Via Fauquier Health

WARRENTON, VA, September 13, 2011 – Ever wonder how to pick out a ripe cantaloupe? Do you know the difference between English peas and snow peas? What’s the best kind of onion to use in a stir fry? Are you just a little afraid to try okra?

You can find answers to dozens of food-related questions at the September 21 Warrenton Farmers Market. Josh Gegoski, Chef of the Bistro on the Hill, will be at the market from 10 to 11:30 a.m., chatting with visitors and vendors, and choosing delicious, affordable, fresh fruits and vegetables for a signature dish he will prepare at 11:30. The cooking demonstration, held outside at the Farmers Market, will feature all locally grown produce.

Fauquier Health’s Wellness Center will also be providing blood pressure checks from 10 a.m. to noon. Aren Dodge, dietitian at the Wellness Center, will be present during that time to answer questions about healthy eating.

Fauquier Hospital hosts the Farmers Market every Wednesday through October, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bistro entrance to the hospital on Hospital Hill in Warrenton.

Participation in the Farmers Market is part of Fauquier Hospital’s commitment to improving community health; promoting access to fresh, healthy and sustainable agriculture; and supporting the local economy. The Farmers Market Initiative complements and builds upon established hospital programs such as the diabetes workshops, community education, family health initiatives and the VIPeds summer Medical Camps.

What Are The Benefits of a Farmers’ Market?

Reasons for “going local” vary, but specific positives include:

• Freshness and Nutrition. The nutritional value of produce falls as time passes after harvest; locally grown fruit and vegetables are often picked within 24 hours of purchase.

• Taste and price. Eating local produce helps ensure that your food is at its peak taste, in good supply

and well priced.

• Regional economic health. Supporting local farmers keeps money in our community.

• Environmental protection. Flying, trucking and shipping food negatively affect the environment.

About Fauquier Health

Fauquier Health is a non-profit community health system. A Planetree-designated facility, the organization is dedicated to high-quality, patient-centered care in a unique environment that considers the multiple facets of healing and respects the individuality of each and every patient. Located at 500 Hospital Drive in Warrenton, Virginia, Fauquier Health serves the residents of Fauquier and several surrounding counties. It comprises:  Fauquier Hospital, a fully accredited, 97-bed hospital; Fauquier Health Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 115-bed long-term care and rehabilitation facility; the Villa at Suffield Meadows, an assisted living facility; the Wound Healing Center and a medically supervised Wellness Center offering health and wellness programs. Fauquier Health also has a 50 percent ownership in two joint ventures:  Fauquier Health Home Medical Store, a retail outlet offering medical, home health, and wellness supplies, and the Cancer Center at Lake Manassas, a state-of-the-art radiation treatment facility. Fauquier Health also operates eight doctors’ offices: Fauquier Health Endocrinology; Fauquier Health OB/GYN; Fauquier Health Infectious Diseases; Fauquier Health ENT; Fauquier Health Hemotology and Oncology; and Fauquier Health Rheumatology in Warrenton; Fauquier Health Internal Medicine at Lake Manassas; and Fauquier Health Family Practice at Bealeton. In 2009, Fauquier Health provided $11.8 million in community benefit support to its community. More information on Fauquier Health is available online at www.fauquierhealth.org or by calling 540-316-3588.