Share a Great Farmer's Market Location and Experience

[propchef]

Hello Everyone!

We will be retiring and moving this time next year and we plan on traveling a bit as we look for the next Casa de Chefs. We'll be moving from Northern California to somewhere south of I-40 in the eastern part of the US. Back to my roots.

When we travel we always avoid any chains or fast foods, and 98% of the time we cook for ourselves. The rare time we eat out is always somewhere we know the owners or chef or it's a special occasion. My wife and I are both career chefs and cook for each other. We're avid gardeners as well, so we're well versed in fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

We have some spectacular farmer's markets here and I'm afraid we're spoiled.

As the thread title suggests I'm looking for great first-hand experiences during your travels, including farmer's markets and roadside stands. I remember as a kid buying pecans and boiled peanuts on our way from Charlotte to Asheville. I'd love to see if little places like that are still out there and where they are.

We'll also be doing the Harvest Host thing, as well as Boondockers Welcome specifically looking for farms, vineyards, or ranches. These are my peeps.

Thanks everyone! Safe travels and bon appetite!

[mojo]

Santa Fe, NM Railyard, Saturday mornings. And lotsa good restaurants...

[Bill M.]

Ashville, NC. Good farmers market and the Moose Cafe is a good place to eat.

[GetawA-S]

We like the farmers market held Saturday mornings in Franklin, NC. Not large, but good quality baked foods, produce, mushrooms, honey, woodcrafts and native plants. Franklin is a fun town, but not exactly on the beaten path.
The Winston Salem Piedmont/Triad farmers market, right off of I40, is held every day, and is spectacular on Saturdays. I even found persimmon pudding. Prices are higher than the small town markets. The operation is very similar to the Asheville facility.
The brother-in-law says the market in Columbia, SC has exceptional peaches, among other produce items.
Congrats on your retirement!

[richard5933]

Centra Market in Lancaster PA.

We've been to Lancaster a few times and continue to be impressed with the downtown area, including the Central Market. Some great restaurants in the area. Very walkable and lots of good campground nearby.

https://centralmarketlancaster.com

[uwe]

Originally Posted by propchef

Hello Everyone!

We will be retiring and moving this time next year and we plan on traveling a bit as we look for the next Casa de Chefs. We'll be moving from Northern California to somewhere south of I-40 in the eastern part of the US. Back to my roots.

When we travel we always avoid any chains or fast foods, and 98% of the time we cook for ourselves. The rare time we eat out is always somewhere we know the owners or chef or it's a special occasion. My wife and I are both career chefs and cook for each other. We're avid gardeners as well, so we're well versed in fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

We have some spectacular farmer's markets here and I'm afraid we're spoiled.

As the thread title suggests I'm looking for great first-hand experiences during your travels, including farmer's markets and roadside stands. I remember as a kid buying pecans and boiled peanuts on our way from Charlotte to Asheville. I'd love to see if little places like that are still out there and where they are.

We'll also be doing the Harvest Host thing, as well as Boondockers Welcome specifically looking for farms, vineyards, or ranches. These are my peeps.

Thanks everyone! Safe travels and bon appetite!

I have traveled from Socal to MT serial times, and from Socal to TN once in the last 2 years. I have used harvest hosts, and also simple parking lot stays at Cabelas, etc. I found that along the interstates, there's little to no local flavor available, but on 2-lane routes, there was always an abundance of places to get interesting food. To answer your question about the little farm direct food stands, even where I live there are several of them. Farmers markets n almost every town, different days of the week. So yes, these little amazing tiny stores and outlets are still around, when in season. But it takes careful planning of routes and times to find them. Ive seen farmers markets that were more like swap meets, ad others, where I enjoyed the best heirloom tomatoes ever...so its hit or miss. But isn't that part of the fun?

[etheroner]

This is way north of I-40 but Madison, WI, has a great Saturday morning farmers market; especially mid summer through early fall for local crops. Urban location around the State Capital but plenty of nice campgrounds nearby. We never leave empty handed.

[CruizinDux]

Eugene, OR a 2fr' We loved it as it was within walking distance from home. Fresh organic produce to die for.

The Eugene market is actually 2 markets. One is the Lane County Farmers market (see image below) and the other is the Saturday Market (vendors, food, music. I believe these emerged in the very early 70's along with the Oregon Country Faire. They were, when we left EUG in 2020, downtown at the park blocks but the city was working on reworking the location as especially farmer's market area as it was extremely cramped and both are likely in temporary locations.

https://www.lanecountyfarmersmarket.org/location/

New pavilion under construction on old site...

https://www.lanecountyfarmersmarket....s-park-blocks/


https://www.eugenesaturdaymarket.org/ also a Holiday Market at Christmas time.


SLO, CA

San Luis Obispo (on Higuera St)

Another downtown venue. Great produce and food offering.

[propchef]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Eugene, OR a 2fr' We loved it as it was within walking distance from home. Fresh organic produce to die for.

The Eugene market is actually 2 markets. One is the Lane County Farmers market (see image below) and the other is the Saturday Market (vendors, food, music. I believe these emerged in the very early 70's along with the Oregon Country Faire. They were, when we left EUG in 2020, downtown at the park blocks but the city was working on reworking the location as especially farmer's market area as it was extremely cramped and both are likely in temporary locations.

https://www.lanecountyfarmersmarket.org/location/

New pavilion under construction on old site...

https://www.lanecountyfarmersmarket....s-park-blocks/


https://www.eugenesaturdaymarket.org/ also a Holiday Market at Christmas time.


SLO, CA

San Luis Obispo (on Higuera St)

Another downtown venue. Great produce and food offering.

Thanks! We're trying to get up to Oregon this summer and those places look great.

There are some great suggestions here from everyone, thank you! This is just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

This is my local market and it just opened for the season a few weeks ago. I know many of the vendors and we'll be sad not to see them once we leave.

We're likely relocating to southern Georgia so any info about markets there is also appreciated.

[GettinAway]

We were camped at Anastasia State Park near St Augustine FL a few years ago. They have a very nice farmers market within east walking distance of the campgrounds. Really enjoyed it.
We also have had some great HH locations that have similar items for sale. The farms tend to be in a little quieter locations than the wineries.

[Mikebrady62]

Originally Posted by propchef

Thanks! We're trying to get up to Oregon this summer and those places look great.

There are some great suggestions here from everyone, thank you! This is just the kind of thing I'm looking for.

This is my local market and it just opened for the season a few weeks ago. I know many of the vendors and we'll be sad not to see them once we leave.

We're likely relocating to southern Georgia so any info about markets there is also appreciated.

If you are heading beyond Oregon, Central Washington has 2 really good markets. Saturday's in Leavenworth and Sundays just SE of there in Cashmere. Not only is it the Fruit Basket of the US but also a variety of fantastic small farms for organic mixed greens and vegetables that are full of flavor.

From cool places like this.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

The Eugene market is actually 2 markets. One is the Lane County Farmers market (see image below) and the other is the Saturday Market (vendors, food, music. I believe these emerged in the very early 70's along with the Oregon Country Faire. They were, when we left EUG in 2020, downtown at the park blocks but the city was working on reworking the location as especially farmer's market area as it was extremely cramped and both are likely in temporary locations.

almost forgot, legendary VooDoo donuts a block S of the park blocks (Saturday Mkt) on Broadway @ Willamette by Kesey Square (a misnomer if there ever was one)



https://www.voodoodoughnut.com/doughnuts/

[CruizinDux]

Propchef, a few afterthoughts not knowing how far into or what route in OR. When we traveled to Leavenworth,WA (awesome town, noted above) from Eug, our normal 1st stop was peach beach RV across the river on the WA side. Great riverfront park near maryhill with lots of fruit/produce stands along the Highway. Also research the “Fruit Loop” out (south) of Hood River ( a town ) that reminds me of Brentwood, CA in the 60’s before all the housing became the focus. Every fruit, nut and fresh produce you could ever want.

[Island Girl]

If you are traveling to GA, be sure to go through Beaufort, SC, which offers farmers' markets, the best one at the waterfront park, and also old town Bluffton, SC. Farmers Market every Thursday with organic fruits, vegetables, homemade pasta, bread, etc. Really nice market. I, too, am a pro chef always looking for locally grown foodstuffs and will be looking off route on my way to Spokane in another month or so.

[propchef]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Propchef, a few afterthoughts not knowing how far into or what route in OR. When we traveled to Leavenworth,WA (awesome town, noted above) from Eug, our normal 1st stop was peach beach RV across the river on the WA side. Great riverfront park near maryhill with lots of fruit/produce stands along the Highway. Also research the “Fruit Loop” out (south) of Hood River ( a town ) that reminds me of Brentwood, CA in the 60’s before all the housing became the focus. Every fruit, nut and fresh produce you could ever want.

Thanks!

[propchef]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

If you are traveling to GA, be sure to go through Beaufort, SC, which offers farmers' markets, the best one at the waterfront park, and also old town Bluffton, SC. Farmers Market every Thursday with organic fruits, vegetables, homemade pasta, bread, etc. Really nice market. I, too, am a pro chef always looking for locally grown foodstuffs and will be looking off route on my way to Spokane in another month or so.

Originally Posted by Island Girl

If you are traveling to GA, be sure to go through Beaufort, SC, which offers farmers' markets, the best one at the waterfront park, and also old town Bluffton, SC. Farmers Market every Thursday with organic fruits, vegetables, homemade pasta, bread, etc. Really nice market. I, too, am a pro chef always looking for locally grown foodstuffs and will be looking off route on my way to Spokane in another month or so.

I love Beaufort and Charleston, HATE Myrtle Beach lol

If you come through NORCAL, message me. There is SO much here for a chef to play with.

[LanSluder]

I second the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville (https://www.ncagr.gov/markets/facili...ille/index.htm), especially the so-called "wholesale" area below the enclosed commercial area. It has a lot of local and regional produce by the peck, bushel or whatever. It claims to be the largest farmers market in North Carolina. There are also probably 8 or 10 local farmers markets in the Asheville area, most only open one or two days a week.

In Atlanta (actually Decatur), (http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/index.html) though it's not a traditional farmers market, Your DeKalb Farmers Market is a true experience. It's huge, with produce, meats, fish, canned goods, wine and beer, baked goods and everything else from all over the world. Employees wear badges identifying what country they are from and what languages they speak. It is international and not to be missed. Prices are generally pretty good. No credit cards, just cash, debit cards and checks.

[propchef]

Originally Posted by laraalbie

Union Square Greenmarket is a good place to see, one of the biggest ones. It is always great to buy fresh things and for picnic as well.

Thanks. Where is this?

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by propchef

I love Beaufort and Charleston, HATE Myrtle Beach lol

If you come through NORCAL, message me. There is SO much here for a chef to play with.

Hate Myrtle Beach too!!
Heading to Spokane next month then to Bend, OR, where I’m sure there are great markets, then Napa, San Fran and back home. Trying to watch my calories before I leave so I can indulge on the road!

[propchef]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Hate Myrtle Beach too!!
Heading to Spokane next month then to Bend, OR, where I’m sure there are great markets, then Napa, San Fran and back home. Trying to watch my calories before I leave so I can indulge on the road!

Napa is nice but $$$. Sonoma is larger, has the coastline, and arguably better food. :-)

Enjoy your travels!