Time-Sensitive: Need Corn and Produce by Tuesday or Wednesday in DC or MD

[Choirgirl21]

This is probably more appropriate in the farmers market forum, but I wanted to put it where people would see it since it's time sensitive.

I have the usual problem of hosting my dinner club this Saturday and needing to find local produce by mid-week in order to prep in advance. Unfortunately I now also can't skip out of work early to hit Riverdale on Thursday like I normally would. Does anyone know of a market in DC or MD preferably on a Wednesday (could also consider Tuesday) that has an abundance and variety of produce? Specifically I am looking for plenty of corn, nectarines, tomatoes (heirloom, cherry, etc.) and watermelon. The corn seems to be the most problematic.

[bookluvingbabe]

Isn't it a little early for local corn?  Wed is Foggy Bottom and while I haven't been this year, I don't recall that any of their vendor usually have corn.  

[farmer john]

It's not early for corn, particularly with the hot May and June we had.

There has been local corn at my market (Spotsylvania) for 3 weeks now. While I have no first hand knowledge of the markets north of Dale City I am sure there will be corn, tomatoes, and melons available at most of them by now. I haven't seen an nectarines thus far but the early peaches have arrived so they may be around as well.

[Pat]

This is probably more appropriate in the farmers market forum, but I wanted to put it where people would see it since it's time sensitive.

I have the usual problem of hosting my dinner club this Saturday and needing to find local produce by mid-week in order to prep in advance. Unfortunately I now also can't skip out of work early to hit Riverdale on Thursday like I normally would. Does anyone know of a market in DC or MD preferably on a Wednesday (could also consider Tuesday) that has an abundance and variety of produce? Specifically I am looking for plenty of corn, nectarines, tomatoes (heirloom, cherry, etc.) and watermelon. The corn seems to be the most problematic.

It's possibly too out of the way for you, but check with Emily from New Morning Farm to see if they will have it at Watkins this Wednesday.  She mentions already having some in this thread.  The Watkins Market (4-8 PM on Wednesdays) is close to Potomac Ave. metro.

I have not noticed if anyone has it at the outside Eastern Market stalls on Tuesday, but if it's widely available, they might have it too.

[Choirgirl21]

Isn't it a little early for local corn?  Wed is Foggy Bottom and while I haven't been this year, I don't recall that any of their vendor usually have corn.  

It's not typically too early, but a lot of things seem to be late this year. I missed my market last week, but the vendors at my Sunday market who grow corn had very small amounts this morning. Unfortunately since I slept in that meant I missed out on all but the last 6 ears. However, I would think vendors from VA or maybe the Eastern shore would be a bit ahead. The issue is which vendors even grow corn (for instance, there's a Howard Co market on Wednesday that would work well for me, but from what I can tell neither grows corn) and if they do, whether they have it, or much of it yet.

I'm pretty sure the Whole Foods in Columbia had corn in their local growers section this past weekend so I may be able to get it there as a last resort, but I thought if there were a good market that would have all or most of what I need I'd go for it. Not driving to VA though!

Thanks for the feedback thus far.

[weezy]

Corn has been at the Falls Church market for 3 weeks now.  However, unless you're serving it some other way than on the cob, it's not worth buying 4 days ahead.  On the cob, it will taste like cardboard by Saturday.

I've seen that the Harris Teeter has local produce now and they may have local corn as well.  Worth a call to your nearest one.

[Choirgirl21]

Corn has been at the Falls Church market for 3 weeks now.  However, unless you're serving it some other way than on the cob, it's not worth buying 4 days ahead.  On the cob, it will taste like cardboard by Saturday.

I've seen that the Harris Teeter has local produce now and they may have local corn as well.  Worth a call to your nearest one.

I'm making a soup and will be making the soup Thursday night. Also serving some in a scallop dish where it's sort of ceviched, but I think it will still be okay by then since it's not a major component of the dish, but mixed with cherry tomato, grilled nectarine, etc.

Thanks for the Harris Teeter suggestion, I have one right across the street. The problem with that or Whole Foods is who knows how long it's been sitting there, or took to get there. Most of the Whole Foods local produce was from PA, although I didn't pay close enough attention to the towns to know what part. With a farmers market, I typically no it's been picked that morning.

Really appreciate all of the feedback. If anyone has specifically been to any of the Howard Co markets recently, would love to hear from you. Or the Crofton market that's technically in Gambrill's, which is on Wednesdays.

[lekkerwijn]

This is probably more appropriate in the farmers market forum, but I wanted to put it where people would see it since it's time sensitive.

I have the usual problem of hosting my dinner club this Saturday and needing to find local produce by mid-week in order to prep in advance. Unfortunately I now also can't skip out of work early to hit Riverdale on Thursday like I normally would. Does anyone know of a market in DC or MD preferably on a Wednesday (could also consider Tuesday) that has an abundance and variety of produce? Specifically I am looking for plenty of corn, nectarines, tomatoes (heirloom, cherry, etc.) and watermelon. The corn seems to be the most problematic.

Maybe this is a dumb question but is it more important that the corn be fresh or local? I was at both Wegmans and Whole Foods around DC this weekend and both had corn that had come in from a few states south of here- so questionably local and likely a few days old. I realize we are talking about corn and this question perhaps sounds a bit like an oxymoron. Frozen corn is technically about the "freshest" corn you can purchase short of a product direct from a farmer in their actual field (which is how I grew up purchasing corn). It is the freshest because it is picked, taken off the cob (with the maximum amount of waste minimization) and then immediately flash frozen - usually in less than a day. Handling in store and at home is actually the biggest variable to quality - so if you can find some in a freezer case that hasn't gone through any freeze/thaw cycles and you allow it to gently thaw at home it shouldn't be discernibly different from corn you purchase at a farmer's market.

[Tweaked]

New Morning Farms Tuesdays at the Sheridan School, in upper Northwest/Van Ness area, 4-8pm. 

[Choirgirl21]

Maybe this is a dumb question but is it more important that the corn be fresh or local?

The farmers at my market tend to pick the morning of, or at most the day before depending on what it is so to me local is fresh. And it is important to me that it be locally sourced. I get that it isn't for everyone.

I think my problem is solved. There was one vendor at the Crofton market who didn't list what they grow that I've been trying to reach. They do grow corn and will have it at the market on Wednesday so I should be good. It's not as convenient as the Howard County market the same day, but close enough knowing they will have what I need. Thanks again for the help!

[DonRocks]

How about, "It's more important that corn is not corn."

(I should put a smiley after that so Jen doesn't think I'm snapping at her, but I *am* snapping at the issue of corn itself; Jen is an innocent bystander.)