Virginia & NC
Family Farms to City Plates:  We aggregate and deliver fresh, local food to area restaurants, providing a sustainable business for small farmers. Through a careful selection process, we’ve chosen a group of producers who have a strong commitment to quality and consistency in their products. We think of both our farmers and our restaurants as partners in our mission to keep small farms viable and fresh foods on city plates. thefreshlink.com

Santa Lucia Estate Coffee – Maryland
Local Owners, Rainforest Alliance Certified (a certification which insures the sustainability of the coffee, the farm and its care to workers). Chef Wiedmaier has visited the plantation in Nicaragua and watched the beans being hand picked, sun dried and sorted.  Santa Lucia Estate Coffee is often compared to reserve wine by using only the best beans of the farm and is a coffee model which ensures a consistently cup of good coffee.  Like it, buy it directly from them! santaluciacoffee.com

Shop “local” in Bethesda
Bethesda Central Farm Market - Sundays 9 am-1 pm; Parking lot off Elm Street behind Jaleo and Thursdays 3 pm-7 pm; Bethesda Lane b/w Elm Street and Bethesda Avenue
FRESHFARM Markets -  Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm; Norfolk Avenue at Veteran’s Park  (June 19 to Oct. 30, 2010)

….check back as we add more