Cary, NC – If you have ever said to yourself, “I should buy more locally grown produce,” I have one word for you to remember: Tuesday. That’s the day you’ll farm locally-grown, farm-fresh produce on sale mid-week at Cary’s two farmers markets.

The New Routine: Farm-Fresh Tuesday

Routines help us organize our lives. If we want to buy more locally grown fruits and vegetables, we have to change our routine.

Farm-Fresh Tuesday is a reminder that the Cary Downtown Farmers Market and the Western Wake Farmers Market are both open on Tuesday afternoons.

Same time every week, April to November.

Cary Downtown Farmer’s Market
Tuesdays 3-6 pm
Chatham Square Shopping Center
744 East Chatham Street, Cary NC

Western Wake Farmers Market
Tuesday 3:30-6:30 pm
Morrisville Carpenter Rd. between Davis Dr. and Hwy. 55 in Carpenter Village

Both markets are also open on Saturday mornings.

Farm-Fresh 7 Days a Week at DJs

Also worth mentioning, farm-fresh produce is available 7 days a week at DJ’s Berry Patch during the summer and fall.

DJs Berry Patch
1223 Salem Church Road
Apex, NC 27523
Mon Sat 9:00 – 6:30
Sun 12:00-6:30

Story & photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – Supermarkets are a great convenience. One might say a boon to a mobile society.

But there’s nothing like farm-fresh produce toward the end of June in the great State of North Carolina.

Cary Downtown Farmers Market

Cucumbers were in abundance at the Downtown market, along with pale yellow banana peppers and early potatoes. Field-ripened tomatoes were a deep red alongside green mountains of string beans. The market also had live saxophone music and an impressive variety of exotic baked goods this week.

Never been? It’s in the Chatham Square shopping center near the corner of East Chatham and Maynard.

The Downtown Farmers Market is also open on Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 – 6:00 so you can always have farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. From the farmer herself.

Western Wake Farmers Market

The crowds were thick as June flies at the WWFM. Summer squash, eggplants, elephant garlic and field grown tomatoes all looked good.

The German baker had her deadly cheese bread. Some folks from American Brewmaster were demonstrating homebrewing (and passing out samples). Benjamin Vineyards & Winery, an outfit near Chapel Hill, offered tastings of their wines, part of the blossoming NC wine industry.

There was meat, fish, fresh flowers and garden herbs in small pots. Michael George Gonzalez was tearing it up on the acoustic guitar.

The Western Wake Farmers Market is on Morrisville-Carpenter Rd. just west of Davis Drive. It’s open 8-12 every Saturday until November.

Cary, NC – Since 1992, The Cary Farmers’ Market Downtown has been bringing farm-fresh food and local crafts to the community.

Fall Produce Display

By Michele McKinley

Cary, N.C.  With a chill in the air the Western Wake Farmers’ Market (WWFM) ended the 2009 season on Saturday November 21. Market Manager Kim Hunter rang the closing bell.  The workers, organizers, vendors and entertainers enjoyed a short celebration of the inaugural year’s success.

What had begun as a seedling of an idea among a group of Cary moms grew into a community venue for friends and families every Saturday since May.  The WWFM, which featured more than 32 vendors from within 125 miles of the marketplace, served not only as a focal point for local foods but local musicians with a lot of talent and experts who shared information about the benefits of eating locally.  This new market is part of a nationwide increase in farmers’ markets this year.  In October, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the number of farmers’ markets in the United States increased 13 percent from a year earlier. 

“More and more, people want to be connected to their food sources,” said Juliann Zoetmulder, president of the market’s board. “The success of our first-year market shows that this matters to people.  And we’re so glad that our vendors took a leap of faith to start this market so that all of us in Western Wake County could get to know our farmers, support them and eat healthy foods.” 

A number of factors are likely contributors to the growing demand for markets like this one:  fall-out from the economy, numerous food recalls from tainted produce and meats, and growing environmental concerns about the repercussions of shipping foods thousands of miles.  Whatever the reason, the market enjoyed a great following with shoppers returning week after week.

“When we started talking about this market just about a year ago, we simply wanted to feed our families with healthy foods grown locally,” said Amy Lee, vice president of the market.  “And what we’ve got now is a great place to stroll around with a cup of coffee or a lemonade and shop each week.  Plus we’re keeping our food dollars local to support family farms, educating our community about sustainable farming and other green topics, and helping get food to those in need.  We are all really excited about how the WWFM has ‘grown’ this first year.”

 The market will reopen April 3.  In the meantime, the market web site will continue to feature local food news, vendor updates and more.  See you at the market next spring!

Market vendors toast the success of this year's market season and future of the Western Wake Farmers' Market

Thanksgiving Food Drive at the Farmer’s Market to benefit the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Start your holiday shopping at the Fall Craft Festival at the Western Wake Farmers’ Market on Sat., Nov. 7 from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at Carpenter Village Marketplace, 1226 Morrisville Carpenter Rd. in Cary. Shoppers are encouraged to bring canned goods and other non-perishable food items for the market’s Thanksgiving Food Drive. All donations will go to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, which has seen a great increase in need for assistance this year.More than 40 local artists and crafters from our community will showcase and sell their handcrafted works, including pottery, jewelry, ornaments, cards, oil paintings, prints, photography, baby and kids’ gifts, baskets and more.

Jewelry maker Sarah Parker Heermann of Silverkiln Studio, uses pure silver, bronze and copper for her unique designs. Heermann, who will be equipped to take fingerprints on Saturday to make custom jewelry, strives to make eco-friendly jewelry.  Shari Fowler of Iberian Inspirations makes organic body polishes and lotions, and Ben Tuorto of Vesta Fiery Gourmet Toppings will sell his fresh, natural, chile-based topping. Tuorto uses a variety of chili peppers from his own garden and local farmers as the base for these gourmet toppings.  These are just a few of the types of products that will be featured at the Fall Craft Festival. 

 

An ATM will be available at the market, and all the usual farmers’ market vendors will be there too.Get a hot coffee and a sweet treat from our vendors, and enjoy the shopping!