It's really over...

The Georgetown Farmers' Market is really over.  

Leslie Wheelock and I shared a bittersweet sunset goodbye with our farmers last week as we stacked bales of straw and loaded the trucks for their return journeys home. It's been a great six months of Market Days at . We are all exhausted and will probably be glad for a day off when the next couple of Wednesdays roll around, but we will also be missing each other and missing you, our faithful fans and friends.  

The camaraderie of the Market each Wednesday afternoon is a boost to our spirits as we hope it is a weekly boost to yours. It's about more than just fresh food. It is about knowing who produces that food and where. It is about sharing stories, recipes and laughs with our farmers. It is about conversations with your neighbors and about children playing in the park while their parents shop. It is about the mingling of old and young, dogs and strollers. It is about our Rose Park community and how we sustain our beautiful neighborhood park.

The Market may be closed these next six months but the beauty of Rose Park is year-round and the work to keep it that way is ongoing. You will notice plenty of activity and improvements in Rose Park in the coming months driven by the Market's sponsoring organization, The Friends of Rose Park.

There will be eight new trees planted thanks to Casey Trees in conjunction with The Friends of Rose Park (contact Rob Hetem at 202-944-2724 if you would like to help with the planting of these trees Nov. 12). There will be other enhancements to our landscaping around the tennis courts and tot lot, funded by The Friends of Rose Park. The ball field will be reseeded. There is a discussion taking place about a way to use our Recreation Hut year-round.

And there is the biggest project that The Friends of Rose Park has undertaken in several years : a reimagining of the area around the flagpole at 26th and O Streets. This entry point to Rose Park has been "loved" to death. The constant foot and bike traffic, combined with the exuberant enjoyment of the playground equipment near the flagpole, have created an eyesore even on dry days and a muddy mess on wet ones.  

The Friends of Rose Park has a plan to make this an attractive, well-drained and child-friendly part of our park. Fundraising efforts will begin soon and we will be asking you to help us in any way you can.

There is always a role for you if you would like to contribute your ideas and talents to the year-round efforts of The Friends of Rose Park. If you have suggestions and ideas or you would like to get involved, please let me know and I will answer your questions and help you to get in touch with the right FRP board member. It is a fun group and a great neighborhood cause.  

Thank you again for your enthusiastic support of the Georgetown Farmers' Market. When you support the Market, you support The Friends of Rose Park. We couldn't do it without you.

See you in Rose Park! See you back at the Market in May!