Watauga County Farmers' Market Returns May 7, 2016

By Kaitlan Morehouse

For more than 40 years, the Watauga County Farmers’ Market has featured a plethora of local vendors and brought in people from all over the High Country. Now, the market will return for 2016 on Saturday, May 7.

Opening Day will start fresh at 8 a.m. with a brand new season and all of your old favorites: good food, beautiful flowers and plants, good fellowship and lots of shopping for outstanding art, pottery and other unique gifts, traditional to WCFM.

“Folks come back year after year to reunite with old friends, meet new friends, purchase high quality, fresh local food and local art, have a great cup of coffee, enjoy outstanding music, learn new recipes and ways to cook, learn about living healthy, and most importantly, have a leisurely good time at the market,” said Market Manager Ben Massey, Jr.

farmersmarket22-600x399 — Wildflower Honey that was available at last year’s Farmers’ Market.

This year, opening day will feature these new vendors:

Country Ham’s Biscuit Bar
Mountain Flowers Cupcakes
Elk Creek Artisan Foods

Another new addition will be the “Donation Station,” where farmers and shoppers can donate local food for those in need in the High Country.

The market will include special guests and features like:

Andy Page and Swing Guitars
Marshall Daniels playing the handpan and dulcimer
Kids Corner
Watauga Medics teaching CPR
Licensed massage therapist giving 10-minute chair massages

The Kids Corner, sponsored by PHARMN, will feature “the Wheel of Green,” a seed-planting station and on-hand volunteers decked out in creative costumes.

The Watauga County Farmers’ Market strives to encourage and promote local agriculture, horticulture, value added and craft industries in Watauga County and the surrounding area, as well as provide producers a site to market their goods directly to the consumer and provide consumers a market to obtain quality goods directly from local producers.

“It’s simply the place to be in Boone on Saturday morning,” Massey said.

“It’s a place for education, a place that farmers actually talk to their customers about their products, where the seeds came from, how they grew them, and the best way to prepare food. Artisans explain their art and it comes to life,” Massey said. “It brings meaning to the products.”

More About the Farmers’ Market

Each Saturday morning during the season, up to 65 vendors offer quality local products in one of the largest and liveliest markets in western North Carolina. Come and visit from May through November to experience the sounds, smells, tastes, and friendly atmosphere of the High Country. We have the area’s finest selection of quality produce from local growers, as well as seasonal fresh fruits and berries, local jams, jellies, and honey. You can also find fresh baked breads, cakes and pastries from our country kitchens, fresh farm eggs, fresh aged goat cheeses, locally farmed meats, fresh herbs, fresh-cut and dried flowers, wreaths and arrangements. Farm-based crafts including wool, birdhouses, jewelry, pottery, baskets, handcrafted yard art and garden furniture are offered by our skilled local crafters and artists. There is always a large selection of plants, including annuals, perennials and shrubs. Look for new and unique items every week, as well as special events, live music, cooking demonstrations, and children’s activities.

For more information, reach Massey by email at info@wataugacountyfarmersmarkt.org or call 828-355-4918.

Participating vendors will include the following. Click here to get to know them!