The Byrd House Market is located in Oregon Hill on a grassy lot behind the William Byrd Community House at the corner of Cherry and Idlewood. It is open from May to October 3:30-7pm every Tuesday from May to October. VCU students are able to buy huge bundles of fresh vegetables for $10 when they show their VCU Student I.D. During these months you can expect to see VCU students as well as vegan and health conscious Richmonders toting their recyclable bags to the farmer’s market for fresh produce, fruit, jellies, and bread. This market is convenient to the many people in Richmond that do not have cars that can walk or ride their bikes to this local farmer’s market. Now it’s January and the Byrd House Market is over with, so what is the answer?
The Renegade Market. It is open Tuesdays from 3-6pm, November thru April in the Byrd House Market lot. There are not as many vendors as the Byrd House Market, but each week you can find fresh vegetables, fruit, organically raised eggs and meat, and other finds.
Agriberry Farms, a veteran vendor at the Byrd House Market was set up there yesterday with an array of delicious apples some I had never tried those being Pink Lady which had a sweet tart taste and Honey Crisp. A half a pound of apples is $6 and a pound is $12, in addition they offer several types of homemade jams, jellies, and apple sauce.
“We are usually here every week but we will be out the next few weeks. These apples come from our farm in Hanover. All of our jams and apple sauce are homemade,” said Anne Geyer, one of the founders of Agriberry Farms.
Many of the same vendors are there most weeks but many rotate and you can find different stuff from week to week.
“Each week is different, last week we had a lot of vegetables and fresh produce,” said owner of Dogtown Lounge, a homemade dog and cat-treat business.
Her natural and unique pet treats on display were Dried Chicken Fingers and Duck Feet.. You can find them at the Renegade Market almost every week.
Along with Dogtown Lounge, you can find Faith Farms that offers grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and pastured chicken.
Faith Farms’ most popular product is their fresh raw milk. Apparently it is illegal to sell raw milk in Virginia so you have to buy a share of a cow in order to buy raw milk.
“We have 30 regulars that come to us every week for raw milk,” said Brenda of Faith Farms.
Shares are available to those interested in buying raw milk. Supply is limited because of high-demand so they do not offer samples, so if you want some raw milk buy a share of one of their cows.
Unkol Chuck’s Brunswick Stew out of Alberta, VA, a new vendor offered their low-sodium Brunswick Stew perfect for the wintertime, made the old-fashioned way in a huge cast-iron pot.
There is no VCU student discount but it is a great place for people in Richmond to walk or bike to a farmer’s market close by. Each week is different, vendors have different schedules but you can always find something fresh or organic each week.
The Byrd House Market facebook page shows which vendors will be there each week. Past vendors of the past two months, Epic Gardens, Tomten Farm, and Della Carpini Farm.
https://www.facebook.com/byrdhousemarket?ref=br_tf
Renegade Market
Every Tuesday 3-6pm,
November thru April
Located at The Byrd House Market lot behind the William Byrd Community House
