The Story Behind Long Family Markets

By Robin Long

Long Family Markets has been part of the Stafford community for more than a decade, offering fresh, locally grown food, handcrafted goods, and meaningful connections. Behind the scenes, our story is one of dedication, growth, and a mission to create a vibrant marketplace that supports small businesses while fostering a sense of community and family.

How It All Began

In 2013, Vanessa Griffin founded the North Stafford Farmers Market, creating a space for local farmers, bakers, and artisans to connect with the community. I was one of the original vendors, with my business Lovely Sweets & Treats, specializing in custom cakes and desserts.

By 2015, the market faced closure due to challenges with county regulations. Determined to preserve this vital community space, my husband, Les, and I purchased the market through Long & Long LLC, officially taking ownership on July 1, 2015.

A New Name and Vision

In 2018, we rebranded as Long Family Markets to reflect our long-term commitment to the community. The name also reflects our dedication to being a family-run, family-oriented marketplace where everyone, participating businesses and customers alike, feels welcome.

From Humble Beginnings to Remarkable Growth

When we began, the market hosted just 9 weekly businesses, with 15 participating throughout the season. Today, we average 80 weekly businesses, with 155+ participating seasonally. By offering flexible scheduling and rotating spaces, we’ve built a diverse marketplace that also serves as a business incubator, helping launch more than 20 successful microbusinesses in our area.

Our growth also brought us to Woodbridge, where our Thursday market now serves shoppers on the Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center campus.

Literacy and Education in the Marketplace

At Long Family Markets, we’re passionate about enriching our community beyond food:

• Story Time: Local author JS Furlong hosts story time at the market, where she and other local authors read short stories and share their work with anyone who stops by.
• Free Book Giveaways: We partner with The Book Market FXBG to offer free books to readers of all ages.
• Animal Education with Angry Duck Farm: Once a month, Angry Duck Farm brings goats, chickens, rabbits, turkeys, ducks, and more to the market. Visitors can learn how these animals are cared for and enjoy an up-close experience with farm life.

Our Mission: Supporting Community and Agriculture

We’re dedicated to supporting small businesses that promote local agriculture. Our standard is local first, not local only. Participating businesses are generally located within 100 miles of the market, and we make limited exceptions when a product adds something our region can’t grow or produce. We carefully balance farms, food producers, prepared foods, and locally made products to keep agriculture at the heart of every market day.

Our programs include:

• Chicken Hunt: Kids 13 and under search the market for Mr. Cluck Cluck and earn Cluck Bucks or a prize from our prize box.
• Young Entrepreneur Program: We support youth ages 5–21 in turning business ideas into real ventures, with mentorship, planning, and market space.

Why Long Family Markets?

Our marketplace is more than a venue. It’s a community hub where neighbors connect, families gather, and small businesses thrive. Every dollar spent supports local agriculture, strengthens our local economy, and helps build a more sustainable future.

We’d love to see you at the market. Visit our Farmers Markets page for dates, hours, and locations, and come find out what makes Long Family Markets more than a market.