January Farmers Market

Here we are in the depth of winter. Most of the farmers markets in the District of Columbia are closed. But the Dupont Circle market, in the heart of the city, is jammed with vendors and customers on a Sunday morning when temperatures climb into the 50s. No shortage of fresh produce here. Look at these stunning parsnips.

There are all kinds of prepared foods at the market now--crab cakes, soups, pies. You can also find every kind of meat and poultry--leg of lamb, pork roast, grass-fed beef steaks, even buffalo burgers and buffalo sausages. But what impressed me most were the crowds, the frenzy of activity. Everywhere people were waiting in line to make their purchases.

The line for yogurt...

The line for bread....

The line for greens

The produce is highly photogenic. Here are squashes in all shapes and colors

Lots of apples

An impressive display of mushrooms

Even fresh shucked oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. These are great days for sourcing local foods. But for how much longer? We'll continue to check on a weekly basis and report.