Due to the winter weather, both Asheville City Market and North Asheville Tailgate Market will be closed this Saturday, January 31. During this time of year, markets may need to make last minute adjustments or cancellations due to unpredictable weather. Keep up-to-date with your favorite markets through their social media and newsletters.
Seafood isn’t something particularly local to the mountains of Western North Carolina, but farmers markets can still be a chance to find fish to enjoy alongside winter produce. Western North Carolina is known for its cold, clean streams that are teeming with life, making it a perfect place to sustainably farm rainbow trout.
Sunburst Trout Farm, a weekly regular at North Asheville Tailgate Market, has been raising rainbow trout in the pristine rivers that originate in the Shining Rock Wilderness Area of Pisgah National Forest for three generations. Sunburst strives to create an environment in which the trout they raise live as close to the way nature intended: swimming upstream, eating a high-quality diet, and without hormones or antibiotics. Their trout filets, dips, and smoked products are absolutely delicious and are raised and made here in the mountains!
Trout is one of the easiest fish to prepare at home. It can be pan-seared, baked, grilled, or broiled in under 15 minutes. This simple oven-baked trout brings out the mild fish flavor perfectly. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and get out a big piece of aluminum foil. Pat dry your trout and place it in the middle of the foil. Season your trout with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs like dill or parsley. In a small saucepan, melt one to two tablespoons of butter and add two cloves of minced garlic. Stir until fragrant. Pour the garlic butter over your trout and wrap the foil leaving it tented. Bake for 13 minutes then open the foil and broil for three minutes. Different size filets have different cooking times, so use your meat thermometer and check for a 145 degree cook temperature. Remove from the oven and serve, savoring the flaky WNC raised goodness. Find fresh herbs from Gaining Ground Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market) and Lee’s One Fortune Farm (Asheville City, River Arts District, and Weaverville markets).
Pair your trout with flavorful sides like stewed collards, a fresh green salad, or these mashed parsnips. Parsnips are in season from vendors like Gaining Ground Farm and New Roots Market Garden (North Asheville Tailgate Market). Closely related to carrots and parsley, parsnips cook similar to potatoes. Roast them, add them to soups, or boil them for a parsnip mash made just like your favorite creamy mashed potatoes. Peel, cube, and boil the parsnips for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Strain and mash until preferred consistency. Add cream, butter, salt, and pepper to your preference.
If you’d rather go the classic stewed greens route, find collards and kale from vendors like Wild East Farm (River Arts District and North Asheville Markets), Windy Hollow Farms (Weaverville Tailgate Market), and Lee’s One Fortune Farm.
At winter markets, find a variety of winter produce including greens, cabbages, potatoes, and root crops like radishes. You’ll also find farm-fresh eggs, cheese, bread, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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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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Early-bird registration rates for the Business of Farming Conference (Feb. 28) end at the end of the day this Monday (Feb. 1)! Register now to get that discount at asapconnections.org!
The Business of Farming Conference is a chance to learn and network with farmers and ag professionals across the region and gain tools and strategies for improving your farm business. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession.
Early-bird registration (through Feb. 1) is $75 per person, or $125 for two farm partners registering together. Standard registration (starting Feb. 2) is $95 per person, or $165 for two farm partners. A limited number of conference scholarships are available for limited resource farmers located within our Appalachian Grown region.
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