Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

Summer is settling in nicely at area farmers tailgate markets! It’s quite the rainbow at vendors’ stalls – from purple eggplant to green squash, yellow tomatoes to blueberries, and orange peppers to pink beets – there’s as much for your eyes to feast on as there is to eat!
Mountain Man Preserves is creating new and exciting jams with local seasonal fruit. This week he had peach Kölsch, peach hibiscus, and blackberry lime basil, among many others. Visit him at Asheville City Market, Asheville City Market – South, East Asheville Tailgate Market, and West Asheville Tailgate Market to taste his new flavors and combinations.
Can’t get enough summer berries? Gibson Berry Farm has multiple varieties of blueberries available, so you can choose sweet or tart. Late July/early August is the height of the season for blueberries, so now is the perfect time. Gibson Berry Farm can be found at Weaverville Tailgate Market, North Asheville Tailgate Market, and Sundays on the Island– a Sunday afternoon market on Blannahassett Island in Marshall, NC.
Last week we saw melons arrive at the market, and now we’re happy to announce that First Blossom Farm (French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market) has heirloom watermelons! Any way you slice it, they’re delicious!
Multiple markets- including Asheville City Market, Weaverville Tailgate Market, and Black Mountain Tailgate Market– are reporting that we’ll be able to find okra this week. Get to the market early, as it will probably go fast!
On August 19, West Asheville Tailgate Market is hosting the Mountains to Sea Market Supper, featuring Dan Silo and Eric Kang of The Admiral, with all proceeds going to the growth of the market. The River Arts District Farmers Market and West Asheville Tailgate Market are partnering to host A Midsummer Night’s Feast event, including a farm-to-table meal, and showing of GMO OMG documentary on August 4. Both are ticketed events, which you can purchase online as well as in person- ask about it while at market this week.
For a complete list of Appalachian Grown™ certified tailgate markets browse our online Local Food Guide or online farmers market calendar.