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.
Summer is right around the corner, and as temperatures rise, we’re seeing more and more warm weather produce at markets! This week, look for garlic scapes, summer squash, and some of the first cherries of the year! If you’re not familiar with garlic scapes, they are the tender stem and bulb of hard-necked garlic plants. … Read more
Sugar snap peas, a spring favorite of many, have returned to markets! Loved for their crunchy texture and sweet flavor, this legume can be incorporated into any recipe or meal this week. Our favorite way to enjoy snap peas is in this simple and refreshing salad with goat cheese. Trim and remove the strings of … Read more
Spring produce is continuing to arrive at farmers tailgate markets, and this week we’re beginning to see more of our favorite alliums, including spring onions, scallions, and even some shallots! Be on the lookout over the next few weeks for more spring favorites, as well as some early summer crops, including peas, cucumbers, summer squash, … Read more
Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and farmers markets are full of surprises for the mother figures in your life! From flowers, to sweet treats, to ingredients for homemade goodies, farmers markets are the perfect place to find a special something for mom! A fresh and colorful assortment of local flowers are the perfect token of … Read more
Now that we’re in the thick of allergy season, it may feel like nothing will effectively relieve our symptoms! Local farmers tailgate markets offer some herbal and food-based remedies that may help in alleviating some of that annual, pollen-induced ailment. While you may be a little wary to use a plant that commonly causes an … Read more
Our favorite spring fruit (strawberries!) made its grand return to farmers tailgate markets last week, and we’ll see an even bigger bounty of this seasonal treat over the next few weeks. You can find strawberries from Ivy Creek Family Farm (North Asheville and Weaverville markets), Full Sun Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market), Headwaters Market Garden … Read more
While we eagerly await some of our favorite spring produce at farmers markets (look out for ramps, strawberries, and more within the coming weeks!), it’s not too late to embrace some of the cold-weather crops we’ve seen at markets this winter, like beets! Beets are a sweet, nutrient-dense, and versatile root vegetable that can be … Read more
This week at markets, make sure to stop by the booth of Lee’s One Fortune Farm for a live demonstration on how to peel fresh bamboo shoots (from the farmers themselves)! Bamboo shoots are the young, edible sprouts of bamboo trees, and are a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes due to their sweet flavor, … Read more
Fresh cut, local flowers are beginning to return to markets, signaling the arrival of spring with their array of beautiful colors! You can find tulips, poppies, ranunculus, anemones, edible flowers, flower seedling starts, and more at markets this week! Look for bouquets and flower products from vendors like Blazing Star Flowers (River Arts District Farmers … Read more
Farmers tailgate markets are getting ready for a new season with a few shifts in operating hours coming up over the next few weeks. Below is a rundown for what to look for at Buncombe County markets, but you can also find opening dates for markets across the region at asapconnections.org/farmersmarkets. At these early spring … Read more