ASAP’s Weekly Farmers Market Report - April 19, 2024

Fresh at Farmers Markets







These sunny skies and 70 degree days finally have it feeling like spring! This season’s markets are full of spring alliums like green garlic, ramps, leeks, onion scapes, green onions, and more!

Ramps, an Appalachian springtime favorite, have made their way back to markets! This wild allium variety is loved by chefs, foragers, and market-goers for its strong garlicky and onion flavor. The seasonal delicacy is often gone all too quick, but there are plenty of ways to preserve ramps far past the spring! Our favorite way to hang on to some of that delicious ramp flavor is by making a simple compound butter!

Start by trimming the root end and washing 20 or so ramp leaves. Blanch the ramp leaves in a pot of salted boiling water for 30 seconds, then quickly plunge to a bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze out as much water from the leaves and transfer to a towel to continue drying. Chop the dried ramps finely, then add to a bowl along with one pound of room-temperature butter, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and the zest of one lemon. Mix well until combined, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper as you go. Transfer the butter into air-tight containers, or roll into logs and wrap in parchment or plastic. The butter will stay good in the refrigerator for a week, but when frozen you can enjoy your homemade butter for six more months! You can find ramps from Wild Goods (Asheville City, East Asheville, and River Arts District markets).

Green garlic, another allium you’ll be seeing plenty of at markets this season, is essentially garlic that’s been pulled out of the ground before it’s able to start forming cloves. It has the same savory flavor of garlic, but with a much milder bite. Although they look alike, you’ll be able to tell green garlic apart from scallions by their distinct garlicky smell. This veggie can be a flavorful substitute to onions, scallions, or leeks in any recipe. This risotto is an especially easy and delicious dish that will make the most out of the green garlic from markets this week!

Start your green garlic risotto by bringing six cups of vegetable broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of butter over medium high heat, then add three stalks of finely chopped green garlic and a bit of salt and pepper, and cook for about three minutes until fragrant. Add one cup of rice to the pot and cook for another minute. Add half a cup of a dry white wine and stir until evaporated. Slowly ladle in one cup of the warmed vegetable broth at a time, until the rice is al dente. Remove the pot from heat, then stir in one cup of roughly chopped arugula or mustard greens, two more tablespoons of butter, and two tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese. Garnish with some finely chopped green garlic and a bit more parmesan, and enjoy! You can find green garlic from vendors like Full Sun Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market) and Root Bottom Farm (West Asheville Tailgate Market).

The less popular (but nonetheless delicious!) cousin of green garlic and ramps are leeks! This allium has a mildly sweet, onion flavor, but with a distinctive twist. Leeks taste great by themselves when roasted or sauteed, and make for a perfect addition to any pasta dish, quiche, soup, and more! Our favorite way to enjoy this vegetable is by adding sauteed leeks onto a pizza along with goat cheese, whole cloves of garlic confit, and sliced pancetta! You can find leeks from vendors like Sleight Family Farm and New Roots Market Garden (both at North Asheville Tailgate Market).

Farmers markets now also have strawberries, greens, broccoli, radishes, turnips, carrots, cabbages, and more! Markets are stocked with a variety, rice, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including spring hours, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.

Connect with ASAP


appalachiangrown.org | asapconnections.org

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

4/19-4/20
Spring Plant Sale!

4/19-4/21Growing In The Mountains Spring Festival

4/20Propagation workshop
4/21Bountiful Bowls with Bountiful Cities

4/27Farmer Social & Music at Rare BirdThe Utopian Seed Project – Trial to Table Series

5/1Cherokee Ndn Foods, Heritage Crops and Wild Delicacies
Find upcoming events (or post your own) atasapconnections.org.

Local Food and Farms in the News

Southside Community Farm is facing a potential loss of its land, which is owned by the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA). Asheville Citizen Times and Mountain Xpress are reporting on the issue and how community members can take action. “We don’t want to be in this crisis in the future. We want to have a long-term lease or have the land the Southside Community Farm goes into be a land trust or be held otherwise by the community,” says farm manager Chloe Moore.

News from ASAP


ASAP's work typically keeps us in the Appalachian Grown region or in North Carolina, but last week our Local Food Campaign Program Director David Smiley traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the 2024 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference. ASAP's 2021 project around farmer risk management rebound from COVID-19 was named a project of excellence! Pictured is David with the Southern Risk Management Education Center cohort



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

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