Hey, everyone. It’s Sam.

Amie and her family are under the weather, but she’ll be back with your regular newsletter next week. For today, hi—I’m Sam Cohen, and I’m the Editorial Product Manager over here. That means I get the privilege of working alongside Amie every day, and let me tell you, it’s as great as you think it is.

As great as a Virginia farmers market? That’s a tough one, because you all have a lot of them, selling just about any wonderful thing you could want. The Dogwood team has put together a whole tour of them down below, which sounds to me like just about the best possible weekend itinerary there is.

This weekend, my itinerary will involve working through my never-ending “to-be-read” list. Right now I’m re-reading “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton. It was one of my favorite books when I was a teenager, and it’s interesting to see how I feel about the characters and events now that I’m in my 30s.

Are there books you like to revisit over and over again? Let me know in a reply to this email. Hearing about books that people love is one of my favorite things, so I’m all ears!

Thanks for joining me today.

Sam Cohen

Editorial Product Manager, Community, Courier Newsroom

Our guide to Virginia’s Farmers Market Lovers Trail

Here’s what you need to know: No matter the season, Virginia has tons of great farmers’ markets worth exploring. Notably, northern Virginia has a cluster of markets that can be visited along a trail. We suggest starting in Fredericksburg and looping around to Marshall, but it can also be done in reverse. Even if you don’t have the stamina to go to multiple markets in a single day, you can always hit up a new market each week.

Our top picks:

Columbia Pike Farmers Market—The Columbia Pike Farmers Market offers a variety of local products including produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, and prepared food. Conveniently, you can shop online and pick up your order at the Columbia Pike tent. For something sweet, pick up a jar of pure, raw honey from Beane Family Farm, which uses Arlington and Luray bees. The market is open year-round on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Dale City Farmers Market —The Dale City Farmers Market has been offering Prince William County residents produce, meats, plants, and other locally grown or created goods since 1987. With nearly 50 vendors in the summer and more than 30 in the winter, it’s one of the largest open-air markets in the region. During the winter, it’s open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the rest of the year. No matter the season, coffee from Manassas-based El Viajero Coffee will surely hit the spot.
Old Town Farmers’ Market—Shrouded in heritage, the Old Town Farmers’ Market has been operating each Saturday morning year-round in the Market Square plaza for more than 260 years. In fact, it’s the oldest farmers market in the country that has been held continuously at the same place—even George Washington used to send his produce from Mount Vernon to be sold there. “Today, the market offers residents of and visitors to Alexandria a way to reconnect with the past, while participating in an ongoing local and national tradition,” the site reads. “During the peak season, there are more than 70 vendors offering fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, cheeses, breads, pastries, fresh pasta, pickled vegetables, cut flowers, potted plants, soups, fabric art, and paintings.” Sterling-based artisan creamery Blue Ridge Dairy Co. is a regular vendor at the market, which is open from 7 a.m. to noon every Saturday.

Looking for even more farmers’ markets to check out? Learn more about nine other amazing farmers’ markets in northern Virginia by clicking below.

Read this article

I love a good farmers’ market, especially in the warm weather! I’m constantly trying to be better about eating more fruits and vegetables, and they’re a great place to pick up some fun (and healthy) options. Are there any farmers’ markets that you know of that didn’t make our list, but deserve honorable mentions? Let me know at samcohen@couriernewsroom.com or by replying to this email.

According to the Associated Press, a federal agency is discouraging funny or quirky highway messages on digital signs, because they could distract or confuse drivers.

Who here remembers the sign on I-95 near Hanover in 2021, that read “Driving Fast and Furious? That’s Ludacris.” The sign was so notable that rapper and actor Ludacris posted it on Instagram, writing, “Virginia, I Love You Back! Can’t Believe this is real.”

We’re sure Ludacris would approve of the new highway safety plan, too.

~ ICYMI ~

‘TODAY’S PRICE IS NOT YESTERDAY’S PRICE’: House Democrats recently advanced legislation that would increase Virginia’s minimum wage to $15/hour. Delegate Michael L. Jones (D-77) is known for advocating for the voices of often overlooked people. During the sessions, he spoke about why the increase is important for Virginians. (WATCH THE VIDEO.)
VIRGINIA COULD PAY LESS FOR RX: Virginia Democrats want a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to protect our communities from price-gouging. House Dems recently proposed a law that would direct the governor to appoint a “small, independent group of health care experts” to the board, who would then put price limits on prescriptions. (READ MORE HERE.)
PAID SICK LEAVE FOR ALL? Even more new legislation from VA Dems would establish a paid sick leave program for all workers in the commonwealth. It would allow employees who are paid per service (instead of salaried) to accrue paid sick leave, too. Workers could use their leave for physical or mental illness, to take care of a family member, or to help them relocate due to domestic abuse (READ MORE HERE.)

Have you ever wondered about something specific to Virginia, but weren’t sure how to Google your question to find the right answer? We’re right there with you. We decided to launch an audience survey to get a better understanding of the questions you may have about VA in the hopes that we can do some investigating on your behalf.

If you could take a few minutes to fill out the survey and let us know what’s on your mind, we’d be so grateful. Looking forward to hearing what you want us to report on next!

What are you curious about, Virginia?

Your Commonwealth Connection

Our weekly #ThisIsVirginia post spotlights the people, places, and things that make us a commonwealth.

This week we’re shining our #ThisIsVirginia light onto Teens With a Purpose, a nonprofit youth development organization serving Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Check out this shoutout by Del. Jackie Glass as she introduced the teenagers on the House floor.

This email was written by Sam Cohen, Editorial Product Manager for Courier Newsroom. An avid reader, dog lover, and music enthusiast (one of my favorite bands, Bad Omens, is from Richmond!).
Have a question or comment? Reply back to this email!