Recycle Compostable Food Waste At Fairfax County's 10 Farmers Markets

RESTON, VA — Fairfax County Park Authority not only wants county residents to visit all 10 of its farmers markets to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables and other items, it's also encouraging them to drop off food scraps.

Thanks to the 5-cent plastic bag tax, the county has received millions of dollars to spend on environmental programs. Caroline Hockenberry, FCPA's farmers market coordinator, told Patch on Saturday that the park authority is using the money to provide scrap collection at all of its 10 farmers markets.

"People really like it because they can just do that at the same time as they do their food shopping," she said. "We only other have the landfill or the I-66 Transfer Station for compost collection in the county. This helps to keep people doing it. We had a really great response last season."

In an effort to reduce the number of plastic bags at the markets, FCPA purchased reusable market baskets for people to use while they're shopping.

"Every vendor could choose when they applied, 'Do you want one, two or three stands of them," Hockenberry said. "Some of them already were using them, but we gave everybody what they wanted and that was also using that plastic bag tax money. They are theirs to keep. They can use them at other markets, but we just want them to make sure they bring them back to our market every time."

Once a shopper has filled up their basket, they can bring it to the checkout where their items will be placed in compostable bags made from organic material.

"You have the rolls of compostable bags," Hockenberry said. "Hopefully, people will bring their own bags and we are going to be giving away canvas bags, another thing that we got through the plastic bag tax in July and that'll be at all the markets."

FCPA operates 10 farmers markets across the county from spring and through fall. Some have already opened for the season, while others will open in the coming weeks.

Fairfax County Park Authority Farmers Markets

• McCutcheon/Mount Vernon: Wednesdays, from April 17-Dec. 18, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria, VA, 22306
• Annandale Farmers Market: Thursdays, May 2-Nov. 14, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Mason District Park, 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale , VA, 22003
• McLean Farmers Market: Fridays, May 3-Nov. 15, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m., at Lewinsville Park, 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA, 22101 [Market will be closed Friday, May 17 for McLean Day Event.]
• Burke Farmers Market: Saturdays, April 20-Dec. 21, at VRE-Burke Centre, 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke, VA, 22015
• Lorton Farmers Market: Sundays, May 5-Nov. 10, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., at 8994 Potomac Bend, Lorton, VA 22079
• Oakmont Farmers Market: Wednesdays, May 1-Nov. 6, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., at Oakmont Rec Center, 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton, VA 22124
• Herndon Farmers Market: Thursdays, May 2-Nov. 7, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., at 767 Lynn St., Herndon, VA 20170
• Kingstowne Farmers Market: Fridays, May 3-Oct. 25, 3-7 p.m., at 5844-5862 Kingstowne Center, Alexandria, VA, 22315
• Reston Farmers Market, Saturdays, April 27-Dec. 7, 8 a.m.-12 noon, Lake Anne Plaza parking lot, 1609 Washington Plaza N, Reston, VA, 20190
• Wakefield Farmers Market, Wednesdays, May 1-Oct. 30, 2-6 p.m., at Audrey Moore Rec Center, 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale, VA 22003