ASAP's Weekly Farmers Market Report - March 27, 2020

Fresh at Farmers Markets

: [link removed] Market at A-B Tech

This is normally the week we would be reporting on the opening dates for spring outdoor tailgate markets throughout the region. The COVID-19 emergency has left farmers markets, like most businesses, in a state of uncertainty. We will do our best to keep you posted on market schedules in the coming weeks, but it’s best to check directly with your market to confirm if it will be open or if it has changed shopping procedures. Contact details for farmers markets, as well as links to social media where the most up-to-date information is often posted, can be found in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide : [link removed].
 

In Buncombe County, the indoor Asheville City Market–Winter : [link removed] at the Asheville Masonic Temple has been canceled for the rest of the season (which was to end this Saturday). River Arts District Winter Market : [link removed] (Wednesdays at Plēb Urban Winery from 3 to 6 p.m.) is operating a limited market and pickup location for farmers offering preorders. Weaverville Tailgate Market : [link removed] (Wednesdays at Reems Creek Nursery from 2:30 to 6 p.m.) is slated to open April 1 with safety precautions; they are asking customers to reserve the first hour, from 2:30 to 3:30, for elderly and at-risk shoppers. Opening dates for the outdoor Asheville City Market : [link removed] (Saturdays on N. Market St. downtown), Asheville City Market–South : [link removed] (Wednesdays at Biltmore Park Town Square), and North Asheville Tailgate Market : [link removed] (Saturdays at UNC Asheville) have been postponed.
 

As an interim outlet for farmers, many of whom have also lost income from shuttered restaurants, ASAP has organized a new farmers market at A-B Tech, designed specifically to keep shoppers and vendors safe. The ASAP Farmers Market : [link removed] is currently operating on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lots at the end of Persistence Dr. off Victoria Rd., with approximately 20 vendors, including produce, meat, cheese, bread, baked goods, ferments, and more. Only a limited number of people are allowed into the market area at one time, and social distances are maintained between vendors and shoppers. Products are pre-packaged and or bunched to limit handling and all payments are made online after shopping. Credit, debit, and SNAP/EBT are accepted. Find more details on how this market works : [link removed]. : [link removed]
 

Much of what you can buy at farmers markets right now lends itself well to stocking up. Sweet potatoes are an ideal pantry item, lasting a month or more if stored in a cool, dark place. Winter greens like kale, collards, and bok choy, as well as vegetables like turnips, radishes, and carrots, are likely picked the day before you buy them and will last much longer in your refrigerator than produce that has traveled through the supply chain to get to grocery store shelves. Farm-fresh eggs, too, can easily last up to a month in the fridge—or even longer if you freeze them. Meats are generally sold frozen to begin with and will last up to a year in the freezer.
 

Farmers markets are critical infrastructure to keep farmers in business and support local food systems—as well as providing vital access points to fresh, healthy food in a time of emergency. With careful planning, farmers markets can be as safe or safer than any place where food can be purchased. Read more from ASAP on why farmers markets are essential. : [link removed] Find a CSA Farm

: [link removed]

In addition to shopping at the farmers markets that are open, you can support local farmers by joining a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) : [link removed]. CSA members pay upfront for a share of a farm's harvest and receive a weekly box of produce or other farm products throughout the season. CSA programs usually begin in late April or May, and many farms are still accepting members.

ASAP's online Local Food Guide : [link removed] lets you search for farms offering CSAs, and you can use the advanced search options : [link removed] to narrow your choices by location, growing practices, and more. Or try these helpful links to find a CSA farm near you: Central Mountains (including Asheville) : [link removed] / Southern Mountains (including Hendersonville) : [link removed] / Far West : [link removed] / Foothills : [link removed] / High Country : [link removed] / Upstate South Carolina : [link removed] / Tennessee Mountains : [link removed] / Virginia Mountains : [link removed] / Northeast Georgia : [link removed] Us

: [link removed] : [link removed] : [link removed] : [link removed] : [link removed] 
appalachiangrown.org : [link removed] | fromhere.org : [link removed]
asapconnections.org : [link removed] | growing- : [link removed] : [link removed]
 
Donate to support local food, strong farms, and healthy communities today! : [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.



Upcoming Events

Information below was previously submitted to ASAP. Please check with event organizers directly to confirm.
 
3/31
Buncombe Small Fruit Production Workshop : [link removed]

4/1
Food Waste Solutions WNC Quarterly Meetup: Compost : [link removed]

4/2
Facilitating Virtually: Series for Best Practices for Online Meetings (part 2) : [link removed]

4/8
Hemp Growers Info and Updates Meeting : [link removed]

4/9
Macon County Small Fruit Production Workshop for Direct Market Growers and Gardeners : [link removed]

4/11
Growing Tropical Perennials as Termperate Annuals : [link removed]
 
View the full calendar : [link removed] of events.

ASAP on the Air

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Community Supported Agriculture brings the farmers market to you. On this week's Growing Local : [link removed], hear how farmers and community members got ready for the season at ASAP’s CSA Fair earlier this month.
 

You can listen to all
Growing Local episodes on SoundCloud : [link removed], iTunes : [link removed], or on ASAP's website : [link removed].

Local Food & Farm News

Several news outlets, including the Asheville Citizen-Times : [link removed] and the Mountain Xpress : [link removed], wrote about how to support local restaurants and food businesses.

BPR News : [link removed] and the Citizen-Times : [link removed] featured the new ASAP Farmers Market at A-B Tech.

AVL Today : [link removed] highlighted ways to support local farms, including the ASAP Farmers Market and finding CSAs through the online Local Food Guide.



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

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