Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

Lion's Mane mushrooms

Not sure what to do with unfamiliar products you spot at farmers markets? Talking to farmers or other food vendors is a great way to pick up new recipes or cooking tips. For instance, lion’s mane mushrooms, which look a little like a furry head of cauliflower, might confound mushroom shoppers. But Jay and Gwen at Black Trumpet Farm (at River Arts District at ASAP markets) will happily share a recipe for faux crab cakes made from lion’s mane. This vegetarian meal option makes a surprisingly convincing substitute for the real thing.

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

eating snap peas at the farmers market

Though we’re certainly getting cold temperatures now, a warmer than usual December accounts for lots of produce variety at winter farmers markets now. In addition to storage veggies like squash and sweet potatoes, hardy greens like kale and mustard, and winter stalwarts like radishes and salad turnips, we’ve also spotted early snow peas and broccoli.

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

chard from Highgate Farm

We’ll have three weekly farmers tailgate market options in Buncombe County this winter! In addition to the winter market versions of ASAP Farmers Market and River Arts District Farmers Market, Weaverville Tailgate Market will now offer a year-round shopping opportunity with an indoor market on Wednesdays at Weaverville Community Center. 

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

chestnut mushrooms from Black Trumpet Farm, photo by Camilla Calnan

Springtime brings on foraging dreams for many of us—returning to your favorite ramp patch or happening upon an elusive morel deep in the woods. But if you’re not able to wander off the path in search of these delights, farmers tailgate markets can also be great places to gather wild foods, in addition to cultivated spring crops.

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

sunchokes

Feeling like you want to break out of your vegetable mold? Winter farmers markets offer more variety than ever these days, thanks to innovative farmers and shopper demand, but this end-of-winter season can still start to feel like a sea of winter greens and radishes. But if you were looking closely, you might have noticed a few less common items on market tables in the past few weeks.

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

As a new flock of hens starts to lay, their first eggs are smaller, with firmer whites and more deeply colored yolks, than regular eggs. Not to be dismissed, these pullet eggs boast a richer flavor and creamier texture. For the next few weeks, these will be the only eggs available from Dry Ridge Farm at the ASAP Farmers Market. It’s a great chance to try something truly unique to farmers markets, as grocery stores stick to uniform, regulation sizes.

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

If ever there was a year to channel all of your romantic energy into cooking a fancy meal at home, this is it. Get what you need on Saturday at ASAP Farmers Market or, if you want to celebrate on a different day or make a series of Valentine’s week meals, shop at River Arts District Farmers Market on Wednesday. Of course, the ideal menu is totally subjective, so adapt as you want, but here’s our take on a classic Valentine’s Day market dinner. 

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

Bundle up! With pandemic precaution still critical, winter farmers tailgate markets are mostly staying outdoors (or partially indoors with ample airflow). Though there are fewer of these markets, you can still find a solid mix of seasonal fruits and veggies. Expect to see plenty of storage crops, like sweet potatoes, potatoes, apples, winter squash, turnips, beets, and carrots. Some farms make use of greenhouses or high tunnels to continue producing salad mixes, lettuces, and dark, leafy greens throughout the colder months. Meats, eggs, cheeses, bread, and artisan foods are also widely available. 

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

winter squash and potatoes

Thanksgiving dinner is often a meal centered around abundance—many dishes, crowded tables, perhaps some long-distance travel, and (hopefully) plenty to be grateful for. This year, of course, will be different for lots of folks. Maybe a turkey and all the fixins is overkill for your small family. Maybe you’re only cooking for yourself while Zooming into a larger gathering elsewhere. Maybe you simply need to say no to any added stress, particularly the kind that makes a mess of your kitchen. 

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Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week

Farmers market eggs, photo by Lauren Gallagher

It’s common for chickens to slow down their laying in January and February, meaning that eggs can rise to a new level of scarcity at winter markets. If you’re looking to score a dozen (or more), it’s best to get to market early and head straight for one of the following vendors. 

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