Spring will officially be here in just a few short days, and while we’re pumped for sunshine + colorful blooms, nothing excites us more than all the fresh fruits + veggies popping up at area markets. Read on to find out where you can go for just-picked fare that’s fresher than an infant .
- With 14 buildings spread over 36 acres, the WNC Farmers Market (570 Brevard Rd.) is Asheville’s biggest market, and it’s open for business daily from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Find fruits + veggies, plus other staples like meats, cheese, beans, preserves, salsas, honey + condiments.
- Since the pandemic began, ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) has operated in place of Asheville City Market’s downtown and Biltmore Park Town Square locations with a farmers market at A-B Tech (340 Victoria Rd.). Through March, it operates Saturdays from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. From April through October, it is open Saturdays from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. Protip: Pay via touch-free credit or debit and SNAP. Some vendors accept checks or exact cash (no change given).
- The North Asheville Tailgate Market (located on the campus of UNC Asheville ) will reopen Sat., April 3 from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. Only credit/debit cards or exact cash will be accepted for payment.
- The East Asheville Tailgate Market (954 Tunnel Rd.) returns Fri., April 9 and runs through October.
- The West Asheville Tailgate Market (718 Haywood Rd.) will reopen Tues., April 6. They’ve added pre-sale + pick up options for additional safety protocols.
- CSAs are also currently enrolling. CSA stands for “community shared agriculture,” and means that you pay into a farm for a season by pre-purchasing a half- or full-share. Check out CSAs in the Asheville area here , and find Hendersonville CSAs here .
- Mountain Food Products is offering a multi-farm CSA. The deadline to lock in early bird pricing is March 31, and delivery starts May 20 and runs through Nov. 11.
- Want to bring a little spice to your CSA? Lunar Whale Herbs offers fresh herb + apothecary CSA boxes that include educational information about each plant’s healing properties. Delivery + pickup dates and times vary, so get more info here .
- Available in weekly or bi-weekly subscriptions (or one-off individual boxes), The AVL Box offers produce, meats, specialty items + more in curated or customized boxes that you can pick up at multiple locations throughout WNC or have delivered on Wednesdays. Sign up here .
- Forestry Camp ’s Camp Grocery CSA memberships — available in three, six, or 12-month options — offer a variety of locally sourced meats butchered in-house like trout, dry aged steaks, pork chops, andmore. Get more deets + order here .
- Get local meats like bacon, steaks, sausages + more delivered in the Asheville city limits, courtesy of Hickory Nut Gap ’s new home delivery service for their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) monthly meat boxes . Don’t fret if you live outside the city limits, you can pick it up curbside Thurs.–Sun. from 12 – 5:00p.m. at their farm store (57 Sugar Hollow Rd., Fairview). Order here .
- A Way of Life Farm ’s CSA offers spring, summer + fall season options featuring all certified organic produce — plus an optional pork add on. Pick up boxes in Asheville, Rutherfordton, and the farm itself (856 Brooks Rd., Bostic). Sign up here .
Need some inspo? Check out this Voices piece
that shares five tips on how to use your CSA basket.