Watauga County Farmers' Market

Growing the perfect homegrown tomato is a matter of pride for many farmers and gardeners. The tomato harvest has begun for some of our farmers, and soon everyone will be enjoying their favorite varieties. Zydeco Moon Farm will be sponsoring a contest on this year's Garlic and Tomato Day, August 9, which will give everyone a chance to show off their tomato growing success. Prizes will be awarded for the biggest tomato, the prettiest, and because we all know it is what is inside that counts, a prize will be awarded for the ugliest tomato as well. We will have more details as the date approaches. The contest will be open to all homegrown tomatoes.

The folks Watauga County Farmers' Market continue to work towards providing for your complete menu. Jeff Thomas of Creeksong Farm announces that he and son Will are adding humanely raised beef to their stand. The steers are not vaccinated, given antibiotics or growth hormones, are fed on local grain and hay through the winter, and exclusively pastured after May 1.

The vegetable harvest is going strong, and David Sengal will have Roma green beans, Romaine and mixed lettuce, kale, collards, chard, fresh garlic, chard, Yukon Gold and Fingerling potatoes, basil, rhubarb, parsley and oregano. Reba and Fred Greene will have plenty of blackberries at least for a couple more weeks, and will be harvesting more red and white potatoes and cabbage. Reba has a good supply of heirloom multiplier onions as well. Cheryl Piracci will be handing out recipes to go with her fresh organic Swiss Chard.

Jerry Harvey has a nice crop of sweet blueberries to offer, and he also will continue to pick lots of blackberries. The peach harvest is coming in well this year, and Deb Lowe is a new vendor at the market this year with plenty of yellow and white Brushy Mountain peaches.

Don't forget to take a look at the high quality handcrafts available at the market, such as April Greene's hand made jewelry made with natural materials such as various gemstones and fossils.

Representatives from Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture will be at the market every week to sell advance tickets to the 2008 High Country Farm Tour. The tour will be on Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3, from 1 to 5pm each day. Buttons will be sold in advance for $20 and for $25 on tour days. There are new farms on the tour this year as well as some favorites from past tours. This is a great opportunity to see where your food comes from.

Watauga County Farmers' Market was featured in the July edition of Southern Living. Make sure your copy has the red circle with Bonus Section: Carolina Living People and Places written inside. High Country Magazine also has a fine article about the market in their July edition, available free throughout the area. We really do appreciate all the coverage given to us, and hope you will have a look.

Watauga County Farmers' Market is continuing to work on the parking problem. We will be having assistants to help you find a parking spot. We also ask that everyone enter the parking lot through the entrance closest to the native gardens, and exit the lot near the stop sign. The entrance is just too narrow for cars to pass in both directions. We do hope to provide parking for everyone, and we are also looking into the Appalcart routes for possible relief.

Watauga County Farmers' Market will be open on Wednesday mornings through September 10 at the same location as on Saturday mornings, the Horn in the West in Boone. Turn next to First Citizens Bank on Highway 105 Extension and go to the top of the hill. Call WCFM manager Karen Bauman at 1-828-355-4918 for more information. We will be there rain or shine!