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The first FreshFarm Market by the White House. Photo by the author.
The first FreshFarm Market by the White House, held this past week, was a wonder of local foods success—or a regrettable show of elitism and blocked traffic. It really depends on who you ask. The Washington Post covered the market, which kicked off the afternoon of Thursday, September 17, with news stories from its reporters before and after, and from the Associated Press, complete with a video. Even Dr. Gridlock covered the news and ran a readers’ poll.
Once the inaugural market had sold its last heirloom tomato, the news outlet saw political columnist Dana Milbank decrying the market's prices and hassle involved with getting Michelle Obama there, and as farmers and organizers toasted the day, the All We Can Eat bloggers collected optimistic thoughts.
Other major papers, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and L.A. Times all picked up the story and/or blogged it.
This reporter won't claim that the market is all peaches and cream, but anyone who reads the coverage will quickly learn two things: This was not the first lady's pet project or whim (FreshFarm started the process immediately after Inauguration), and the organizers reviewed traffic patterns and determined that this particular block gets very light use.
Turning from the news pages to my own experience, I found the market pleasant and comfortable, even in its first day. Customers smiled and the farmers extended greetings and cheerfully indulged questions. Anyone who has stopped by the Dupont Circle market and other FreshFarm operations will recognize vendors like Toigo Orchards, The Farm at Sunnyside, and Endless Summer Harvest. The parallel rows of vendor tents, facing the center of the wide street, was also a familiar set-up. The prices pretty much match Dupont, as well.
Was the market a boon or a bane for downtown D.C.? Will the rejoicing of employees of the General Services Administration and Veterans Administration—not to mention the low-income shoppers who can double their purchasing power at the market and the residents of the White House themselves—overcome the doubters? Will media attention turn elsewhere as the market settles in? Or will the headache of road closures and higher-than-supermarket prices turn patrons off?
I, for one, am interested in what happens this week. The 800 block of Vermont Avenue will still shut down between 1 and 8 p.m. this Thursday, as it will every Thursday until late October 29, with the market opening from 3 to 7 p.m. Likely thousands more shoppers will visit. But I doubt the first lady will grab her market basket again.
For more information: Go to FreshFarm Markets' website.
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