While the onset of winter usually heralds the end of farmers markets, Fairfax County announced last week that three markets around the county will brave the chill to continue into December.

“The Fairfax County Farmers Markets have extended the season at three popular market locations,” the Fairfax County Park Authority said in a release. “The Reston Farmers Market will remain open until Dec. 3, 2022; the Burke Farmers Market is open until Dec. 17, 2022; and the McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon Farmers Market will be open until Dec. 21, 2022.”

Along with the extended season, some of the markets will be getting a handful of new vendors and new wintery items typically not available in the other seasons.

“Our farmers and producers will continue to bring an abundance of winter squash, greens, apples, potatoes, fresh-baked breads, locally raised meats, and unique prepared foods,” the release said. “Extended season vendors will bring new products, such as macaroons, bagels, kombucha, Moroccan sauces and more. Be sure to visit Burke, Reston and McCutcheon/Mt. Vernon to support your favorite vendors through the season, and to welcome our new vendors.”

The farmers markets with extended hours are:

• Burke (5671 Roberts Parkway): April 16-Dec. 17, from 8 a.m. to noon
• Reston (1609-A Washington Plaza): April 30-Dec. 3, from 8 a.m. to noon
• McCutcheon/Mount Vernon (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane): April 20-Dec. 21, from 8 a.m. to noon

Customers and vendors had requested a continuation into December for the Mount Vernon market — typically the last one to close just before Thanksgiving, according to Park Authority spokesperson Judith Pedersen.

The Burke and Reston markets were also chosen for extensions, because they’re held on Saturdays, are the park authority’s largest, and “have vendors with enough products and product mix to sustain a vibrant market,” Pedersen told FFXnow.

“Unfortunately, the weather is too unpredictable to extend through the winter,” she said. “However, all vendors from the other markets are invited to participate in the extended season at these markets if they have product to sell.”

A fall staple is returning to the Reston Farm Garden Market later this month.

Owners Lowell and Bonita Weinstein announced today (Tuesday) that the annual fall festival will return on Sept. 24 through Oct. 30, bringing activities like a petting zoo, a train, moon bounces, and seasonal produce to the farm.

“We love the annual tradition of the Fall Festival and inviting families to experience joy and take home pumpkins, plants or favorite Apple Cider Donuts,” Weinstein said. “We continue to offer a safe and clean experience for all of our guests.”

Local food trucks will be part of the event for the weekend, along with seasonal products like pansies, natural jams, organic honey, pumpkins, seasonal decor, apple cider and apple cider tonights.

While the festival was not on pause last year due to the pandemic, this year does feature different time slots, says Diane Murphy, a spokesperson for the garden.

The festival will be open Friday through Sunday with five 90-minute online ticketed sessions, starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. Admission costs $28 per child and $7 per parent, although children 2 and under can get in for free.

Other activities that are not included in the ticket include face painting, balloons, animal feedings, doughnuts and apple cider.

Staff will clean bounce houses and surrounding areas during the 30 minutes between sessions. Tickets are available online for purchase.

The farm is located at 10800 Baron Cameron Avenue in Reston.

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Spring is here, and that means Fairfax County’s farmers markets are starting back up.

Several of the seasonal markets now accept food scraps for compost, including a new site coming to Kingstowne next week.

The market, which runs from 3-7 p.m. Fridays at Kingstowne Center, starting May 6, is one of five farmers markets in the county’s pilot program. The other four markets introduced the option last year, extending composting options at the I-95 Landfill Complex and I-66 Transfer Station.

With Earth Day in the rearview mirror and community advocates stressing the need for the county to step up its environmental initiatives, FFXnow is curious if you have or plan on utilizing the farmers market composting pilot program, even if it plays a small part in addressing the overall issues facing the planet.

A local effort to divert food from landfills, thanks to composting, is expanding.

Fairfax County is adding another farmers market, this one in Kingstowne, to its list of locations where people can drop off unused food for reuse.

People can drop off the food scraps during the farmers market hours, which for Kingstowne takes place 3 to 7 p.m. Fridays starting May 6.

Other farmers markets and sites that also allow for composting drop-offs include:

• Burke — 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays beginning this weekend (April 16)
• Herndon — from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursdays as of April 28,
• Mount Vernon — from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays starting next week (April 20)
• Mosaic District — from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays year round
• The I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex — between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day of the week.

Fairfax County said in a news release yesterday (Wednesday) that the pilot program diverted 22 tons of food scraps last year. According to the county, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions eliminated by the effort was equivalent to taking 50 cars off the road.

In another area of growth for farmers markets, more vendors are also slated to participate this year as the seasonal staples return across the region.

The Fairfax County Park Authority’s farmers markets are getting ready for another season.

Led by the Burke Farmers Market on April 16, the 10 markets will reopen throughout late April and the first week of May. This year’s events will feature more vendors than in the past, according to Molly Cullen, a marketing and outreach coordinator for the county.

“We accepted about 20 new vendors, and we have about 80 returning vendors, so you’re sure to find something unique and delicious,” Cullen said in a Channel 16 video.

The county released the schedule for its farmers markets yesterday (Wednesday):

Wednesdays

• Mount Vernon: April 20-Dec. 21, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Sherwood Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Lane)
• Oak Marr: May 4-Nov. 9, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Oak Marr Recreation Center (3200 Jermantown Road)
• Wakefield: May 4-Oct. 26, 2-6 p.m., at Wakefield Park (8100 Braddock Road)

Thursdays

• Annandale: May 5-Nov. 3, 8 a.m. to noon, at Mason District Park (6621 Columbia Pike)
• Herndon: April 28-Nov. 3, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., in Old Town Herndon by the Red Caboose (700 block of Lynn St.)

Fridays

• McLean: May 6-Nov. 11, 8 a.m. to noon, at Lewinsville Park (1659 Chain Bridge Road)
• Kingstowne: May 6-Oct. 28, 3-7 p.m. in the Giant parking lot (5870 Kingstowne Towne Center)

Saturdays

• Burke: April 16-Dec. 17, 8 a.m. to noon, in the VRE parking lot (5671 Roberts Parkway)
• Reston: April 30-Dec. 3, 8 a.m. to noon, at Lake Anne Village Center (1609-A Washington Plaza)

Sundays

• Lorton: May 1-Nov. 20, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., in the VRE parking lot (8990 Lorton Station Blvd.)