Blanchard’s Coffee Co. has been caffientating Richmond since 2004. Their Roasting Lab is located in Manchester, and their coffee is available all over Richmond as well as from their website.

***GIVEAWAY***

Like, Share, or Comment on this post on Facebook, or share on Twitter, and you’re entered to win a coffee sampler gift box, a selection of three bags of fresh roasted Blanchard’s Coffee!  Don’t forget to tag GrowRVA!

1. What is the name of your business, and what do you sell?

We are Blanchard’s Coffee Co. and we are a Richmond, Virginia craft coffee roaster. At the South of the James  Farmers Market, we sell cups of fresh-roasted coffee, our signature ColdBrew iced coffee and bags of our fresh  roasted coffee to brew at home.

2. What’s your most popular item, and why do you think it’s such a hit?

We only have three products, and frankly, they’re all a hit! When it is hot outside our ColdBrew iced coffee is unstoppable. Our cups of hot, fresh roasted coffee are a constant hit and we always have tons of folks taking our featured whole-bean and ground bags of coffee home.

3.  How long have you been in business?  What is something that would surprise people about what you do?

We’ve been roasting coffee since 2004—over 8 ½ years! We’ve grown a lot since we started but we are still family owned and we still roast and package every single batch of coffee by hand. Some may be surprised to know our coffee is popular all over the globe—some of our most far-reaching clients include the US Coast Guard Cutter Legare, several coffee-loving individuals on military bases all over the world, and a coffee house in Jordan!

4.  What other market vendors do you trade with or buy from?  

We love all the vendors at the market—the community aspect of the South of the James Market is one of the most unique and special things Richmond has to offer right now.

5.  Describe your typical market Saturday:

The South of the James Market is so popular now, our typical Saturday looks like trying hard to keep up with demand with a smile on our faces. We work hard, brew and serve as much coffee as possible and hope for a small lull when we can sneak out to one of the awesome food vendors for a market brunch treat!

This week we’re featuring a vendor who is new to the SOTJ this year, Richmond Soap Studio.  Owned and operated by Rebekah and Joe Kusterbeck since 2009, Richmond Soap Studio uses traditional recipes and real ingredients to make soaps with gorgeous scents and unique, memorable names based on the places that inspire them.  Take, for example,  the Forest Hill bar, “White spruce and lavender with French green clay.  Earthy and flowery = perfectly outdoorsy.”

(If that doesn’t sound like a fabulous Mother’s Day present, I have greatly misunderstood the holiday all these years.*)

***GIVEAWAY:  Like, Share, or Comment on this Post on Facebook, or Retweet on Twitter, and you’re in the running to win a French Lavendar Soap Gift Set!***

1. What is the name of your business, and what do you sell?

Richmond Soap Studio. We sell 100% natural, handcrafted, vegan soaps with a Richmond twist.

2. What’s your most popular item, and why do you think it’s such a hit?

The Soap Of Northern Aggression. It’s a hit because of 1. the name, 2. the grits!, and 3. the awesome smell, reminiscent of a barbershop shave.

3. How long have you been in business? What is something that would surprise people about what you do?

We’ve been in business since 2009. People may be surprised that we do custom soaps. We’ve made specialty soaps for bridal showers, retail promotions, and have even been in stores as far away as Sydney!

4. What other market vendors do you trade with or buy from?

So far this season, we’ve had the good fortune to vend right in between Alchemy coffee and Thinking Of You Creations. Coffee and cookies were bought and bartered for

5. Describe a typical market Saturday for you:

Our Saturday is not as hectic as it might be for growers or bakers. Our soaps have to be cured for 4-6 weeks prior to selling them. So, we have just a few preparations to make for the day of the market. The day is really fun and flies by! We enjoy talking ‘soap’ with both new customers and familiar faces.

*And speaking of Mother’s Day, The South of the James Market will have it’s first ever Kid’s Corner THIS SATURDAY, just in time for the little people to make something for Mom or just occupy themselves while Mom stands in the Yoder’s Donut line.  Look for it in that back left area of the market!

If noodles on paper can evoke that level of emotion, a token of esteem from your local farmers market (candles; soaps; flowers; or, if your mom is anything like me, cheese) is a no-brainer.  The only mis-step you could make is forgetting, so consider yourself reminded.  You’ve got TWO chances (South of the James and Midlothian Mines) Saturday to round up a Mother’s Day basket that will make have your mom reaching for the Kleenex and telling everyone in earshot how thoughtful you are.

This Saturday, you might notice a few changes at the market.  Out of concern for our beloved Forest Hill neighbors, we have decided to go totally acoustic.  You’ll have to listen a little harder to find your favorites, but they’ll still be there playing for you.  We want to be the best neighbors we can possibly be, and we realize that not everyone gets up with the farmers on Saturday mornings.  We so appreciate Forest Hill’s hospitality, so we’re going to turn the volume down a few notches.

In other neighborly news, we are still working to create a traffic flow that pleases everyone, and we hope you can be patient with us.  This little market has grown and grown over the last 6 years, and FHP is still the same size!  This week, you’ll see we’ve opened up more of the parking lot toward the market to allow traffic to flow a little more smoothly, but it’s a sizable logistical undertaking, and we certainly have room to improve.

We encourage anyone who can walk or ride a bike to the market to do so, or carpool with friends!  We heard your traffic feedback last week loud and clear, and we welcome more!  Your input helps us know what you need.  Let us know what changes would make your experience getting in and out of the market more efficient and safe.

The first in our series is Atomic Bakery, now starting their second year at SOTJ. Atomic Bakery has great personality, aesthetic, and of course, CUPCAKES, so check them out whenever you see them!

GIVEAWAY: Like or Share this blog post on Facebook AND/OR Share on Twitter. Tag GrowRVA, and you’re entered to win 4 single cupcakes from Atomic Bakery! That’s a family of cupcakes…just for you.*

Meet Your Artisan – Growers, Makers, and Cooks

1. What is the name of your business, and what do you sell?
Atomic Bakery LLC. We sell various baked goods such as cupcakes, brownies, blondies, truffles, and granola.

2. What’s your most popular item, and why do you think it’s such a hit?
Everyone really seems to love our cupcakes. The “Phantom from Space” (Chocolate Raspberry) is one of our most popular flavors. I think it’s well-liked due to the moist cake, rich ganache filling, and fresh raspberry buttercream. It’s just a great combo.

3. How long have you been in business? What is something that would surprise people about what you do?
We’ve been in business for 2 years.

Customers seem to really enjoy the design and aesthetic of our signage, packaging, and web presence. I think people would be surprised to know that we produce all of our own designs. Brandon is a graphic designer by trade, so he is a great resource in developing all of our branding and materials.

4. What other market vendors do you trade with or buy from?
We really enjoy trading with Tater Dave’s. Their bread has wonderful flavor and makes a great grilled cheese. We also absolutely love Simply Savory’s boursin spread. We make sure to pick some up at every market we sell at. And, of course, no day at SOJ would be complete without a pizza from Pizza Tonight, especially the Fig & Pig!

5. Describe a typical market Saturday for you.
Our Saturday typically starts around 5:30am. All of our treats are loaded up into our truck and cooler and we’re off to market – generally arriving around 7am. We have our set-up routine down to a science and are usually ready to roll by 7:30am. From then on it’s lots of smiles and excitement as we share our products with the customers!

Here’s a video with more info on The Atomic Bakery:

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Atomic Bakery will be at the SOTJ market on the following days:

May 4, 18
June 15, 29
July 13, 27
August 13, 24
September 7, 21
October 5, 19

*Available for pick-up at SOTJ when The Atomic Bakery is vending – baker’s choice.  Sharing is optional.

This week is the official beginning of market season, and we’re kicking things off on Wednesday with the May Day Art Market at Hardywood Brewery. This market will be slightly different from the Hardywood Farmer’s Market, which begins the following Wednesday and will feature about 30 vendors off and on. For this Wednesday’s market, there will be 15 vendors, including 3 food carts, plus live music starting at 4pm. Enjoy Hardywood’s latest line-up while you shop for jewelry, artisan chocolates, fresh produce, pottery, and more.
This Wednesday’s vendors will be:

Alchemy Coffee,
deRochonnett Chocolatier,
Cielito Lindo,
Eric Young Designs,
Goatocado,
King of Pops,
Ma’s Madhouse,
Old Tavern Clay,
Phal’s Eggrolls,
Red Chicken Pottery,
Red Lintu,
Sticcellar Carving,
Thinking of You Creations,
Village Gardener,
Wandering Cow Farm

Then it’s on to The Market at First Friday next to Quirk Gallery before the really big show – Saturday’s South of the James Market in Forest Hill Park! This year there will be parking attendants on hand to help the ease the flow of traffic. Join us in welcoming over 100 of your favorite artists, farmers, and food trucks back to the park. We’ll have live music and a few surprises up our sleeve that you’ll just have to see for yourself!

And when the SOTJ winds down, the Midlothian Mines Farmers Market is just getting started. A few brave souls will be pulling a very busy ‘double,’ setting up after the SOTJ at 13301 N. Woolridge Road, Midlothian, VA 23114 from 2-5pm every Saturday, so if getting up early isn’t your thing, you can still head out to Midlothian for all your locally-grown needs.

With 4 GrowRVA markets in one week, there’s no excuse to not buy local and have fun doing it.

We want to show them lots of support in thanks for being such a fantastic market location this season. It’s been a real treat to enjoy their space, not to mention their playground equipment! So if you see someone from the school, let them know you appreciate them.

And of course, this Saturday (4/20/13) is also Style Weekly’s RVA Earth Day Festival in Manchester, benefitting our non-profit organization FeedRVA, which provides education and financial assistance for SNAP recipients at the farmers markets. This will be a fantastic, family-friendly, green event in a great part of the city. There will be music (No BS Brass Band, Southern Belles, and more!) plus an RVA Street Foodie food truck court, local craft beer, kids activities, and plenty of ways to celebrate our planet.

Here is the official list of vendors for the RVA Earth Day festivities:

2 Dye 4
Adam N. Goldsmith Photography
Agriberry Farm
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
Altrusa Club of Richmond
Amelia Soap & Herb Co.
Aqua Systems
Art Works
Artist – David Sharp
Artist – Terah Victotine

Backyard Farmer
Bearer Farms
BODY2SOUL
Boka
Born Again Furnishings
Brown Distributing

Chesapeake Bay Foundation
CIEE
Cielito Lindo
Coal Train Wax Company
Commonwealth Building Sciences, LLC

Deborah Kozura Photography
Deer Run Farm of Amelia
Delta Temps Geothermal Heat Pumps

Eco Supply Center

FeedRVA
FETCH a Cure
Fountainhead Properties
Fruit 66
frumtheurth

GLSEN Richmond
Goatocado
GrowRVA

Handmade By Eva
Hardywood
Harrison Education

James River Outdoor Coalition
Jill Parker Designs

K & K Creations
King of Pops
Kirk Thore

Legend Brewing Company
Limeades & More
Local Suds

Marble-ous Creations
Mark’s Airborne Kettle Corn
Ma’s Mad House
Mirakata Sasha
Monique’s Crepes LLC
Mosaic Food Truck
Mrs. Yoders Kitchen

Nationwide

Old Tavern Clay

P & T Kitchen
Pair-a-Dice Farm, LLC
Palone Baja Grill (pre-packaged salsa)
Pedal Power
Pizza Tonight
Praxium Press
Project Yoga

Red Chicken Pottery
Red Lintu
Relay Foods
Richmond Community Acupuncture
Richmond Eco Design
Richmond Railroad Museum
RideFinders
RideRichmond
Row House Soaps
RVA Beard League
RVA Event Space
RVA Green Management
RVA Street Foodies

Sausage Craft
Sonoco Recycling
Sophisticated Soiree, LLC
Soul Ice
Station 2
Sticcellar Carving Co.
Sticky Rice
Street Deli RVA
Style Weekly

Taste The Local
Teresa January’s Handcrafted Jewelry
Thai Top Ten
The Dog Wagon
The Henna Lady.com
The Locks
The Shop

VA Fishing Adventures
Valerie Casey
Vegan Action
Virginia College Savings Plan
Virginia Outside and Virginia Fishing Adventures

Wondering Cow Farm

Due to the RVA Earth Day Festival, the line-up of vendors will be slightly different this week. If you are curious about a specific business, please check their Facebook page!

One of our favorite local activities almost snuck up on us – The Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k is this weekend! Walk-up Registration will be taking place today and Friday (4/11 and 4/12) at the Arthur Ashe Center. Check out the official website for the exact schedule and location, and come hungry. There will be some great food vendors on hand to get the fueling process started for the big race.

Vendors in attendance will include:

Alchemy Coffee (Friday only)

Boka Tako Truck

Chupacabra

Dogfather

Dogwagon

King of Pops

Mr. Softee

P & T Kitchen (Thursday only)

Super Fresh Carts

Availability will vary among vendors, so double check with your favorite food truck first to avoid any heartbreak!

The Monument 10k is one of Richmond’s best outdoor activities. Don’t miss your chance to get in on the fun.

We’re celebrating the birthday of Karen Atkinson’s daughter Maddie with a party that benefits young adults with autism and the Hermitage All Star Cheerleaders (a part of Hermitage High School’s Special Education program). Join us!

Music:
5pm – 7pm: Amy Henderson
7pm – 9pm: The Vendors

REGISTER to Attend this Free Event

Join Virginia’s Executive Mansion for the party of the year – its 200^th birthday celebration! Family friendly and free to the public, this festive occasion will include live music, delicious birthday cake, games, a moon bounce, inflatable slide, and much more!

Feel free to bring a picnic for your whole crew and if you want, tuck some cash in your wallet to purchase a tasty treat from some of RVA’s finest food trucks, organized by the RVA Street Foodies. Trucks and carts will include: King of Pops, Soul Ice, Curbside Creations, Thai Cabin, Pizza Tonight, Estes Barbeque, and Magna Carta….Are you hungry yet?

We will also have a Mini Heritage Farm sponsored by GrowRVA that will be fun for all ages! This interactive, educational experience will demonstrate to young and old (and all in between) the crafts, foods, and culture of the Old Dominion. Heritage demonstrators include Hermitage Grill, Old Tavern Clay, The Basket Case, Cane Connections, Red Chicken Pottery, Paul and Kate Studio, Richmond Tree Stewards, Parkside Café, Wandering Cow Farm, Dan Springs Collection, and Jeff Vick Ceramics.

Agricadabra, the magic show about agriculture, has been added to the entertainment during the party. Recently featured on TLC’s DC Cupcakes, this magical and educational experience will be fun for all!

Don’t forget to bring your blanket and chairs so that you will have a comfortable place to lounge when the sun goes down and we present a movie premiere on the Mansion’s front lawn – “First House,” the Mansion documentary produced by award winning Blue Ridge PBS in partnership with Appeal Productions. Be one of the first to see this film that will take you behind the scenes and reveal life, work, and play inside of the Mansion.

4:00pm Festivities Begin

7:00pm Movie Night on the Lawn Begins

We are excited to announce the festivities will now include a special performance by George Dennehy, who recently opened for the Goo Goo Dolls! Check out his music and story at www.georgedennehy.com!