Black Mountain Tailgate Market, Mills River Farmers’ Market, and Lenoir Open Today!

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

Good news for local food lovers. Three – yes THREE – more markets open this Saturday, May 4, and in three different communities.

The Black Mountain Tailgate Market sits under beautiful shade trees and serves a wide swath of folks. They feature a diverse group of farmers & vendors, including Looking Glass Creamery, Foothills Family Farm, and Jake’s Farm. Their market is held behind the First Baptist Church at 130 Montreat Road in Black Mountain on Saturdays from 9-12.

The Mills River Farmers’ Market opens this Saturday from 8-12 at 5046 Boylston Highway in Mills River. I have never been to this market, but I have seen lots of pretty pictures on Facebook. I know Jeanine Davis and Paul Shoemaker sell there sometimes.

It’s a special market day in Lenoir, NC. The Lenoir Downtown Farmers Market is celebrating its opening day with Lighting Up The Skies, an event that takes place this Saturday, May 4 from 10 am to 7 pm with fireworks at dark, and cool demonstrations during the day at the market (like a shiitake mushroom demo).

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

 LATER IN THE WEEK:

The Oakley Farmers Market opens this coming Thursday, May 9, from 3:30 to 6:30. Just today, I heard that Oakley is a really sweet, friendly market.

Flat Rock Tailgate Market is now open on Thursdays from 3-6.

Black Mountain Tailgate Market

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Hello Montford. Montford Farmer’s Market Opens Today!

Outdoor temps are wonderful, and everywhere I look – things are super-green. What better way to celebrate the first day of May than supping on delicious local food for dinner?

Full Sun Farm Tomatoes at the Montford Farmers Market (too early for tomatoes now but lots of other goodies!)

Get you some. Today. Welcome the Montford Farmers Market back to town this Wednesday and every Wednesday until about Thanksgiving time. This wonderful market is held behind the Asheville Chamber of Commerce Building on Montford Avenue…just off I-240. It is a quick stop, and if you live in Montford …think about supporting this market EVERY Wednesday. Get the neighborhood spirit going and keeping it going all season. Support your neighborhood market…wherever you live.

Also opening today:

Spruce Pine Farmers Market – at Pollyanna’s Porch in downtown Spruce Pine – Wednesdays, 2-5 pm.

LOCAL FOOD TODAY! Wednesday Markets now open or opening today:

Asheville City Market – SOUTH: Wednesdays, 1-5 pm

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

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

Montford Farmers Market: Wednesdays, 2-6 pm

Spruce Pine Farmers Market: Wednesdays, 2-5 pm

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

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2013 Farmer’s Tailgate Market Schedule – Season Update

North Asheville Tailgate Market is OPENING this

Saturday, April 13 from 8-12:  

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

It’s opening day for the North Asheville Tailgate Market! The weatherpeople are predicting 68 degrees and sunny. Can you believe that after our recent weather?

This wonderful market is one of the most popular in the Asheville area. It is located in a parking lot on the UNCA campus. It’s easily accessible and has a great selection of mostly long-term vendors. Like most area tailgate markets, everything at this market is locally grown/produced.

You will find vegetables, vegetable starts, herbs, plants, cheeses, meats, eggs, artisan breads, baked goods, chocolates, honey, handmade soaps & body products, pottery, jewelry, crafts, jams, condiments, homemade sauces & dressings, a food truck with empanadas, music, and a feeling of excitement in the air. Have a happy spring adventure (maybe there are sticky buns in your future). Get out and visit the North Asheville Tailgate Market – or your neighborhood farmer’s tailgate market – this Saturday.

Asheville Area Farmer’s Tailgate Markets that are

ALREADY OPEN in 2013:

SATURDAY –

Asheville City Market: Saturdays, 8 am-1 pm

Asheville City Market South: Wednesdays, 1-5 pm

Leicester Farmers Market: Saturdays 9 am-2 pm

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

North Asheville Tailgate Market: Saturdays 8 am-12 pm (opening this Saturday)

TUESDAY –

West Asheville Tailgate Market: Tuesdays 3:30-6:30 pm

 

WEDNESDAY –

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

Weaverville Tailgate Market: Wednesdays 2:30-6:30 pm

For more details about the markets visit: http://tailgatemarketfanclub.wordpress.com/market-list/

For more details about the farmers visit: http://tailgatemarketfanclub.wordpress.com/farms-etc/

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ASAP’s 3rd Annual CSA Fair in Asheville on Thursday, March 21

Thinking about subscribing to a CSA this year? Want to know who your farmer is…and eat seriously LOCAL food? Not sure what a CSA actually is? Find out on Thursday, March 21 from 3-6 p.m. at the CSA Fair.

ASAP’s CSA Fair is a super-efficient way to check out a bunch of local farms all at one time, and access their CSA programs.

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Usually you get a box of seasonal produce (fresh from the farm!) weekly during the season – but the box can also include meats, cheeses, eggs, flowers, and more. Many farmers will tailor your subscription to your family’s specific needs. Some farmers are also offering smaller boxes, or other creative sign-up options. Some folks get together and split a CSA share.

Meet the farmer face-to-face. Ask questions. Find out what sort of farming practices they use (are they organic?). All the farmers listed here deliver to an Asheville/Buncombe County location. If you are ready to sign up, bring your checkbook and do it! There will be cooking demos and activities for kids too.

WHEN: March 21, 3-6 pm
WHERE: Haywood Park Hotel Atrium in downtown, 46 Haywood Street/One Battery Park Avenue (across from Malaprops, sort of)
WHO: All participating farms have pickup locations in Asheville, as well as other areas (see below)

PARTICIPATING FARMS:

A Way of Life Farm (Bostic)

Aardvark Farm (Burnsville)

Bee Tree Farm (Marshall)

Blue Meadow Farms (Hendersonville)

Cane Creek Asparagus & Company CSA (Fairview)

Dry Ridge Farm (Mars Hill)

Earth Echoes Herbal CSA (Old Fort)

Fiddlesticks Farm (Old Fort)

First Blossom Farm (Leicester)

Firefly Farm (Burnsville)

Flying Cloud Farm (Fairview)

Flying Fish CSA/Wildwood Herbal (Weaverville)

Full Sun Farm, LLC (Leicester)

Gaining Ground Farm (Leicester)

Gladheart Farm (Asheville)

Ivy Creek Family Farm (Barnardsville)

Jake’s Farm (Candler)

Long Valley Eco-biotic Farm (Marshall)

New Moon Herbs Farm (Fairview)

Whispersholler Farms, LLC  (Arden)

Winter Sun Farms at Blue Ridge Food Ventures (Candler)

 

FOR MORE INFO VISIT: http://asapconnections.org/events/csa-fair/

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Asheville Artisan Bread Festival 2013 – Its Local and Delicious!

Farm & Sparrow Bread

ASHEVILLE ARTISAN

BREAD FESTIVAL 2013

Saturday, MARCH 23

Workshops – 10 to 6; Bread Tasting & Sale – 10 to 2

Held on AB TECH CAMPUS

Mark your calendar. The Asheville Artisan Bread Festival, organized by baker Steve Bardwell, is in its ninth year and well worth attending. The atmosphere is charged with the enthusiasm of local bakers & bread lovers; its hard not to be caught up in the fervor!

According to Peter Reinhart:

“Asheville and its surrounding area, with a very small population, supports more artisan bakeries than most states. The bakeries are all small, but truly artisan in the purest sense of the word.”

Attend the Bread Tasting & Sale:

Held from 10 – 2 at the Magnolia Building on the A-B Tech campus in Asheville, NC ~ this is your chance to sample and compare the breads from many regional bakers. If you buy a loaf of bread before they run out of tickets, you might get a free ticket to attend one of the baking classes.

Attend the Hands-on Workshops & Lectures:

Held from 10-6 at the Magnolia Building on the A-B Tech campus in Asheville, NC.

For bread-enthusiasts who want to improve their baking skills, there will be many workshops and lectures at A-B Tech taught by Craig Ponsford, Peter Reinhart, Lionel Vatinet, Emily Buelher, Eduard Thijs, and Jennifer Lapidus. There is also an off-campus opportunity to explore wood-fired baking with Bob Bowles. All the classes sound enticing. I am signed up for the pastry-making class and the gluten-free baking class.   Tickets are required for all the workshops.

Thinking of taking a bread class? Plan ahead because space is limited and classes fill up quickly…in fact many are already sold out – so sign up right away. Check out the class schedule here.

About some of the Instructors:

Craig Ponsford graduated from the California Culinary Academy with top honors and opened Artisan Bakers with his family in Sonoma California in 1992. In 1996 his breads won the Gold medal at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris. He then went on to coach the US Team to victory in 1999. He has coached each U.S. team since and served as U.S. judge at the 2002 and 2005 Coupe du Monde and 2007 Louis LeSaffe Cup held in Argentina. Currently, he is an instructor at the Culinary Institute of American in St. Helena, California and has his own bakery/innovation center, Ponsford’s Place, in his home town of San Rafael.

Peter Reinhart, currently chef-on-assignment at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, is the author of eight bread cook books, three of which have won the James Beard Award. He is a widely respected teacher, author, and consultant. For a more complete listing of Peter’s  accomplishments, see http://www.co.lincoln.nc.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1368.

Lionel Vatinet, a French master baker, teacher, baking consultant, author, and owner of La Farm Bakery in Cary, NC is one of America’s most respected experts on artisan bread. He has dedicated his life to sharing his knowledge, consulting nationwide and abroad for bakeries, training bakers in Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, Canada and the United States. In 1995, Vatinet was the founding instructor at the San Francisco Baking Institute, the first school of its kind in the US. Bakers from the most respected bakeries in America – La Brea, Acme, Zabar’s and Panera – traveled to SFBI to study with Vatinet.

For more information contact Steve Bardwell at 828-683-2902 or wakerobinfarmbreads@main.nc.us.  http://www.ashevillebreadfestival.com.

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Love Curate? Vote for Chef Katie Button & Asheville (lets beat the bigger Southern Cities)

Photo from http://www.curatetapasbar.com

Have you been to Curate yet? If not, you should definitely treat yourself to a tasting feast at this tapas bar.

Recently we had the endive salad, the sautéed shrimp, and ended with the rosemary sorbet with sponge cake. Every bit was wonderful…especially that rosemary sorbet. We were sitting at the bar (which I usually don’t like) but watching the preparation of the tapas was fascinating. Plus when other people’s food came out, we were able to ask our server what it was – and plot what to eat on our next visit. We almost ordered the Brussels sprouts and when we saw them plated…wow…I want to go back just to taste that particular dish.

Hint: Make a reservation.

Food & Wine is having a contest called The People’s New Best Chef. Curate fans can vote for Katie Button of Curate. Local food and wine lover, Bob Bowles, sent this link for voting for Katie. It is super fast and easy. Lets beat out the big cities in the Southeast and vote for our local favorite, Katie Button.

Right now Katie is almost tied for third place…so Asheville food lovers – vote her into First Place!

Follow this link and vote now:

http://www.foodandwine.com/peoples-best-new-chef/southeast

Photo by http://www.curatetapasbar.com

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Y Winter Tailgate Market Pictures

Great market this morning at Reynolds Village (by Woodfin Y). Here are just a few pictures to whet your appetite. The market was indoors today at the LOFTS diagonally across from the Woodfin Y. Cecelia’s Empanada Truck was outside for your delicious empanada fix. Also there were eggs, meat, maple syrup, fresh greens, and more.

Annie Louise & Flying Cloud Farm

Got Some Sweet Potatoes from Flying Cloud!

Check Out This Beautiful Cheese

Lively Winter Greens From Bee Tree Farm

Fresh Pasta

Farm & Sparrow Bread and Goodies

Three Graces Dairy

Treats from Sweetheart Bakery

Cecelia’s Empanada Truck ~ Yum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Winter Y Market Starts Today in Woodfin, 10 – 12:30

Today marks the first “winter market” at the Woodfin YMCA. It is not actually inside the Y this year and will be held outdoors if weather permits or at the LOFTS at Reynolds Village (Building 51). This building is located diagonally across the intersection from the Y. Parking is easy. Hours are short…from 10 – 12:30…but so worth the effort to get great eggs, cheeses, breads, meats, pasta, chocolates, coffee, value-added items, and even some fresh greens and vegetables from our local producers.

Don’t let winter change your habits! Eat well and LOCAL all year long.

Other markets open next Saturday (like the indoor Asheville City Market from 10 am-1 pm on Saturdays at the Haywood Park Hotel atrium).

Local Dinner in January, Soup with Garden Potatoes and Full Sun Broccoli

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Holiday Markets in Asheville ~ Get Local!

HOLIDAY MARKETS & Tailgate Markets SCHEDULE

The regional schedule is below. Check for Saturday AND Tuesday and Wednesday Markets. Don’t miss your chance to get wonderful local food, incredible baked goods, chocolates, and gifts! The weather will be mild and shopping will be festive & enjoyable. Click here for more details about individual markets.

Some highlights…Carolina Ground Flour (grown and ground in North Carolina) will

Holiday Bazaar Shoppers with Treska Lindsey in the Background

be on sale at the HOLIDAY BAZAAR at North Asheville Tailgate Market, as well as Treska Lindsey’s very wonderful children’s books (beautifully illustrated & heart-warming stories). At all the markets, expect extra vendors for the holidays, including more craftspeople and gift-y items, wonderful foods, vegetables, meats, cheeses, baked goods, honey and molasses, chocolate, and more.

Asheville City Market, same location (Charlotte Street)

Saturdays, Dec. 1, 8, & 15, from 8-1,

Bakersville Farmers Market, Historic Courthouse

Open Saturday, Dec. 8 and 22, from 10-2

Dillingham Market, Dillingham Family Farm, Barnardsville

Saturday, Dec 8, from 10-2…not sure about subsequent Saturdays

Flat Rock Tailgate Market

Saturday, Dec. 8, from 2-5, same location

Grow Down Home Farmers Market, indoors in Black Mountain

Farm & Sparrow Bakery

Saturday, Dec. 8, 15, & 22, from 10-1

HOLIDAY BAZAAR at North Asheville Tailgate Market, UNCA at parking lot C

Saturdays, Dec 1, 8, 15, & 22, from 12-4, from Noon to 4

Jackson County Farmers Market

Saturday, Dec. 8, 15, 22, and 29, from 10-1, indoors at the Community Table

Madison County Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market

Saturdays, Dec. 8, 15, 22, from 9-1, indoors at Fiddlestix

 Marion Tailgate Market

Tuesdays, Dec. 4, 11, & 18 from 3-6, and Friday, Dec. 21, 9-12

North Asheville Tailgate Market hosting the HOLIDAY BAZAAR, UNCA

Saturdays, Dec. 8, 15, & 22 from Noon to 4

Transylvania County Tailgate Market

Saturday, Dec. 8, 15, & 22

Weaverville Tailgate Holiday Market, Indoors at Lake Louise Community Center

Beautiful Holiday Flowers or Hostess Gifts

Wednesdays, Dec. 12, & 19, 2:30-6:30,

Yancey County Farmers Market

Saturdays, Dec. 8 & 15, 8:30-12:30

Was your market left out? Sorry ‘bout that! Leave a comment and I will update.

Chocolates!

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Holiday Bazaar Starts This Saturday

What? The 10th Annual Holiday Bazaar opens this Saturday, December 1. Its location may vary from year to year, but the Holiday Bazaar is going strong and celebrating 10 years.

When?  Saturdays – December 1, 8, 15, and 22 from Noon to 4

Where?  At the North Asheville Tailgate Market location at UNCA. If you are coming up the hill from the roundabout on W. T. Weaver Boulevard, it is the very first right turn (basically into a parking lot)

Who?  A wonderful mix of farmers, bakers, cheesemakers, and craftspeople. You can find delicious foods, meats, seafood, cheeses, breads, savouries, sweets, honey, sorghum molasses, Carolina Ground flour, soaps, plants, holiday flowers, wreaths, maybe Christmas trees, jewelery, pottery, sculpture, all sorts of crafts, and more. Shop for holiday occasions and for holiday gift giving. Be Local!

Questions? Call 828-776-6286.

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