From Fruit To Crepes, Fairfax Farmers Market Returns For 2021

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Saturday morning wasn't too cold, although the wind did pick up a bit. But, that didn't keep City of Fairfax residents from turning out for the first farmers market of the 2021 season.

Brenda Snyder, market manager for Saturday and Sunday Farmers Markets in the City of Fairfax, was happy to be back for a new season.

"We managed to get through it last year," she said. "We did not think we could. We didn't know if anyone would come out."

Many of the vendors who'd been setting up at the Fairfax market for years told Snyder they would be there if the market opened. After two weeks of taking preorders, last year's market opened on time and didn't miss a weekend for the entire season.

"Without these vendors' support, we couldn't have done it," Snyder said.

The Saturday and Sunday Farmers Markets are part of an effort by the Downtown Fairfax Coalition to bring people to the city's downtown area and support local retailers.

"The whole purpose is to help downtown," Snyder said. "My purpose was to make this more than a traditional farmers market. I wanted to support small business and I think all of these businesses need an affordable venue, which is lacking in this area. That is what I wanted to do, start a small business marketplace."

Although Gov. Ralph Northam has relaxed some of the COVID-19 restrictions for outdoor gatherings, all vendors are required to wear masks this year at the market. Customers are asked to cooperate with social distancing and mask wearing.

"We ask the general public, please wear one, but we're not going to throw you out if you don't," Snyder said.

Customers visiting the Fairfax Farmers Market are going to find the same produce, fruit, plants, and flowers that you'd find at other markets around the region. But, they'll also find non-traditional items like gourmet Chinese meals, empanadas, handcrafted jewelry, crepes, handcrafted pottery, and Bolivian saltenas, kabobs, and hand-knitted sweaters.

"I'm very excited to be back," said Barbara Rosecrans of Usborne Books & More. She sells educationally based books online and has been setting up at the Fairfax Farmers Market for a few years.

"Last year, it was our life's blood, because of COVID. We were able to come and it was wonderful and people were excited to see us and be here," Rosecrans said. "Everyone is so nice. I love being here."

Two months ago, Shurou Pu of Fairfax decided to follow her dream and launched Toimoi Bakery, which specializes in homemade French pastries and Asian sweets. Saturday was her first day selling at the farmers market.

"This is the first business I started," Pu said. "I've been baking for almost six years. I started in France."

Shortly before noon, Pu had already sold out all of her French pastries but still had a few Asian tea treats to sell.

"They're all made with seasonal or organic fruit," she said. "We've got melon buns. It's like a very Asian-style milk bread filled with custard. They're semi-sweet with not too much sugar."

Pu's original plan to open a storefront has been put on hold because of the pandemic. In the meantime, she's building up her customer base by selling at the farmers market and baking goods for area tea shops.

Max Tyson of Tyson Farm and Orchard, who travelled about an hour and 45 minutes from Hedgesville, West Virginia, has been setting up at the Fairfax Farmers Market for about 15 years. He was pretty happy about the market's first day of the season.

Like other vendors, Tyson said the the COVID-19 pandemic affected his business in a positive way last year.

"People were coming to farmers markets more than grocery stores and realizing the importance of farmers more, and really came out," he said. "We saw a lot more support last year than probably the year before."

Ellen Smith of Smith's of Mecklenburg also loves coming to the Fairfax Farmers Market. On Saturday, she was happy to be back selling fresh country sausage, pimento cheese, cheese dips, and Carolina-style barbecue.

"We make our sausages from pork loins and we don't do whole hog, so we don't put gluten in it," Smith said. "We don't want to be a gluten product."

Last year's COVID-19 restrictions didn't have a big impact on Smith's business.

"We're a food business," she said. "People have to eat food and so we were doing pretty good."

As the market manager, Snyder loves working with the vendors and seeing them succeed.

"Many of these businesses have no voice," she said. "They're small family-owned businesses and I wanted to give them a voice."

The markets are open Saturdays through Oct. 30, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Sundays, through Oct. 24, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., in the parking lot behind off of West Street and behind the Wells Fargo Bank on Main Street.