Seeing strawberries? Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you! The spring staple crop arrived at area farmers tailgate markets this past weekend, about two weeks ahead of schedule.
Strawberries joined fellow season-favorite asparagus at McConnell Farms’ two booths—at Asheville City Market and North Asheville Tailgate Market—selling out quickly at both. It’s possible they may still have a few bunches of asparagus this week, but strawberries are truly spring’s stars now. Jake’s Farm also brought berries to Asheville City Market, and Ivy Creek Family Farm brought theirs to North Asheville. Expect to find strawberries at markets through mid-May.
Fresh at Farmers Markets
Start your shopping list and get meal inspiration each week with ASAP’s roundup of what’s fresh at farmers markets. Although this report focuses on vendors at Buncombe County markets, many products mentioned can be found at markets throughout the region. Want to get this report in your inbox each week? Subscribe to ASAP’s Weekly Farmers Market Report newsletter. Looking for a yearlong view? Check out ASAP’s produce seasonality chart.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
These are the salad days of area farmers tailgate markets. They’re young, just beginning, bustling with excitement, and chock full of everything you need for a spring salad—from lettuce mixes to spinach to radishes!
Like your salad with a bit of a kick? Punch it up with watercress, spotted recently from Long Valley Eco-biotic Farm (Madison County Farmers & Artisans Market, West Asheville Tailgate Market, Weaverville Tailgate Market, Sundays on the Island) and Paper Crane Farm (Asheville City Market, West Asheville Tailgate Market ). Early spring is the prime flavor time for spicy watercress, which also goes well in sandwiches and sauces. Arugula can be found now, too, for a peppery punch. Harvest Table Farm recently brought theirs to the West Asheville Tailgate Market, along with the piquant green Mizuna.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
Spring’s boldest flavors—from ramps to asparagus and stinging nettles to spring onions—were front and center at area farmers tailgate markets this past week and weekend, and they should be available for your favorite recipes a little longer.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
And they’re off—area outdoor tailgate markets, that is—to a great start (pun intended)! Leicester Farmers Market, the first outdoor market to open this spring, overflowed with beautiful plant starts last weekend. In fact, Finally Farm had almost five tables of starts. Vendors will have lots more this Friday (4-7 pm) and Saturday (9 am-2 pm); the market will continue now two days a week.
Hoping to start a culinary herb garden? Visit vendors like Blue Heron Farm for thyme, parsley, lemon verbena, rosemary, and more. Thinking about planting veggies? Find starts for heirloom tomatoes, peppers, squash, and beans from vendors like Synchronicity Farms. Garden-friendly flowers like marigolds will also be available.
Fresh at (Indoor & Outdoor!) Farmers Markets This Week
The seasons collide this week as indoor winter markets continue and the first outdoor markets of spring open their, well, tents!
The indoor market at Asheville City Market South in Biltmore Park Town Square continues Wednesday (2-6 pm). It’s the farewell market for Creasman Farms and their apples; they’ll return to Asheville City Market in downtown this summer with peaches, blueberries, and more. Jake’s Farm will bring more greens—lettuce, kale, collards, and mustards—and they’ll have turnips, too. Blue Meadow Farms will take a break this week but return next Wednesday with radishes and kale mixes. They’re looking forward to offering garlic scapes soon!
Fresh at (Winter?) Farmers Markets This Week
Even though the weather has been summerlike, local farmers and vendors are still heading indoors for “winter markets” this week. But, talk has definitely turned to spring—and its outdoor markets and bounty. (Can it be three seasons all at once?!)
At Asheville City Market South’s winter market—which runs indoors Wednesdays from 2 to 6 pm through the end of April—farmer Missy Huger of Jake’s Farm is excited to offer spring greens galore. Look for everything from spinach and salad mix to herbs and Asian greens like Bok Choy and Tatsoi.
Fresh at (Winter) Farmers Markets This Week
If apples are, well, the apple of your eye, you won’t want to miss area farmers markets these next three weeks! Creasman Farms has been bringing their apples to both Asheville City Market South (Wednesdays, 2-6 pm) and the indoor market at the Woodfin YMCA (Saturdays, 10 am-noon) all winter long. But, their supplies of the fall crop can’t last forever. Expect them to stay through the end of March—they’ll still have their apple baked goods and apple butter, too. Should they not sell out of Pink Lady and the other remaining varieties by the end of the month, you may find them vending into April. But if they do sell out, you’ll have to wait to see Creasman again until July, when they return to Asheville City Market with their summer crops of peaches and berries.
Fresh at (Winter) Farmers Markets This Week
As spring nears, vendors are bringing more and more veggies to winter tailgate markets. That means if you’ve been rushing to get there first thing before vendors sell out, you can take a breather this week!
Mountain Harvest Organics‘ booth billowed with greens—chard, collards, and kale—last week at the winter market at the Woodfin YMCA (Saturdays, 10 am-noon). They’ll have more of all three this week, along with napa cabbage. (They offer pork, too!)
Fresh at (Winter) Farmers Markets This Week
It’s getting more and more difficult to tell a winter farmers market from a regular-season market these days. First, there’s the confusing weather. “Usually this is roasting season, but with this weather, I’m not sure what kind of season this is!” said Stephen Robertson, owner/operator of East Fork Farm, at last Saturday’s winter market at the Woodfin YMCA (weekly, 10 am-noon). Then, there’s the fact that the off-season markets have everything!
Fresh at (Winter) Farmers Markets This Week
Spring is still one month away, but you can hear about and even see it now at winter tailgate markets. Farmers and vendors are abuzz with their plans—sharing with each other and shoppers—and they’re starting to bring in new goods representative of the new season!
At Asheville City Market South (Wednesdays 2-6 pm), it seems like Jake’s Farm’s greens are getting brighter and greener every week in anticipation. Currently, salad mixes, spinach, herbs, peppers, and radishes keep their greens company. But, farmer Missy Huger shares they’ll soon bring micro greens, scallions, and beets, followed later (once spring sets in) by broccoli and cauliflower.