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Tom and Karen had TOMATOES today! I rarely buy tomatoes out of season, so the first time I see them at the market I get pretty excited. I started at the opposite end of the market this morning. By the time I

Wake Robin Ciabatta, Thatchmore Farm Tomatoes, Spinning Spider Chevre, & My Garden Lettuce

realised that Thatchmore Farm had tomatoes, there were only two tomatoes left. I snapped them up.

I came home to work in my garden looking forward to my first tomato sandwich of the season. The bread, a whisper of Rosemary-Fig Chevre, and the tomatoes were from the Tailgate Market. I picked the lettuce from my garden just before making my sandwich.

All of a sudden, farmers are out making hay – with their eyes on the weather. Earlier this week another farmer lost his crops to a quick flood that may have also injured his tractor. Some one I know has been hailed on five times so far this season. We have had some wacky weather, lots of rain, and now a nice sunny spell.

Despite these odds, in a simple act of faith…farmers have planted their crops. We reap the bounty every week when they bring it in to sell at the Tailgate Markets – even this early, the selection of delicious edibles at our Tailgate Markets is wonderful. Aren’t we lucky?

Check out this list (compiled from some of our markets) of food already available in May: strawberries (it’s the tail end of the season!), broccoli, kale, collards, chard, braising mix, lettuce, cheese, radishes, spring mix, spring onions, salad turnips, cabbage, peas, cucumbers, bok choy, cilantro, dill, fennel, beef, chicken, pork, bacon, rabbit, sausage, salami, seafood, eggs, goat cheese, baked goods and sweet treats, crackers, honey, jams, mushrooms, pottery, jewelry, soap, candles, herbal salves and sprays, craftspeople, veggies & herb plant starts, fruit plants, flower bouquets, pasta, perennials, musicians playing music, children meeting farmers, grits, cornmeal, possibly blueberries, and who knows what else?

That’s an impressive list, so show up at the market and support your favorite farmers. That’s the only way to keep the farmer coming!

Stock up on Saturday for the Memorial Day Weekend. Kick back on Monday, grab a local brew, fire up the grill, and savor some fine local food.

You are not going to find this at the grocery store!

Remember the Friday markets! Stock up for a festive Friday night meal, hors d’oeuvers, or dessert (get some strawberries before they are gone). I found onions at Wednesday’s Montford Farmer’s Market. Lots of new veggies are showing up every week, and there are lots of veggie & herb plants available for your home garden.

Leicester Farmer’s Market, in the parking lot of Leicester Landing Shopping Center, behind Zaxby’s at 338 Leicester Highway.  Held on two different days – Friday evenings from 4-7 and from 9-2 every Saturday.

East Asheville is opening this Friday, May 18! Get out in your neighborhood and show your support.

East Asheville Tailgate Market, Grace United Methodist Church parking lot, 954 Tunnel Road, Asheville, Fridays, 3-6 pm.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/East-Asheville-Tailgate-Market/367467635465

Great market weather is predicted for Saturday, so all the Tailgate Markets should be cranking. A broader range of offerings are showing up with each week. Be absolutely sure to get strawberries before they are gone for the season. We had our third batch of Strawberry Shortcake last night. It is SO simple to make and so delicious. Make it a springtime tradition!

This weekend is also prime time for planting your own veggie

B & L Organics’ Tomato Plants

garden. Market farmers have super-healthy tomato and pepper transplants for sale. Look for all sorts of veggies and herb plants to tuck into your garden…and you will enjoy a delicious harvest later! The farmers’ prices beat box store prices and the quality is ten times better (in my humble opinion). You can tell how healthy they are just by looking. Hey – these plants are raised with love, good dirt, and quality seed.

 

MARKET UPDATES:

OPENING NEXT FRIDAY, May 18:

East Asheville Tailgate Market, Grace United Methodist Church parking lot, 954 Tunnel Road, Asheville, Fridays, 3-6 pm, opening May 18

THIS SATURDAY, May 12:

Madison County Farmers & Artisans Market

TIME CHANGE THIS WEEK ONLY

Because of graduation at Mars Hill College this Saturday, the Market will be held from 1-4 in the afternoon this Saturday only – at the same location with the same wonderful offerings. Next week the Madison County Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market hours will return to their normal morning hours.

North Asheville Tailgate Market

SPECIAL EVENT for Mothers Day:

The NATM will be in its normal location this week. For the third year in a row B & L Organics will host a kids planting activity to celebrate Mother’s Day. Laura Bower – with her friend Cheri Hoefelmeyer – will set up a potting table for kids to plant seeds in an arrangement for Mom. Laura and Cheri have made up their own organic potting mix and will be using untreated and organic seeds. Bring the kids out to visit Laura’s booth (across from Frank’s booth and the seafood) for some hands-in-the-dirt fun and a chance to make something for Mom.

NEXT SUNDAY, May 20

SUSHI MAKING CLASS

To benefit FEAST, a program of Slow Food Asheville

Learn how to make homemade sushi and support an excellent cause! FEAST director Kate Justen will teach a hands-on Sushi making class on Sunday May 20th at Francine Delany New School for Children in the Dogwood Building from 4-6 pm. You will learn the proper way to prepare the rice, sushi vegetables, smoked fish, and tempeh (we will not be working with raw fish in this class). Then practice and hone your skills at rolling them all together into a sushi roll! All of the proceeds will go to support FEAST – a program of Slow Food Asheville – empowering youth by teaching them hands on cooking skills and encouraging healthy eating habits. Contact Cathy Cleary at cathycleary@gmail.com to sign up and pay, or more information call Cathy at 828-545-1295.

$25 pre-payment required. Class limited to 15 people, so sign up now!

It is official. The markets have strawberries, and they ARE delicious (see the previous post!).

Lots of your favorite markets open this week…including Asheville City

Yes! Strawberries. Don't miss out.

South, Montford, Spruce Pine, Flat Rock, Big Ivy, Mills River, and Black Mountain Tailgate Market.

And the Weaverville Tailgate Market is celebrating spring with a visiting chef, Ed Cohan of Green Sage, Scribbles the clown, a potting table for kids, and Madison County’s wonderful Extension Agent, Elizabeth Ayers, will be at the market to answer your gardening questions.

Opens WEDNESDAY, May 2 ~
Asheville City Market South,
Biltmore Park Town Square, 2-6, moves outdoors this week

Montford Farmers Market, Asheville Chamber of Commerce Parking Lot, 36 Montford Avenue, 2-6

Spruce Pine Farmers Market,  Oak Avenue on the porch of Wildflower’s Health Food Store, 2-5

Opens THURSDAY, May 3 ~

Flat Rock Tailgate Market, behind Hand & Hand Gallery, Greenville Highway, Thursdays, 3-6

Opens SATURDAY, May 5 ~

Big Ivy Tailgate Market, old Fire Station parking lot, Barnardsville, Saturdays, 10-12, Opens May 5, 2012

Black Mountain Tailgate Market, behind the First Baptist Church at 130 Montreat Road in Black Mountain, Saturdays, 9-12, May 5

Mills River Tailgate Market, 5046 Boylston Highway, Saturdays, 8-12, May 5 to October

Get Your 'Mater Plants

Celebrating the arrival of strawberries by making strawberry shortcake. These strawberries came from Vanessa Campbell of Full Sun Farm, but there were other beautiful strawberries at the market too! The shortbread was inspired by a cookie from David Bauer of Farm & Sparrow. It was a  lemony Cornmeal/Black Pepper Cookie made with local cornmeal from John McEntire. I made Lemon-Poppyseed Cornmeal Shortcake.

Shortcakes going in the Oven

Vanessa's Strawberries Sliced

Strawberry Shortcake!

Time to clean up the mess.

Around 8:15 last Saturday morning, I pulled up to the intersection at W.T. Weaver Boulevard. I was running late for work when I had to wait

This is a bit exaggerated!

longer than usual at the intersection. Then it occurred to me that maybe this heavy traffic was Tailgate Market traffic. I watched and sure enough – every single car in that line turned up the hill into UNCA. What a thrill! Tailgate Market fans were showing up faithfully and celebrating the spring markets.

I hope its true that strawberries may show up at the market this week. Here are some of the upcoming Tailgate Market openings for Saturday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Next Saturday, May 5, a few more great Tailgate Markets open up…so stay tuned.

 

NEW Openings:

SATURDAY, April 28 ~

Dillingham Family Farm Winter Market, end-of-season celebration from 4-8

Opens WEDNESDAY, May 2~
Asheville City Market South,
Biltmore Park Town Square, 2-6, moves outdoors this week

Montford Farmers Market, Asheville Chamber of Commerce Parking Lot, 36 Montford Avenue, 2-6

Spruce Pine Farmers Market,  Oak Avenue on the porch of Wildflower’s Health Food Store, 2-5

Opens THURSDAY, May 3~

Flat Rock Tailgate Market, behind Hand & Hand Gallery, Greenville Highway, Thursdays, 3-6

MARKETS that are ALREADY OPEN: http://tailgatemarketfanclub.wordpress.com/market-list/ for more details.

Strawberries Disappear Quickly!

Tuesday ~

West Asheville Tailgate Market

Wednesday ~

French Broad Food Coop Wednesday Tailgate Market

Historic Haywood Farmers Market

Weaverville Tailgate Market

Saturday ~

Asheville City Market

Glorious Jackson County Farmers’ Market

Henderson County Tailgate Market

Historic Haywood Farmers’ Market

Madison County Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market

North Asheville Tailgate Market

Yancey County Farmers’ Market

Sundays ~

Marshall Island Farmer’s Market

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