Discover Spring's First Offerings for Your Table this Vacation
A vacation is not complete without indulging in fresh, delicious, local food. And what better way to do that than sourcing your own food for your own fresh, beautiful meal creations?
If you are in search of just picked produce, bright yellow-yoked farm fresh eggs, and beautifully butchered meats, then the perfect place to do your shopping is at a local farmers market. Asheville, nestled in the fertile Blue Ridge Mountains, is surrounded by farm country. Which means that the Asheville area boasts of some prime farm stands, as well as one very large farmers market.
The Western North Carolina Farmers Market is no ordinary farmers market. Open 7 days a week, all year round, this opulent market sits on 36 acres of property surrounded by beautiful views on all sides. First opened in 1977, this market now hosts a multitude of various vendors. In fact, there are spaces for 194 farmers and other local craftsmen to display and sell their unique wares.
Farmers markets aren't just for the budding home chefs. Or, at least this one isn't. The Western North Carolina Farmers Market doesn't just have beautiful stands full of sumptuous produce. It also has vendors offering jams and jellies, crusty loaves of bread perfect for breakfast or lunch, cookies for dessert or an afternoon pick-me-up, and much, much more. There are even local crafts and other local arts on display for you to delight in.
Of course, if you don't want to shop for anything to eat or to bring home as a souvenir, there is always the nursery. Jesse Israel and Sons Garden and Nursery Center is not just a place to buy plants. Rather, it is also a serene spot through which to take an afternoon stroll. There are greenhouses bursting with tropical plants, bonsai on display, a forty-foot waterfall, and ponds brimming with water plants. All of which create the perfect setting for a mind-calming stroll.
Now, if you don't feel like cooking, but you still thrill to the idea of a farmers market, never fear. There is an option for you: The Moose Cafe. Here, you can find true farm-to-table cuisine. Located inside the farmers market itself, the cafe serves up mouth-watering delicacies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And of course, the menu offerings are samples of true southern cuisine. Even if you want to shop at the farmers market and later cook for yourself, The Moose Cafe is a place you will want to check out.
Close to the Biltmore Estate, this treasure of a farmers market is easily accessible, no matter where you are staying in Asheville. So, when you take your vacation with us, make sure you discover this local delight for yourself.