Weekly Farmer’s Market at Piney Branch Offers Family-Friendly Fare

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New shopping centers are being built throughout the community, but locals still crave the fresh, producer-only products verses processed food.

Luckily, Smart Markets holds its farmers' markets every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., conveniently located at Piney Branch Elementary.

Jean Janssen, founder of Smart Markets, looks at the relocation last summer positively.

“The Piney Branch PTO and the school board went to bat for us and provided the space at the school in mid-June. Even though we have less visibility here than we might in other sites, we anticipate that our relationship with the school and through the school with the community will lead to a very successful market this year,” Janssen said.

Customers, who attend the market definitely approve of the Linton Hall Road location.

“They always have something new each week. I usually look at the flowers and the vegetables. This is the only location I’ve come to, but I live down the road so it’s perfect for me,” said Valerie Craig, a frequent farmer’s market customer.

Thanking Piney Branch for their generosity, Smart Markets shares one percent of their sales from the market with the school.

“Last year we donated at least $600 to the PTO and we plan to help pay for the greenhouse they are putting up to support their school garden. Our farmers will be donating plants for that as well as some volunteer expertise. It is quite possible that we will donate at least $2,000 this year,” Janssen said.

The farmer’s market at Piney Branch is a wonderful opportunity for new businesses such as ‘Absolute BBQ’ – located in Manassas – to sell their products.

“This is our first time here. We are selling polled pork from the whole hog, spare ribs, beef brisket and turkey breast. All of our side dishes are made fresh. We have mac-n-cheese since a lot of kids are coming and it’s very popular, but we specialize in barbeque,” restaurant owner Martha Morris said.

On the contrary, businesses such as Cakes by Shelby are no strangers to Smart Markets.

“We’ve been here for a couple years now. We try to add stuff every couple of weeks. We make cake pops, decorate desserts themed for the holidays and we also do some gluten free stuff. My wife (Shelby) does the cakes, I do the pies. Her specialty is 3-D sculpted cakes. On top of that, we deliver,” Mike Biancaniello said.

It is no surprise that farmer’s markets are also family friendly.

“We usually come for the meat, but if we didn’t have lunch plans we’d come for the barbeque. This is only our second time here, but we live just down the street so we come more regularly now. I like that we can include the kids on picking out things,”local customer Adrienne Smiley said.

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