ASAP’s Weekly Farmers Market Report - June 28, 2024

Fresh at Farmers Markets

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Tomatoes are beginning their first appearances at Buncombe County farmers markets. Tomatoes come in almost endless varieties and are champions of versatility! With so many options to choose from and plenty of ways to utilize them in your cooking, tomatoes will be on your shopping list at farmers markets for the rest of summer through fall. Try them fresh, transform them into a soup or sauce, chop them into bean salads, blend them into salsas, slice them onto sandwiches and beyond!

For this week’s recipe, turn your favorite tomatoes into a refreshing bruschetta that you can eat as a side dish, on toasted baguette slices, mixed into your favorite pasta, or even as a marinade for chicken! Start with two pounds of your favorite tomato varieties and dice them into your preferred bite size pieces. Chop two cloves of garlic and cut a small bundle of basil into ribbons. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and basil along with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to a bowl and mix. (Pick up balsamic vinegar from Highland Gourmet at River Arts District : [link removed] or West Asheville : [link removed] markets). For an added dairy option, cut a mozzarella ball into small pieces and mix into your bruschetta. (Find mozzarella from Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery : [link removed] at North Asheville : [link removed], Asheville City : [link removed], and Black Mountain : [link removed] markets.) You can also slice the mozzarella into bigger pieces to put on toasted baguette slices from Simple Bread : [link removed] (Asheville City, West Asheville, and North Asheville markets), adding your bruschetta on top. Want to sneak some extra fruit into your tomato bruschetta? Try adding some diced peaches from Lee’s One Fortune Farm : [link removed] or Creasman Farms : [link removed].

Find an assortment of tomatoes from Thatchmore Farm : [link removed]. (North Asheville and West Asheville markets), Full Sun Farm : [link removed] (River Arts District and North Asheville markets), Smallholding Farm : [link removed] (East Asheville Tailgate Market : [link removed]), Stump Farms : [link removed] and Olivette Farm : [link removed] (both at Asheville City Market).More tomatoes are coming soon from vendors like Ivy Creek Family Farm : [link removed] (Weaverville : [link removed] and North Asheville markets). Find both basil and garlic from Gaining Ground Farm : [link removed] (River Arts District and North Asheville markets) and Two Stones Farm + Mill : [link removed] (Asheville City and North Asheville markets).

Also spotted at markets in recent weeks: carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, beets, fennel, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, turnips, potatoes, green beans, spinach, kale, chard, mushrooms, peppers, onions, scallions, plums, nectarines, blueberries, and blackberries, as well as the first sightings of eggplant. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. Find more details about farms and markets throughout the region, including hours and location, in ASAP’s online Local Food Guide : [link removed].

Connect with ASAP

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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.
 

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7/6
Indigo Dye Workshop with Organic Growers School and R Farm : [link removed]
 

7/14
Urban Garden Tour and Tasting with Bountiful Cities : [link removed]
 

7/17
Small Ruminant Record Keeping : [link removed]

7/18
WNC CRAFT Tour – Veterans Healing Farm : [link removed]
 

7/20
Barn Dance with Zydeco Ya Ya at Hickory Nut Gap : [link removed]
 

7/28
Native Plants Workshop : [link removed] CRAFT Tour at Gaia Herb Farm : [link removed]

Find upcoming events (or post your own) at
asapconnections.org : [link removed].

Local Food & Farm News

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New funding streams and incentive programs have become available for small farmers and producers across the state of North Carolina with plans to make farming more profitable and climate-resilient while supporting food access initiatives.As stated in an article from The Mountaineer : [link removed], agriculture is North Carolina's largest industry. These funding opportunities aim to "to enhance agriculture profitability... fund on-farm sustainable energy projects and to provide grants for processing facilities and operations so raw agriculture products can be baked, pickled, canned, dried, prepared meals, cheese and fresh or frozen cuts of meat."At the bottom of the article, ASAP's David Smiley shares where to access and how to tap into these funds.



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

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