Salisbury Post Articles

By Katherine Jones

For The Salisbury Post

Strawberries were once again very plentiful last week at the Salisbury Farmers Market, and there will be a good supply this week as well. Steve Eagle said he cannot predict how much longer berries can be picked because if the weather continues to be very warm the berry production will decline drastically. If you’re planning to make strawberry jam this year, now is the time to get your berries.

Sugar snap peas made a first appearance for the season at Bostian Farm and Eagles Produce. Good looking red beets were at the Correll Farm booth but David says the radishes are gone for now. He will still have asparagus, sweet onions, six varieties of lettuce, leeks, turnips and several selections of cole crops. Miller Farm had pretty lettuce as well as strawberries.

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Wednesday April 25,2012
By Katherine Jones

The Salisbury Farmers Market opened it’s second week with a large variety of produce, plants, meats, baked goods, cut flowers and crafts. There were nineteen vendors on hand last Saturday to provide a tremendous selection of goods.

One of the market’s most sought products in the spring is home grown strawberries. You can expect these in abundance this week and for a few more weeks as well. Some of the farmers had pots of strawberry plants with ripe strawberries. These plants will continue to produce new berries for several weeks if you wish to take advantage of a few fresh berries at your home.

Another favorite of spring is lettuce. There are many varieties available during this season as well as spring onions, radishes, kale, swiss chard, spinach and other cole crops. There are available pots or bowls of lettuce of several types that would give you fresh salad just outside your door.

There will be a great number of plants this week. Vegetables, herbs, flowering annuals and perennials are just waiting for you to plant. Some containers and hanging baskets are already prepared with colorful selections. Just select what you like without having to do the planting yourself.

The spring weather inspires picnics and backyard cook outs. Wild Turkey Farms and T & D Charolais can provide whatever suits your fancy for barbecuing and you are assured of locally raised pasture fed meat. The Funky Pepper offers many salsas to add “spice” to your picnics.

Everyone loves homemade breads, cakes, cookies and pastries. We are fortunate to have great bakers at our market every week offering a tremendous selection of fresh baked goods. Try the onion bread from How Sweet It Is or the genuine San Francisco sour dough bread from Carla’s Cookies or fresh fried apple pies from the Bread Basket.

When you visit the market this week be sure to look over the handmade crafts. There will be quilts, hats, aprons, totes and unusual bird houses to name just a few of the items offered. The cut flowers are an especially beautiful and refreshing welcome to spring.

Again this year some of the vendors will accept WIC and Senior Vouchers as well as tokens purchased with debit or credit cards. The market hours are Wednesday and Saturday from 7:00 AM until Noon and is located in downtown Salisbury at the corner of South Main and Bank streets.

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Katherine Jones is a Master Gardener volunteer for the Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County.    

The 2012 Salisbury Farmers Market will be open for business at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 14.

The market is located at the corner of South Main and Bank streets in downtown Salisbury. The market can easily be located by the two large, green shade canopies where local producers will be selling local produce and meat, flowers, baked goods and local handmade crafts.

The market will operate two days a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m.-noon.

The opening market of the spring will feature an array of locally grown cool season crops such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, Swiss chard, spinach and other leafy greens and leaf lettuce and spinach are available. Because of the unusually warm weather strawberries will make an early appearance at the market. Bedding plants are always favorite supplying customers with vegetable transplants, herbs and flowering annuals.  Baked goods, local meats and handmade crafts will also be a part of the 2012 Salisbury Farmers Market.

Emma Martin is one of the most popular vendors at the Salisbury Farmers Market. Her baked goods have become legendary and are much in demand. Unless you arrive at the market early you will miss out on the chocolate zucchini bread or the peach and apple fried pies prepared the morning of the market. Her sour dough bread is also a big hit with the market patrons.

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