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Do you follow your favorite farmers on social media? Besides being a great way to get a tantalizing sneak peek into what they’ll bring to market each week, many farmers have taken to advertising special sales in the week before market, which can guide you as you plan your shopping route.
With the opening of outdoor farmers tailgate markets comes the return of some of your favorite farmers and producers who may have taken a break over the winter season. If you’ve been missing your mushroom fix, Asheville Fungi will be back at Asheville City Market and West Asheville Tailgate Market this week.
Midweek markets return this week as Asheville City Market-South and Weaverville Tailgate Market open for the season on Wednesday, April 4. Both have new locations: Weaverville Tailgate Market is now at Reems Creek Nursery (76 Monticello Rd., Weaverville) from 2:30-6 p.m. Asheville City Market-South, from 12 to 4 p.m., stays within Biltmore Park Town Square, but shifts up the promenade to the grassy area in front of the Reuter Family Branch YMCA, between REI and Mosaic Cafe.
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with Terry King, who owns King Harvest Farm with her husband, Steve. King Harvest Farm sells all natural, chemical free vegetables and herbs at Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville, which opens for the season on April 20. Read the rest of this entry »
With spring’s official arrival yesterday, outdoor farmers tailgate markets can’t be far off! Most area markets start their season during the months of April and May.
More harbingers of spring showed up at markets around the region this past weekend. One such pioneer is sorrel, which Jake’s Farm at Asheville City Market-Winter has had for the past two weeks. Read the rest of this entry »
These can be weeks of whiplash as the temperature swings from tantalizingly warm to hard freeze. Is it time to look for seed starts, or hunker down with a hearty stew and fridge full of provisions in case of a snow day?
The slower shoulder season is a good time to ask your favorite farmers tailgate market vendors about what they might have in coming weeks. As storage crops like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and winter squash begin to wane, you’re likely to see an uptick in greens, including salad green mixes, baby kale, microgreens, and pea shoots. Read the rest of this entry »
As farmers tailgate markets have grown in recent years, it gets easier to eat local through the winter and still enjoy some variety. Even so, we suspect there’s a moment for even the most ardent local eaters when you ask, “But what else can I do with sweet potatoes?” The classic winter storage crop is a standby at fall and winter markets (at Asheville City Market-Winter, look for them from Ten Mile Farm or Sleight Family Farm). They can be easily roasted, pureed, fried, and gratinéed for cold-weather meals, but we’re here to offer a few less conventional ideas to add to your repertoire.
Seafood isn’t something particularly local to the mountains of Western North Carolina, but farmers markets can still be a chance to find good fish choices to enjoy alongside more locally grown fare. Asheville City Market-Winter offers a few possibilities.
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with ASAP volunteer Julie Montenea about why she loves her CSA.
Q: You’ve participated in three different CSAs. Did you receive produce or other farm goods?
I received produce from all three CSAs, but from two farms I could also get eggs and meat, separate from the regular CSA box. I didn’t eat meat for many years and still never eat commercially raised animals. But I now eat some meat and poultry from local farms that I’ve visited and seen how the animals are raised. Read the rest of this entry »