All kinds of farm-fresh goodness at area farmers tailgate markets this week.
Spring’s bounty is plentiful at the Montford Farmers Market. Finally Farm is offering plant and herb starts including epazote, a Central American herb great for cooking with beans to make them more digestible, as well as marjoram, parsley, cilantro, several varieties of mint, lemon verbena, and much more. Gaining Ground Farm is selling greens such as endive and red dandelion, pepper starts, kohlrabi, and fennel bulbs. They report that they will have lettuce in the coming weeks. Full Sun Farm has that spring standard, strawberries. Additionally, Full Sun is selling tomato starts including Sunpeach, a small pink cherry tomato and pink cousin to the popular Sungold tomato variety. Snap peas, beautiful flower bouquets, eggplant starts, lettuce, and radishes are also part of Full Sun’s offerings. Want some local meats to go with all of those veggies? A Way of Life Farm has pasture-raised pork including sausage (mild or hot), chorizo, fresh uncured bacon, ribs, bratwurst, and more.
Over at the Madison County Farmers & Artisans Market, be sure to stop by Long Valley Eco-Biotic Farm’s booth for Asian greens, kale, lettuce mix, spring garlic, flower bouquets, and more. Meadow Cove Farm reports that they are selling Shiitake mushrooms, strawberries, asparagus, and eggs, and sugar snap peas will be here soon. Need starts? Try Leaning Willow Farm for pepper and heirloom tomato plants, culinary herbs, flowers, and hanging baskets of nasturtiums. Leaning Willow also has kale, collards, green onions, and radishes for your shopping needs. Three Graces Dairy – a popular tailgate market vendor – is also at the Madison County market serving up many flavors of chevre, goat and Guernsey feta, as well as aged cheeses.
You can be cheesy at the Asheville City Market, where Three Graces Dairy also vends. Be sure to also visit Spinning Spider Creamery, which has two new seasonal choices: pepper berry and Solstice cheeses, and Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery for cave-aged cheeses. Want to try a new kind of jelly? Mountain Man Preserves has begun making a beer jelly made with local beer. Next Saturday, May 31, Asheville City Market will hold a Kids Strawberry Day Contest, which means kids can win yummy strawberries as prizes!
For a complete list of Appalachian Grown™ certified tailgate markets browse our online Local Food Guide or our online farmers market calendar.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
