ASAP’s Weekly Farmers Market Report - September 29, 2023

Fresh at Farmers Markets

: [link removed]
 

We officially entered fall, and what’s a better way to ring in the new season than with delicious seasonal flavors from our local farmers markets? This week, you can welcome the cool temperatures and changing leaves with fall favorites such as apples, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and more!
 
One of the first signs of autumn is the arrival of apples at markets! While you can purchase freshly pressed apple ciders from farmers markets, nothing beats a warm cup of apple cider made from scratch! To a stockpot, add ten or so chopped apples (any variety will do!), two chopped oranges, four cinnamon sticks, one tablespoon of whole cloves, an inch of fresh ginger, one whole allspice, and one whole nutmeg. Cover your ingredients with water, leaving about an inch or two of space at the top of the stockpot. Bring the cider to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer for about two hours. Mash the apples and oranges with a potato masher or a wooden spoon against the sides of the stockpot, then cover and simmer for another hour. After your cider is done cooking, strain out any solid ingredients using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and discard the solids. Sweeten with maple syrup or brown sugar to taste, then serve warm! Not only will the recipe make a delicious seasonal drink, but will make your space smell amazing! You can find apple varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith, and more from Creasman Farms : [link removed] (Asheville City : [link removed], Black Mountain : [link removed], North Asheville : [link removed], and West Asheville : [link removed] markets) and McConnell Farms : [link removed] (North Asheville Tailgate Market).

Pumpkins are an obvious autumn staple, but don’t forget about the other varieties of winter squash available at farmers markets! If pumpkins are gone by the time you arrive at markets this week, kabocha squash makes a good substitute for both flavor and aesthetics! Also look for butternut, acorn, honeynut, spaghetti, delicata, jester squash, and more. Not only are these squash delicious, but offer festive fall decor as well! You can find pumpkins from Sleight Family Farm : [link removed] (North Asheville Tailgate Market), and more winter squash from Full Sun Farm : [link removed] (North Asheville and River Arts District : [link removed] markets). 

The sugary, rich, and spicy flavor make sweet potatoes another perfect fall vegetable! A great way to treat friends and family (or just yourself) on a chilly fall morning is with these delicious sweet potato pancakes. In a large bowl, whisk together one-and-three-fourths cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, half a teaspoon of baking soda, two tablespoons of brown sugar, a teaspoon each of salt and cinnamon, and a quarter of a teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger. In a separate bowl, whisk together one-and-three-fourths cups of buttermilk, puree of two sweet potatoes (roasted and pureed or mashed until smooth), two eggs, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Combine ingredients and stir until well combined. Melt butter onto a skillet over medium heat, then scoop half a cup of pancake batter onto the pan and cook for about three minutes on each side. Serve your pancakes with a bit of syrup and maybe some toasted pecans, and enjoy! You can find sweet potatoes from Flying Cloud Farm : [link removed] (North Asheville and River Arts District markets) and Lee’s One Fortune Farm : [link removed] (Asheville city, Black Mountain, East Asheville, North Asheville, River Arts District and West Asheville markets). 

At farmers markets now you’ll also find corn, peppers, okra, muscadine grapes, Asian pears, potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, mushrooms, and greens like lettuce, kale, and bok choy. Markets are also stocked with a variety of plants, meats, cheese, rice, pasta, bread, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide : [link removed].

Connect with ASAP

: [link removed] : [link removed] : [link removed] : [link removed] 
appalachiangrown.org : [link removed] | asapconnections.org : [link removed]
  

ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
 

: [link removed]

9/29-10/29
Fall Festival and Corn Maze at Eliada Home : [link removed] 9/30
Sow & Grow Fest : [link removed] Use Of Native Plants With Renowned Ethnobotanist Marc Williams : [link removed] 10/1
Farm to Fork in the Garden : [link removed] Leadership Workshop: Making Local Government Work for You : [link removed] 10/7-10/8
Gardening in Harmony with Nature : [link removed] 10/8
2023 High Country Farm Tour : [link removed] 10/14A Day on the Homestead : [link removed] 10/21
Carolina CiderFest : [link removed] 
Find upcoming events (or post your own) at
asapconnections.org : [link removed].

News from ASAP

: [link removed]
 

Pre-Order a Local Holiday Turkey!
Some Appalachian Grown farms raise turkeys, and several are taking pre-orders for the holidays. Quantity is limited, and farms do tend to sell out quickly. ASAP checked in with farms and has a list with pre-order availability : [link removed] on our website. We'll keep this list updated over the next few weeks as much as possible.

Local Food and Farms in the News

WLOS : [link removed] stopped in at Marked Tree Vineyard during ASAP's Farm Tour to chat with co-owner Tim Parks. "Some of the farms are farms that are open to the public, like us—we're open for tastings. Then there's many farms that aren't open to the public, so it provides a lot of visibility to local farms that produce everything here in North Carolina and grow everything here in North Carolina," said Tim.



ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) - 306 W. Haywood Street - Asheville - NC - 28801

Subscribe to this newsletter:
[link removed]
Unsubscribe [email protected]:
[link removed]
Change your preferences:
[link removed]
Forward to a friend:
[link removed]
Report this email as spam:
[link removed]

This email was sent using MyNewsletterBuilder.com.