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Fall begins officially next week and we’re definitely starting to feel the temperature drop. Mornings have us wanting to stay wrapped up in a blanket with a hot cup of tea. Happily, September has brought an excellent tea-making crop to area farmers tailgate markets—red Thai roselles. You can get them from Sleight Family Farm at North Asheville Tailgate Market and New Roots Market Garden at ASAP Farmers Market and West Asheville Tailgate Market.
We’re continuing our tips for preserving your end-of-summer farmers market bounty this week, even if you can’t get your hands on any canning equipment. (You can thank the COVID-19 combination of boredom and prepper mentality for a nationwide shortage.) This week we’re focusing on oven drying. For a guide to air drying, look for last week’s post on fromhere.org.
Well, we’ve come upon yet another consequence of the pandemic era. Due to a resurgence of interest in homestead skills, there is now a nationwide shortage on canning jars, lids, and rings. If you’re accustomed to buying up all of your favorite end-of-summer produce at farmers tailgate markets to preserve for the next year, you may need to consider alternate methods, like freezing or drying.
From nettles to beet greens, amaranth to tatsoi, there are countless types of leafy greens you can buy at farmers tailgate markets that don’t generally appear at grocery stores. One variety in season right now is sweet potato greens, the abundant vines sprouting from the more commonly consumed tuber part of the plant.
Hey, parents. How are you doing out there? We know the next few weeks may be tough (as if the past six months hadn’t already been difficult). Whether your family is heading back to in-person school, navigating distance learning, or trying to unravel the particulars of a hybrid system, healthy snack food might not be top of your mind. And that may be the case even if you don’t have kids in the house. But there are some simple things you can grab at farmers tailgate markets right now that might appeal even to picky or stressed-out eaters.
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re talking to Polly Phillips, WNC gleaning coordinator for the Society of St. Andrew (pictured with volunteer Jennifer Murphy). The Society of St. Andrew works to reduce food waste and feed communities through gleaning, collecting leftover crops from farmers’ fields. The Society has also gleaned from Asheville City Market, and now ASAP Farmers Market, since 2015.
Does having to wait make the last few fruits of summer taste all the sweeter? Find late season delights, including watermelon, cantaloupe, and figs, at farmers tailgate markets across Buncombe County.
Believe it or not, winter squash—butternut, delicata, kabocha, and more—is starting to show up on local farmers’ social media feeds. August is always a funny time of year. We’re still anticipating some of summer’s best treats (watermelon!), even as the first few autumnal crops make their way to farmers tailgate markets.
The humble tomato pie. Is there a better purpose for the scores of tomatoes piling up on farmers tailgate market tables right now? Not to be confused with the tomato pie of Italian-American descent, the Southern tomato pie revolves around three ingredients: tomato, cheese, and mayonnaise. Everything else—including the crust—is optional.
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Farmers tailgate markets are hitting peak summer bounty. It’s hard to see beyond the myriad berries, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and squash. But if you’re seeking something a little different, there are a few lesser-known treasures popping up on market tables.