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Watauga County Farmers Market Begins New Year With Good Weather and Happy Crowds

By Nathan Ham

Saturday welcomed in a new year of vendors, growers, and crafters with the official arrival of the 2019 Watauga County Farmers’ Market. The first market of the year had a good turnout of visitors looking for fresh produce, jams, jellies, honey, free-range eggs, baked goods, pasture-raised meats, pottery, birdhouses, and many other foods and crafts. 

There were also seven new vendors for this year’s market. New vendors included Appalachian Mountain Brewery, who will be attending the market selling craft beers and cider one Saturday even month, Blue Ridge Valley Farm (specialty cut flowers), Cottonwood Handmade (handmade leather goods), Everybody’s Loaded Biscuits (biscuit food truck), Garnet Rose Soap Company (natural soaps), Marshallberg Farm (smoked sturgeon fillets, cutlets, and caviar) and Southland Smoke (smokes meats and BBQ). 

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market will include special events, live music, cooking demonstrations and children’s activities each week, including the Kids Mini-Market that will take place twice a month. 

The market is located at the Horn in the West parking lot in Boone from 8 a.m. until noon each Saturday. The market has taken place each year since 1974. 

Items typically available each week: Seasonal fresh fruits and berries, jams, jellies, salsas, honey, hand-made soaps, baked bread, cakes, pastries, free-range eggs, fresh aged goat cheese and pimento cheese, pasture-raised meats, fresh herbs, fresh-cut and dried flowers, wreaths and arrangements, wool, birdhouses, jewelry, pottery, baskets, handcrafted yard art, garden furniture, artwork, plants, annuals, perennials and shrubs. 

Pictures from Saturday’s Farmers Market Opening Day