Now that we have entered November, the holiday season is just around the corner! Many Buncombe County farmers tailgate markets are hosting holiday markets with some beginning this week. What might you find if you visit one of these markets? An array of produce; value-added gifts such as honey, jams, spices, cookies; crafts, including knitted items, pottery, cutting boards, beeswax candles, prints; wellness items like tinctures, essential oils, body products; and holiday decorations of wreaths, trees, and more.
Rather than the allure or overwhelm of large box stores and mass-produced items, farmers markets provide an opportunity to select meaningful, handmade gifts that reflect the thoughtfulness and intentionality of you and your community. Giving a friend a jar of local honey or a bar of handcrafted soap is more than just exchanging goods, it’s a way to share a piece of your community and support small-scale growers and producers during one of their busiest times of year. The experience of shopping at a farmers market for holiday gifts feels more meaningful when you know your generosity is benefiting both the community and the gift receiver.
If you are starting your local shopping and not sure what to get someone who is hard to shop for, consider purchasing market tokens that they can spend later. Many markets offer merchandise so you can both support the market and give a gift that may feel special and sentimental. Who doesn’t need another tote bag?
We all know that shopping locally is important, and now is an especially pertinent time to spend your dollars in your community as you are able. Not only are SNAP participants affected by changes in food assistance, but so are farmers and food producers who rely on a portion of their sales to come from SNAP shoppers. With the last bit of harvest, farmers are working hard to finish out their season, and after losing much of last fall and winter’s seasons due to Helene, farmers need every little bit to close out the year.
We know these SNAP cuts are impacting many families across North Carolina who rely on SNAP to purchase food. In lieu of this, ASAP’s Asheville City Market is offering gap support for SNAP eligible customers. Made possible through a generous donor, SNAP-eligible shoppers can receive $40 in market tokens to spend on food with local farms and vendors. Customers do not need to swipe a SNAP card to receive these tokens. These tokens will be offered at Asheville City Market each Saturday for the month of November, as long as funds allow. Other markets may be offering their own gap support for SNAP eligible customers–look to their newsletters and social media for more information.
Funding for this support at Asheville City Market comes from a private donor and is not part of ASAP’s regular Double SNAP for Fruits & Vegetables program. For any SNAP participants who have funds on their SNAP cards, ASAP will continue to match up to $20 for fruits and vegetables at all participating farmers markets. Find participating markets at asapconnections.org/farmersmarkets.
In the meantime, look to your community for resources. For those in Western North Carolina, MANNA FoodBank has a food finder map that anyone can use to find free food across the region. It is available in English, Spanish and Ukrainian. You can also call or text their Food Helpline for assistance: 282-290-9749.
Summer crops are winding down but find an array of fall and winter produce like apples and persimmons, cold-hardy greens like spinach, kale, and arugula, multiple types of winter squash, flowering brassicas like broccoli and cauliflower, and root crops like carrots, potatoes, and onions. 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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The Michelin Guide recently announced their Guide to the American South, awarding multiple Asheville area restaurants including a Green Star for Luminosa.
In an article by RFD TV, Luminosa's Executive Chef, Graham House, shared his pledge to sourcing local: “Our commitment to sourcing local produce and supporting local farms is the core of our ethos at Luminosa. We hold to the objectives set forth by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and work hard to utilize all trim from our kitchen in sustainable ways."
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