Going Local-Mount Holly Farmers' Market

The weather has been unbelievably gorgeous here as of late.
With high temps reaching only the low 80's,
it was the perfect opportunity to visit another local farmers' market.

Mount Holly is a little community about 25 minutes south of us,
and 15 minutes from the Queen City of Charlotte.
It has that small town feeling, but bodes a big personality.
It's one of the places we considered during our house hunt.

I've visited a few times now,
and there is always a great turnout.
The vendors are set up and ready by 8 a.m,
and if you get there early, 
you might be lucky enough to bring home some goodies.

The local Master Gardeners have a booth set up
with all kinds of great information for beginning gardeners.

This cute lil' soil test display brought a smile to my face.

 Mount Holly features cooking demonstrations
and music by which to shop.
Local talent is showcased each and every weekend.

This organic okra was absolutely stunning!
I have never seen such elongated okra
and it really took me by surprise.

This organic basil and garlic made me think of making pesto.
What a beautiful display. simple and elegant.

I've bought sunflower sprouts and pea shoots from Jordan
the last couple of times I have visited.
They add a scrumptious crunch to salads and sandwiches.

His produce remains "just-picked fresh",
days after you bring it home.
He has a wide variety of delicious items from which to choose. 
So tasty and good for you too.

Another booth boasts homemade 
deodorant, lip balms and lotions
made with goat's milk.
A vast array of scents ensures something to be enjoyed by everyone.

Lucky Fish Seafood has some delectable items on the menu.
I plan to return next week and pick up some local trout. 
Regional seafood is such a treat and something that is not as often found as pastured meats.

Vendors sell everything from apples to zucchini,
and a great variety in between.
The best part of the markets in NC,
is that everything sold must be locally sourced.

 After learning a bit about the local community garden,
I just had to pay it a visit.
That post will be upcoming on our Garden Friday this week.
Wait until you see this place.

I hope to be a frequent visitor to Mount Holly.
It's such a quaint little town
with so much to offer.

Have you visited your local farmers' market this summer?


Going Local Series:
New Library
Hardware Upgrade
Memory Lane Museum
Troutman Farmers' Market
Mooresville Farmers' Market
The Mundy House
Davidson Farmers' Market

Going Local-Davidson Farmers' Market

On Saturday,
we visited one of our favorite little towns,
Davidson, North Carolina.

Davidson is a college town that has a good vibe.

More like a quaint village than a city,

it boasts numerous community activities,

including a vibrant farmers' market.

By the time we got there,

the market was bustling with activity.

Over 30 vendors were selling local produce,

seafood, homemade soaps and lotions

as well as food trucks specializing in custom cuisine.

All items for purchase here

must come from the surrounding area.

The amount of produce was impressive.

We noticed more than a few patrons

milling about sampling their recent purchases of fresh fruit.

It did my heart good to see that most of the produce was organic.

Even the animal products were grass-fed or organically raised.

Many vendors use this market as a pick-up point

for CSA orders.

The sign at this booth was catchy,

"Don't panic, it's organic."

Aside from the fresh fruit, fish, veg and meat available,

flower arrangements could be had.

There was a line at this booth,

and it's not hard to see why.

The gorgeous spring colors just begged to be taken home.

The nice folks at Bruks Bars allowed us to sample

their delicious, allergy-friendly treats.

The company is Charlotte-based and expanding rapidly.

Each vendor had something unique to offer,

like this kombucha tea from UpDog.

For those dining al fresco,

this food truck offered a wonderful variety of specialty sandwiches to go.

These ice pops hit the spot with the sun looming overhead.

They are handmade, all natural and were fantastically refreshing!

It was fabulous to get back to Davidson
and experience the quintessential market.
They are doing it right
by creating a user-friendly event
hosted by responsible, local providers.

What's your local farmers' market like?

Other Going Local Series:
New Library 
Hardware Upgrade 
Memory Lane Museum 
Troutman Farmers' Market 
Mooresville Farmers' Market 
The Mundy House

Going Local-Mooresville Farmers' Market

We're off on another field trip,

getting to know our new surroundings.

This past weekend Sister and I set up our daisy tote booth

at the Mooresville Farmers' Market in downtown Mooresville.

Supporting local farmers and craftspeople is emphasized.

The regional farmers' markets require items sold to hail from within a 50-mile radius.

This market runs from the beginning of May through October.

Downtown Mooresville is usually hoppin' on the weekend

with abundant shops and eateries as well as special events.

This market is hosted by the local parks and recreation department.

Alli, our fearless leader, has an information booth

so that folks can find out about local offerings.

She also does story time during the market.

Her kids' activity this week was making Mother's Day cards.

It's that time of year when many folks are gearing up for their summer gardens.

The nice folks at Cookspride Wilfong Farm carry an assortment of seedlings.

It was wonderful to discover that they follow certified organic practices.

They promised to have some scrumptious produce later on in the season.

Check out their facebook page for other products and services they offer.

Local honey and eggs are available from Rattling Bridge Farm.

Care to do a taste test?

They are happy to give visitors a sweet spoonful of honey.

Toni at Bugs Bees also has local honey for sale.

Wouldn't it be fun to have a honey tasting party

to distinguish the various types of flavors in each type of honey?

What a sweet treat!

Speaking of sweets-Grandpa John makes homemade candy

and has been sharing his family recipes for generations.

Toby Chapin Pottery displays a fantastic assortment of handmade treasures.

His ceramic creations make unique gifts for any occasion.

His artistry is also showcased in these hand-carved wooden spoons.

We were thankful for the borrowed tent,

as the weather was less than cooperative.

With the threat of overcast skies looming,

it was a slow market day,

but we enjoyed the experience.

We plan on setting up here twice a month through the season.

We're finding our niche.

Big K and I were talking about how
we haven't met one unpleasant person since moving here.
Maybe we've just been in the right place at the right times, but we've found 
everyone so doggone friendly and downright solicitous.
We are so glad to be a part of it all.

What do you like to buy at the farmers' market?

Other Going Local Posts:
New Library
Hardware Upgrade
Memory Lane Museum
 Troutman Farmers' Market

Going Local-Troutman Farmers' Market

Last Tuesday, I ventured out to participate in my first farmers' market

since hitting the ground in North Carolina.

My first foray began at ESC park in Iredell County,

about 25 minutes from where we're staying.

The park is located at 338 N Avenue in Troutman, NC.

We set up under the pavillion.

It's wonderful to have a covered space,

especially for vendors who have perishable items for sale.

Farmers' markets are huge here,

and I like that every effort is made to ensure that items sold

are absolutely as local as can be.

The Troutman market is open from 4-7 p.m. every Tuesday 

from May through October.

This location seems to attract a lot of families

due to the proximity of the playground and playing fields.

 Since this is an afternoon/evening market,

 it's great to have food vendors attending

for those who want a bite to eat.

 A variety of home-grown veggies were featured.

Lettuce, onions and other goodies could be found,

as well as seedlings for shoppers to take home and plant.

The produce vendors seemed to do very well.

Fresh eggs were readily available from Hannah's Hen House.

I got in line before the event started,

to make sure that a few of these would make it home with me.

I enjoyed them all week in sandwiches, salads

and fresh tomato sauce for pasta.

We brought home some of Marc's homemade chocolate chip cookies. 

He also bakes breads, pies and other sweet treats.

The cookies were originally intended for Big K,

but I ended up finding them too good to resist.

 The lone jewelry booth displayed charms, necklaces, rings, and other brilliant baubles.

 A unique twist at this market

was chair massage

being offered by "Yellow Chair Massage". 

What a wonderful way to begin your week!

 My daisy tote booth didn't do so well,

but it was nice to get my feet wet in our new state.

It was fantastic to be a part of this market

and meet folks who really believe in what they are doing.

We'll keep plugging away!

Do you frequent the farmers' market in your town? 

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Other Going Local posts:

New Library

Hardware Upgrade

Memory Lane Museum