Video taken at the Montford Farmers Market by the Asheville Citizen Times

Watch these quick interviews with some of your favorite farmers… taken at the Montford Farmers Market-  about whats hot at the market right now.

http://bcove.me/yo0h8ol3

 

 

 

 

Fun!

Squash & Tomatoes Spotted at Market!

At The Market

On Wednesday, I showed up at the Montford Farmers Market past closing time. Even though most of the farmers had already gone home, a few were still packing up and I was lucky enough to find some fresh strawberries. Halleluiah! These Flying Cloud Farm strawberries were destined to become baby strawberry shortcakes to help celebrate a friend’s graduation from Asheville High. The extra handful of strawberries made perfect smoothie material. I also discovered some serviceberries on this trip, an unexpected treat.

On Saturday two weeks ago, I got organic greenhouse tomatoes from Thatchmore Farm. What a treat to have tomatoes on my sandwiches for the first time since October. Alas, this week I arrived too late and the tomatoes were sold out, but I did find plenty of other goodies. I could not resist the gorgeous red butterhead lettuce from Gaining Ground Farm…even though I have lettuce growing in my own garden…very irrational of me! I needed a red cherry tomato plant and I found a Sweet Million Tomato at B & L Organics. I still haven’t planted it and the other tomatoes in my garden are huge in comparison. (it has been great gardening weather!) The Wake Robin Farm Rye loaf is almost gone (lunch bread all week), so I will be looking for bread tomorrow. I made a yummy little quiche with Anne Gaine’s eggs, and Ivy Creek’s spinach & broccoli. Planning on cooking up the kale I got from Green Toe Ground Farm with some pinto beans. Really and truly, I DID spot some squash last week at the market. Time to make some squash casserole and feel like summer is really here.

So, the moral of the story is…if you really have your heart set on something special – like strawberries or tomatoes – get to the markets early.

Soon to be Strawberry Shortcake!

Local Strawberry Smoothie on Sunday

This soft rain is making my yard shine, and tucking in my garden plants very nicely. After a few warm days, my veggies are really jumping forth and this rain is just what they need.

Yesterday I had to work, so I only had about 10 minutes to grab a few things from the farmers’ tailgate market. I got the most beautiful red butterhead lettuce from Gaining Ground Farm, some kale from Green Toe Ground Farm, my very first tomato of the season from Thatchmore Farm (super-thrilling!), some rye bread from Wake Robin Farm Breads (for my lunch sandwiches all week), and two beautiful pints of strawberries from Ivy Creek Family Farm.

And what a refreshing Sunday morning smoothie…strawberry, banana, mango with local organic strawberries! Every market will be offering strawberries. Savor the season. Get them while you can.

Refreshing Strawberry Smoothie with Strawberries from Ivy Creek Family Farm

P.S. Or make Strawberry Shortcake. Here is a recipe:

http://tailgatemarketfanclub.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/strawberry-shortcake-recipe/

Strawberries, Chevre, & Shortbread…Oh Yeah!

Last week I dashed to the market to get some basics, like eggs and romaine, but came away with some treats too. We ate one pint of strawberries with breakfast that morning – knowing that these strawberries were organic and full of goodness made them even better. Saturday night we munched on Aimee’s shortbread cookies with ice cream for desert. On Sunday morning we ate another pint of strawberries with our sorta Eggs Benedict. That evening, we barbequed down on the river, with Rosemary-Fig chevre as our hors d’oeuvre. Oh yeah!

This nice warm weather has been making things grow. Every week more goodies show up at the farmers’ stands, so take advantage of the early crops before they disappear. It is a window of opportunity that eventually closes for the season. In other words – get yourself some of these fabulous strawberries before they are all gone!

Strawberries from Ivy Creek Family Farm, photo courtesy of North Asheville Tailgate Market

Local from My Garden, Peas & Salad

Love those seriously local harvests from my yard. I harvested peas from a little patch of Sugar Snaps that are planted in a flower bed near where I park. Salad greens came from my lower garden…romaine, ‘Firecracker’ lettuce, endive, radicchio, and chives. Such a fresh dinner that tasted full of vitality. I usually just eat my peas raw, but they sure are good sautéed in butter!

Harvesting some salad greens

Tiny Pea Harvest…Just Right For Dinner

Sugar Snaps Sautéed in Butter – The Butter Brings Out the Sweetness of the Pea

Read about the Politics of Lettuce to encourage yourself to buy lettuce from a local farmer and to grow lettuces in your own yard – or both. It is somewhat shocking.

My Urban Farm Truck

To my daughters chagrin, I often use my Nissan Sentra as a truck. It has hauled decent loads of 2″ x 12″ x 12′ boards, rebar, and other building materials on numerous occasions. Most recently I used my little Sentra as an urban farm truck, hauling bales of straw and compost for my garden. This technique isn’t recommended for those who get squeamish when their cars are dirty. Straw sticks to everything and my headliner still sports the vestiges of my farm truck activity.

Three Bales of Straw

Side View

Trunkload of Compost

More Compost, Riding Shotgun

Warm Weather, Markets Cooking & Stawberries Getting Ripe

OK people. By this Saturday, every market in the region will be open (except the Bakersville Farmers Market which opens next Saturday). Lets be hoopin’ and hollerin’! On top of that, the weather seems to have finally warmed up. The nice hot sunshine has been making the farmer’s crops grow, coaxing strawberries to ripen, and just generally making

Beautiful Tomatoes

market-going even sweeter.

In view of the weird spring I would advise gardeners to keep an eye on the weather, but the frost date has past and it is officially safe to plant your veggie garden. Tailgate Markets are full of beautiful plant starts. Take this opportunity to buy some transplants, tuck them into your garden soil, and grow some of your very own cool crops at home…like ‘Fairytale’ Eggplant, ‘Carmen’ Peppers, and unusual tomatoes.

Gotta love Western North Carolina. There is a Farmer’s Tailgate Market every day of the week except Monday!

Tailgate Market Schedule Update…

JUST OPENED on Friday, May 17: East Asheville Tailgate Market: Fridays, 3-6 pm

OPEN THIS SATURDAY, May 18: Waynesville Tailgate Market: Wednesdays/Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

OPENING NEXT SATURDAY, May 25: Bakersville Farmers Market: Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

SATURDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Asheville City Market: April 6, Saturdays, 8 am-1 pm

Black Mountain Tailgate Market: May 4, Saturdays, 9 am-12 pm

Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market: April 20, Wednesdays/Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

Henderson County Tailgate Market: Saturdays, 7 am-12 pm

Historic Marion Tailgate Market: May 14, Tuesdays 3-6 pm, Saturdays, 9 am-12 pm

Leicester Farmers Market: March 30, Saturdays, 9 am-2 pm

Madison County Farmers & Artisans Market: April 6, Saturdays, 9 am-1 pm

Mills River Farmers Market: May 4, Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

North Asheville Tailgate Market: April 13, Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

Transylvania Tailgate Market: April 20, Saturdays, 8 am-12:30 pm

SUNDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Sundays On The Island, Marshall, Sundays, 12-4

TUESDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Historic Marion Tailgate Market: May 14, Tuesdays 3-6 pm, Saturdays, 9 am-12 pm

West Asheville Tailgate Market: April 9, Tuesdays, 3:30-6:30 pm

WEDNESDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Asheville City Market South: April 3, Wednesdays, 1-5 pm

French Broad Food Co-op Wednesday Tailgate Market: April 3, Wednesdays, 2-6 pm

Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market: April 20, Wednesdays/Saturdays, 8 am-12 pm

Montford Farmers Market: May 1, Wednesdays, 2-6 pm

Spruce Pine Farmers Market: May 1, Wednesdays, 2-5 pm

Weaverville Tailgate Market: April 10, Wednesdays, 2:30-6:30 pm

THURSDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Flat Rock Tailgate Market: May 2, Thursdays, 3-6 pm

Oakley Farmers Market: May 9, Thursdays, 3:30-6:30 pm

FRIDAY FARMER’S TAILGATE MARKETS:

Yancey County Farmers Market: April 20, Saturdays, 8:30 am-12:30 pm