Watauga County Farmers' Market would like to thank everyone who helped make opening day a great success. There was a total of 16 new vendors on hand to tempt shoppers with baked goods, garden ready plants and handmade crafts in addition to returning favorites. Horn in the West is graciously allowing vendor overflow for the moment near the ticket office, so be sure and look down the hill for plenty more fresh and colorful selections.

Vendors at the market seemed to have plenty of eggs for everyone this weekend, and Eugene McGuire will be among those with free range eggs again this Saturday. Charles Church will be right next door with lettuce, mustard, spinach, chard, onions, baby garlic and molasses from Watauga River Farms. Charles will also have a good supply of his own hot and mild pork sausage, ribs, roasts, pork chops, fatback and side meat(bacon). There will be plenty of local beef available with Brooks Farm offering grass fed and grass finished ground beef, ground patties, steaks including NY strip, sirloin, tenderloin and filet, roasts including chuck, shoulder, tip and rump, and also sirloin tips.

Bill Moretz is a long time favorite at the market and his produce for May 9 will include taters, maters, squash cukes, strawberries, apples, peppers, corn and honey. Bill will also be taking orders for pastured poultry and accepting CSA sign ups. Deb Lowe will have plenty of Limbertwig and Fuji apples from her Brushy Mountain Orchard in Wilkesboro.

There will be a great selection of garden ready plants already acclimated to our climate including Erik Selvey's Hellebores, Jacob's Ladders, shrubs, and Baby Red spruce trees. Shady Grove Gardens and Nursery will have a great selection of cut flowers along with potted shrubs including lilacs, Viburnums and gooseberries, potted perennials such as Heuchera, Tiarella, Baptisia, Astilbe and Phlox. Susan and Brent will also have vegetable transplants, dried pussy willows and fresh Rhubarb ready to eat. Bella Rooster will be featuring a large selection of unusual ferns, blue and white Irises, red lupines and tree Peonies. Pottery by Remo is located at the same booth where you will find a nice collection of wood fired pottery.

Megan Ward is one of the new vendors this season, representing her Hold the Heat raw foods. Megan specializes in raw organic flax chips, chocolate, Kombucha tea and a variety of healthy raw food selections. Rebecca Kaenzig will have country ham biscuits and sweet and savory scones, homemade cakes to take home for Mother's Day, and several varieties of cookies.

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 at Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture. 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 exact times are not yet confirmed but 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 for more information. We will be there rain or shine!