By IMKE AHLF-WIEN
When I first moved to Hyattsville almost 20 years ago after three years of living in rural Morocco (where — you guessed it — fresh food is abundant), I had a hard time finding fresh organic produce, freshly baked bread and other artisan goods in local grocery stores. My first go-to supermarket was the Safeway on Hamilton Street, where I enjoyed chatting with Bernie, the friendly cashier, but I wasn’t too happy with the selection of food.
Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to discover the Riverdale Farmers’ Market, which offered everything I had been searching for. Founded in 1998 by two volunteers who wanted to make fresh, local food available to their neighbors, the market has been run with passion and dedication by manager Jim Coleman since 2006.
Located next to the picturesque Riverdale Park train station with its beautiful vintage clock, the market exudes a small-town feel that is hard to find in the buzzing DMV area. I always run into friends and neighbors, and I love to chat with the farmers who, by now, all know me by name. You can find everything from seasonal fruits and vegetables to bread, eggs, milk, cheese and meat, and there are many options for prepared foods, as well. And, in the warmer months, you can listen to live music by local performers.
But what makes the Riverdale Farmers’ Market truly special is the diversity of its customers. Here, people from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds come together, and just strolling around for a while, you can hear a half dozen languages, from Arabic to Tagalog.
Because 50 percent of Riverdale Park’s population is Hispanic, Carlos and Jenny Saly, who are originally from Venezuela, act as Spanish speaking “ambassadors,” as Coleman likes to call them, to educate low-income customers on SNAP/EBT benefits and Maryland Market Money, a grant that provides a dollar-for-dollar match for purchases made using federal nutrition benefits.
The Gateway Farmers’ Market has a vibe of its own. Located right next to the Brentwood fire station on the border of Brentwood and Mt. Rainier, the market is much larger than I expected it to be when I visit it on a beautiful day in May. Dozens of young families with small children gather on a grassy patch or around picnic tables, coffee and baked goods in hand. Children play, grown-ups are engaged in conversation or run a quick errand around the market. It looks like a dream come true, something I would have loved for my family when my kids were little — a place where you can combine chores with pleasure. I’m impressed by the variety of goods, especially the produce by Fireside Farm from Loudon, Virginia, and I fill my bag with red, green, and purple radishes, and tiny white turnips with tender green leaves. These are treasures that are hard to find in our area.
Market manager Megan Abbot joins me at one of the picnic tables. She and her husband Gary moved to Mt. Rainier in 2020, and the idea of starting a farmers’ market was hatched right away. After the isolating times of the pandemic, Abbot said it became even more important to bring the community together, and in April 2024, the market opened its doors. The couple were able to draw on Gary’s contacts from his previous job as a farm-to-table café owner. Abbot said other vendors were looking for a new Saturday location after the 14th and U Farmers Market in the District closed in 2023, and local institutions like Manifest Bread from Riverdale Park joined from the start.
By now there’s a solid vendor and loyal customer base. According to Abbot, many are recently laid-off federal workers, who meet informally “for solidarity, support, and job searching.” When a woman who has been standing nearby tells us that she just lost her job as a government employee, she and Abbot share a hug, and we all agree that the market offers a respite in stressful times. And this is what both markets truly have in common.
Riverdale Park Farmers’ Market is open year-round, Thursdays, 3 PM – 7 PM, (winter 3 PM – 6:30 PM). More information can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
Gateway Farmers’ Market is open Saturdays, 9 AM – 1 PM, from the beginning of April to the end of November. More information can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
Swiss Chard Frittata
This is one of the recipes that you can make with ingredients that come almost exclusively from the farmers’ markets. Swiss chard is available in Maryland starting in late May, and onions, garlic, eggs and cheese are also available at both markets. Other leafy greens such as spinach work just as well.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems cut into ¼-inch slices, leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- Pinch of black pepper
- 6 large eggs
- ½ – 1 cup cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof 10-inch skillet. Add the onion and chard stalks and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chard leaves, season with salt and pepper and cook until the leaves are wilted, about 5 more minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and let cool. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Stir in the chard mixture and blend well. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Put the egg-chard mixture back in the skillet, top with cheese and place in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until puffed and golden.
Imke Ahlf-Wien is a nutrition educator with a passion for fresh, locally procured foods.
