Markets are back! Buncombe County has four weekly year-round farmers tailgate market options this winter. Support farmers and food producers through the slower season and make sure to visit the winter market versions of Asheville City Market, North Asheville Tailgate Market, River Arts District Farmers Market, and the Weaverville Tailgate Market.
Though winter markets are smaller, you can still find a good mix of seasonal produce including storage crops, like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and winter squash, plus cold-weather veggies like turnips, radishes, microgreens, salad greens and dark leafy greens. Meats, eggs, cheeses, bread, ferments, baked goods, and other artisan foods are also available. Here’s what to look for at each market—if you want to be in the know about who and what will be at each market, sign up for their weekly newsletters!
North Asheville Tailgate Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning tomorrow, Jan. 4, outdoors in lot P34 at UNC Asheville (275 Edgewood Rd.). The market will welcome back many of their regular season vendors like Black Trumpet Farm, Good Wheel Farm, Spinning Spider Creamery, McConnell Farms and Dolci Di Maria.
Asheville City Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning Jan. 11, on North Market Street between Woodfin and Walnut Streets in downtown Asheville. The market will continue outdoors through the winter, shifting its hours slightly later with the hopes of avoiding the coldest early-morning temperatures. The market will have many vendors continuing on from the regular season, like Highgate Farm, Simple Bread, and Dry Ridge Farm as well as some new faces. Expect about a handful of produce vendors each week, including some returning farm favorites like Lee’s One Fortune Farm and Olivette Farm, in addition to several meat, coffee, artisan food products, and baked goods vendors!
River Arts District Winter Market: Wednesdays, 3 to 5:30 p.m., beginning Jan. 8, outdoors at AB Tech (24 Fernihurst Dr.). You can find winter produce here from vendors like Full Sun Farm, Wild East Farm and Flying Cloud Farm, along with specialty products like specialty pork sausage from Sugar Hollow Farm, fermented foods from Serotonin Ferments, cold-pressed juice from Immortal Juice Co., and much more!
Weaverville Winter Tailgate Market: Wednesdays, 3 to 6 p.m., beginning Jan. 8, indoors at the Weaverville Community Center (60 Lakeshore Dr.). Regular season vendors like Dillingham Family Farm, Lane in the Woods Farm and Creamery, The Pollina Project, and High Top Bread Co. will be joined by craft, body care and artisan food vendors like Sister of Mother Earth.
Need more options? Take a road trip this winter to visit a market you’ve never been to before elsewhere in the region.
To the south:
Columbus Winter Market: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., every first and third Saturday through April.
Saluda Winter Market: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., every second and fourth Saturday through April.
Rutherford County Winter Farmers Market, Rutherfordton: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through March.
To the west:
Jackson County Farmers Market, Sylva: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through March.
Transylvania County Farmers Market, Brevard: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon, through April.
To the north:
King Street Farmers Market, Boone: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through March.
In South Carolina:
Hub City Farmers Market Winter Harvest, Spartanburg: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., every third Saturday through March.
The Toasty Farmer, Greenville: Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., through March.
In Tennessee:
Nourish Knoxville’s Winter Farmers’ Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning Jan. 18 through March.
In Virginia:
Abingdon Farmers’ Market: 10 a.m. to noon, every first and third Saturday through March.
Area farmers tailgate 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 at appalachiangrown.org.