Mother figures come in so many forms. No matter who you’d like to honor this week (on Mother’s Day or any other day), farmers markets give you plenty of options for gifts, flowers, and special treats.
 
Start the celebration with a simple breakfast in bed (or on a sunny porch, if that’s more her style). Fill a tray with locally made pastries, fresh strawberries, and maybe some eggs. You can find croissants and other pastries, as well as several types of quiche, from French Broad Pantry (at Asheville City, North Asheville, and West Asheville markets). Or pick up bagels from Honey Badger Bakes (at Asheville City or East Asheville markets) and spread them with local goat cheese. Fresh strawberries are now widely available at markets, including from Headwaters Market Garden (Asheville City Market), Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, West Asheville, East Asheville, River Arts District, and Black Mountain markets), Full Sun Farm and Flying Cloud Farm (both at River Arts District and North Asheville markets), and Ivy Creek Family Farm (at North Asheville and Weaverville markets).
 
If you’d rather wrap up a box of sweet treats, chocolates or macarons should fit the bill. Look for Silvermoon Chocolate or Conjure Craft at North Asheville Tailgate Market. Beeswax and Butter will have specialty macarons at Asheville City, River Arts District, and West Asheville markets this week. 
 
Flower growers are bringing a colorful spectrum of blooms to markets right now, including anemones, tulips, ranunculus, snapdragons, dahlias, and more! Look for one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day arrangements as well as single bloom bouquets from Carolina Flowers (at Asheville City Market), Blazing Star Flowers (River Arts District Farmers Market), Full Sun Farm, Flying Cloud Farm, and more. If your mother figure would rather plant flowers, you have options for that as well! Finally Farm (at Asheville City and River Arts District markets) advertises “houseplants that thrive on benign neglect,” as well as flower, herb, and vegetable plant starts for the garden. 
 
At markets now you’ll also find spring alliums, broccoli, beets, radishes, turnips, spinach, bok choy, salad greens, mushrooms, and more! Markets are stocked with a variety of meats, cheese, rice, pasta, pastries, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including winter hours, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide.