We’re just a few weeks away from the first outdoor spring markets opening in the area. Over the next couple of months what can you expect from farmers markets?
Late winter and early spring are exciting for the longer days, warmer weather, and bright budding green flora. But alongside this cheer is the less exciting reality of more limited availability of in-season produce than at any other time of year.
What will you find less of? Storage and roots crops. Over the last few months of winter we’ve had access to storage crops and root vegetables, including sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, carrots, winter squash, cabbages, and more. As we get further from the previous fall’s harvest, supplies of these get smaller. As such, there will be less of these as the weeks continue; not none, just less. This past week, New Moon Herbs still had butternut squash, and Ten Mile Farm had potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets.
What can you find in large quantities throughout late winter and early spring? For produce there will continue to be an abundance of salad greens, microgreens, and tender baby greens such as pea shoots, and others. Also, we’ll see more tender alliums, such as spring onions, chives, and scallions each week as we head toward spring.
And market staples abound continually, no matter the time of year: you can always find eggs, cheeses, ferments, pickles and preserves, breads and baked goods, meats, and more.
Asheville City Market, Saturdays 9 am-noon, in the Masonic Temple downtown.
YMCA Winter Market, Saturdays 9 am–noon, in the parking lot of the Woodfin YMCA.
The YMCA is also hosting a South market, held Wednesdays 4:00 PM – 6:30 PM in the YMCA in the lobby of the Reuter Family YMCA in Biltmore Park.
Winter farmers markets take place throughout the region. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
