Raw Milk Cheese Comes to the Riverdale Park Farmers Market

If you're looking for locally produced raw milk cheeses, there aren't many options in the Washington metropolitan area. In fact, there may just be one: P.A. Bowen Farmstead.

In 2009, P.A. Bowen became one of four Maryland locations to begin making raw milk cheeses under a state pilot program. The Brandywine, MD farm now produces two types: Prince George’s Blue and Chesapeake Cheddar.

Owners Geoffrey C. Morell and Sally Fallon Morell also happen to be the founders of the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization "dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism."

Why do we mention it? P.A. Bowen is among the vendors setting up shop at today's (Thursday's) Riverdale Park Farmers Market, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. at the town center building. Drop by for a selection that also includes:

• Bread and baked goods from Stone Hearth Bakery (Frederick, MD)
• A wide array of meats from Groff's Content Farm (Rocky Ridge, MD)
• Apples, canned peaches, cilantro, mustard greens, tatsoi, arugula, turnips, spinach, popcorn, and potatoes from the farm stand.

For more information on the market, consult the RPFM Facebook page. Suggestions and feedback can be sent to rpkfarmmkt@gmail.com.

And if you're searching for something to make with market fare, might we suggest:

• Fig balsamic blue cheese crostini
• Buttered turnip puree
• Mustard greens with cheddar
• Crunchy pork chops with garlicky spinach and tomato salad
• Apple coffee cake with crumble topping and brown sugar glaze