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It’s fall, and that means your favorite tailgate market will likely be closing for the winter season soon. Below is a list of closing dates for all markets, and dates and locations for holiday markets. Not all locations will have winter or holiday markets. Some dates and locations have yet to be determined, so contact specific markets (listing on appalachiangrown.org) for more information. Don’t miss the last markets of the season! Read the rest of this entry »
The saying goes, “Happiness is handmade.” That’s precisely the point of area holiday farmers tailgate markets happening now: to provide homegrown, homemade happiness for all this season.
What’s fresh at area farmers tailgates now? Almost too much to fit into one report! After a wet season that impacted crops and even kept some farmers from markets, things are starting to turn around. Farmers are back with fall crops, and there’s an amazing variety of both summer and fall produce available.
It’s a family affair at farmers markets these days! The Three Sisters—beans, corn, and squash—can be found now. Called sisters historically because they share a season and help each other grow and thrive, these three plants were the principal crops of Native American groups. Farmers still companion plant these crops today.
What’s fresh at markets this week? What isn’t! These days, summer favorites like beans, bell peppers, cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, and tomatoes are joining an already seasonal abundance of greens, summer squash, berries, and peaches.
Get berry excited, because berries are here! While only a few markets and vendors have had them up until now, nearly every area tailgate should have berries ripe for the “picking” this week.
Yes, summer is about tomatoes. But it’s also about beans: green ones, yellow ones, purple ones, long ones, really long ones, flat ones, ones for eating pod and all, ones for shelling, ones for drying, and the list goes on. They all get the Get Local spotlight this July!
Their hue has been called “passionate scarlet” by one famous food writer. Yep, we’re talking about radishes! Bold beauties have already been spotted from vendors like New Moon Herbs Farm and Earthlife Farm at Asheville City Market Downtown.
Last winter, ASAP and Asheville City Market experimented with hosting an indoor winter market at the tailgate’s south location. The result? Fanfare. In fact, it was so well received that Asheville City Market South will operate as an indoor winter market again this year, and Asheville City Market downtown will move indoors for the first time as well.
But our market isn’t alone in staying open during what was once the “off season.” In fact, more winter markets will operate in WNC this year than ever before!
Yes, holiday farmers tailgate markets are wrapping (pun intended!) up. But that doesn’t mean there will be months of missing markets until spring rolls around; winter tailgates are just around the corner!
