Holiday Market, 2007

Watauga County Farmers' Market will be having the first ever Holiday Market on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. The market will be from 10AM to 2PM at our usual spot, the Horn in the West parking lot. As always we will live up to our slogan and be there rain or shine!

It may be a bit late in the season for many local vegetables, but Charles Church of Watauga River Farms has put season extending techniques to good use enabling him to offer quite a few selections of organic vegetables for the Holiday Market. Charles will be harvesting red and Kennebec potatoes, turnips, butternut squash, lettuce and possibly some broccoli from his farm in Valle Crucis. Charles will also have a good supply or pork such as sausage, roasts, pork chops and sidemeat, and will also have jars of new molasses on hand. Jason Brooks rounds off the local menu with his steaks, roasts, sirloin tips and hamburger.

Folks in Watauga County are fortunate to live in an area where holiday evergreens can be bought fresh from the grower. Several of the vendors will add wreathes and roping to their line of products. David and Kathy Blackburn will have wreaths, garland, and table top trees in stands. They will also cut any size tree you would like and deliver it on the market day and take special wreath orders. Please contact them by November 22nd for special orders. Mildred Greene will have handmade Christmas tree skirts, Christmas throws and afghans, baby blankets, aprons, Christmas stockings, and scarves. Susan Graham of Noggin Knits will have fresh greenery along with her fine hand felted hats and mittens. Sandi Henry will be making wreaths to offer alongside her colorful handwoven baskets.

Susan Wright of Shady Grove Gardens will have winter berry arrangements for decoration, and possibly fresh lilies. Kelly Sheets will be bringing watercolor paintings, calendars, handmade journals and holiday cards to the Holiday Market. Laurie Weiner will have driftwood candles that are lightly scented with natural essential oils, and natural wood clocks, trivets and wood trays.

Cory Emmons of Harmony Acres Soap Company will have soap, body products, and will have selections arranged into gift baskets. Katy Wilson will add a bit of a holiday flair to her usual line of jewelry, and will discount certain pieces 10% to 20% off.

There will be plenty of home baked treats and other goodies for enjoying at the market, serving at parties, or creative gifting. Cheryl Piracci will have biscotti, cranberry conserve, jams and jellies, and dried Roma tomatoes. She will also have Remo's original pottery at her stand. Dorene and Pete Jankowski of Fire From the Mountain will have chipotle salsa and hot sauce, smoked habanero BBQ sauce and hot sauce as well as gift baskets containing combinations of all their sauces.

This is not a complete list of the vendors or items that will be at the Holiday Market. Stop by on November 24 between 10AM and 2PM and see all the wonderful things we have been working on. We are at the Horn in the West, turn next to First Citizens Bank on Highway 105 Extension and go to the top of the hill. We will be there rain or shine!