Watauga County Farmers' Market is off to a great season with an expanded vendor section and even more local items for you to choose from. More and more people are working towards building our local food system, and many of them are finding our market to be a great way to market their products. We all hope you will enjoy the new additions to the market this year.

Amy Johnston of Springhouse Farm is among the new vendors at the market this year. She will have plenty of fresh cut herbs and flowers this weekend as well as flower baskets and Shiitake mushrooms. Rose Mountain Farm will have pasture based pork sausage, pork chops and stew cuts along with herbs, lettuce, radishes and snow peas. Ann will also have poultry in two weeks and is taking turkey orders until the end of May with a $20 deposit.

Shady Grove Gardens and Nursery will have a number of vegetable transplants fully acclimated to our mountain climate and ready for planting. You can plant them and grow tomato varieties Chianti Rose, Crimson Carmello, Sweet Million, Juliet, Red and Yellow Pear, Japanese Black Trifele, Cuor di Bue(Oxheart) and Pompeii, and peppers Carmen and Ashe County Pimento. Susan and Brent will also have David and Blue Paradise garden Phlox this Saturday.

AB Farms will have fruit trees, grape vines and blueberry bushes to offer, along with herbs including a variety of basils, oregano, mints and parsley, plant starts including peppers and borage, and a selection of mixed planters.

There is much work being done to establish and strengthen the local food system in the area. Details about what is in place and what needs to be done can be found on the Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture website. An integral part of this system is in jeopardy right at the moment, and it needs the help of every single person in the area. If you would be willing to give up one evening in the coming weeks to show your support of local food, or if you simply want more information, please call Karen at 1-828-355-4918.

The Wednesday morning markets have been moved to Wednesday afternoons for the 2009 season. The time is tentatively set for 4 - 7PM, starting on June 17. The market is still working on EBT acceptance, you can call 1-828-355-4918 to check on the status if you are interested in using EBT at the market.

Find us at 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. We will be there rain or shine!