We sell Hot Sauces, Salsa, and BBQ Sauce made from our home grown peppers, we also sell eggs, vegetables, herbs and blueberries.
Visit the Fire From The Mountain website.

Zydeco Moon Farm is fully certified organic and owners Sally Thiel and Joe Martin raise a variety of vegetables including tomatoes, lettuce, sugar snap peas, peppers, snow peas, and squash.

Fog Likely Farm

James Wilkes owns Faith Mountain Farm in Creston, NC.

He can be reached at:

• 489 Big Laurel Road
• Creston, NC, 28615
• 336-385-3510

Shady Grove Gardens & Nursery was started in 1986 to supply quality perennials for our landscaping needs. Through the years Susan developed the nursery using sustainable methods, before that was a buzzword. Plants are grown outside or in our un-heated greenhouse; organic, hands-on growing methods are used throughout the farm and nursery. Our selection includes new and hard to find varieties along with a few tough favorites. We are especially proud to say do not use any systemic pesticides or fungicides. "To us sustainable means protecting birds and bees too." See our website for more details about our organic and sustainable methods. We have great healthy perennials, bigger than mail order, better than chain stores.

We offer the highest quality, large, blooming size plants, all organically grown (non-certified). We've paid special attention to varieties that are well suited to the conditions of the High Country. Our selections reflect our passion for native plants and cut flowers. The nursery is located 10 miles west of Boone, NC. Summer hours are Fridays 9-6. Our phone number is (828) 297-4098, send mail about your gardening concerns, or visit our website at
Shady-Grove-Gardens.com
Shady-Grove-Gardens.blogspot.com

Cut Flowers are our speciality. We can supply flowers for weddings, churches and special occasions. Just contact us for special orders or lists of seasonal availability. Our selection changes daily, so visit our display at the market each week for something different.

Join our Fresh Flower CSA (Subscription).
This is the 2nd summer Shady Grove Gardens & Nursery will be offering a subscription to their best fresh flower bouquets. Bouquets are delivered in our buckets to be transported home. The Wednesday afternoon Watauga County Farmers’ Market in Boone is our drop-off site.

This is everyones chance to get fresh locally grown flowers without pesticides and without getting up early on Saturday morning. Members will get $25’s worth of flowers for 10, 15 or 20 weeks. The late season bouquets will include orange and red winterberry holly for the holidays. 

These seasonal flowers will be different each week as they are all grown outdoors in Ashe and Watauga counties. Since 1986 Shady Grove Gardens has produced perennials and cut flowers without using any inorganic pesticides or herbicides. 
Subscription members will be invited to join Susan Wright and Brent Cochran for a fun farm tour, to see where their flowers are grown and learn a little more about flower farming.

To get more information or sign up for the weekly bouquets contact Susan at 828-297-4098 or sggarden@skybest.com.

Vegetable and Flower transplants

WINTER VEGATABLE CSA-FOR OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER PICKUP Want fresh local vegetables after the summer season? Shares will weigh approximately 60 lbs., and include apples, large yellow storage onions, yellow and red potatoes, 4-5 types of winter squash, red cabbage and garlic. In addition pumpkins will be in the October package. Favorite recipes for soups, delicious casseroles and pies will be included. The cost is $90 a share.

The vegetables and fruit offer will store for at least 2 months most will store even longer.
Boxes of winter storage vegetables shares will available for pickup at the last Watauga County Farmers Market October 31st and just in time for Thanksgiving November, 21, 2009. Signup for this CSA will end June 1, 2009.

Planning a wedding? Why not have it on our Farm? Contact us about our facilities at The Peak.

Jerry Harvey has been farming ever since he gave up the baby bottle. He spent his summers selling flowers for his parents and grandparents at the farmers' market in Tuskaloosa, Alabama. He sold his vegetables at another market in the mid seventies, and has been a vendor at Watauga County Farmers' Market for two years.

Jerry has five acres in vegetables and right now his crops are all scheduled to ripen when the sweet corn is ready to harvest. Jerry staggers the harvest by planting varieties that mature at different times. He plans to branch out into spring crops as soon as he can build fences to keep out bear, deer, woodchucks, and a host of other animals.

Maverick Farms is a sustainable agriculture project with space in Valle Crucis and Ashe County. Tom Philpott, Leo Gaev and Hillary Wilson grow lots of vegetables and use many of them in their gourmet recipies. Cooking is the main focus of their stand at the farmers' market, and they use only organic ingredients and no refined sugars.

Fresh carrot juice is the newest addition to the menu. Soon they will be bringing out fresh scallions and sweet peas, with sarvis berries and raspberries to follow. Tom, Hillary and Leo are also available for personalized in-home cooking for dinner parties or any time you would like a special gourmet meal.

Folks interested in agrotourism can rent a room at the Maverick Farm farmhouse, or enjoy one of their monthly farm dinners prepared with locally or regionally procured ingredients. For more information and directions to the farm, visit MaverickFarms.com, send an e-mail, or call (828) 963-4656.

Read about the goings-on at Maverick Farms and get recipe ideas at Maverick Eats

Carol Miller is popular with snackers at Watauga County farmers' Market. Shoppers can choose from chocolate cookie wedges, vegan muffins, wholesome handmade bagels and cake slices with assorted fruit icings. Carol grinds her own grains for the treats and the breads she sells. She regularly grinds wheat, rye oat and corn for her whole grain flour. Rest assured that the items are fresh, Carol bakes her entire inventory less than one day before the market.

Carol also makes jams and jellies to compliment her bread, using organic fruit when possible.

Carol also has a large supply of herb vinegars made with organic ingredients and available in decorative bottles. These make excellent gifts and serve as a reminder of summer's experience. Herbs stored in vinegar will retain their flavors for about three years after the bottles are opened.

Orange, Mint and Clove Vinegar one of our favorites for all-around use. Adds great flavor to grilled chicken, tuna or chicken salad (in place of mayonnaise), fruit salads, or pork dishes.

Italian Vinegar wonderful for all pasta sauces and dishes. Makes a wonderful salad dressing mixed with a little olive oil and fresh ground pepper. Also great for spicier tuna salad and all types of subs.

Sunny Citrus Vinegar very versatile; use for light fruit vinaigrettes, grilled or baked chicken or seafood or as a pick-up for bland potato salad and cole slaw.

Three-Pepper Southwestern Vinegar a blend of sweet red, yellow and green peppers and onions. Adds great flavor to all of your grilled foods, as well as all types of salads, baked beans, cole slaw, and vegetarian casseroles.

Spicy Apple Pie Vinegar a sweet, spicy vinegar that is terrific with all pork dishes, makes a great ham glaze, and also works well with sweet potato, pumpkin, and butternut squash dishes.

Lemon, Pepper and Fennel Vinegar try this vinegar when broiling or grilling fish or other seafood; also mixes nicely with oil for a light dressing.

Sweet Honey Mustard Vinegar one of our favorites; great with chicken, pork; or meat loaf; adds real zip to baked beans or cole slaw.

Savory, Hot Pepper, and Garlic Vinegar use this vinegar when preparing fajitas or other Mexican dishes; also terrific with an oriental stir fry or grilled steaks.

Summer Vegetable Vinegar a delicious blend of peppers, cucumber, onion, carrots, and garlic that will make your mouth water; use with practically everything, salads, sandwiches, grilled meats, and anything else you can imagine.

Dill, Garlic, and Peppercorn Vinegar another one of our favorites; the best in potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, or cole slaw.

Chive and Garlic Vinegar one of the best all-around vinegars; you can use this vinegar for grilling , as a dressing, or in any marinade for both beef and chicken.

Basil and Garlic Vinegar wonderful light taste; perfect for salads or with any pasta or seafood dish.

Spiced Blueberry Vinegar a really beautiful vinegar, great with pork or chicken or as an unusual dressing mixed with light oil and crushed walnuts.

Raspberry Vinegar the classic vinegar seen in gourmet restaurants everywhere; mix with olive oil and crushed nuts for the best vinaigrette you've ever tasted!

Visit Providence Farms.

Bill Moretz has always been popular with shoppers because of his great selection of apple varieties and garden fresh vegetables. This year the selection at Bill's stand has been enhanced with help from fellow vendor Richard Boylan. Richard grows greens, chard and other vegetables in his Pottertown garden. Richard's vegetables are organically grown. He often features a gourmet vegetable of the week such as celeriac, a root vegetable that can be grated like carrots and added to salads or breaded and fried for a real treat.

Contact Bill Moretz, the good looking one in the photo, at 828-264-3424. More information about Bill's orchard is on the Moretz's Mountain Apples page.

Richard Boylan can be reached by email.

Preserving the past and embracing the future

• 2820 Big Hill Road
• Boone, N.C.
• 828-264-3424

HISTORY

The orchard was started by my grandfather in the 1930's. A nurseryman offered him some trees at a discount due to a cancellation.

In those days the trees were standards, which grew tall and required a lot of labor to work. My father planted semi-dwarf and a few dwarf trees to cut down on the labor needs. He added several new varieties.

These days I am planting mostly dwarfs and using a high-density system (500- 1000 trees to the acre). This allows me to have a greater yield and variety choice.

I am concerned about protecting the environment and monitor the orchard in order to avoid unnecessary spraying. I use the safest pesticides that do the job. Organic disease control on fruit trees is not economically feasible, given our climate and present organic capability.

PRODUCTS

We have over 90 different varieties of apples. Sweet to tart and in between. Antiques to modern.

Peaches-white and yellow

Nectarines-white and yellow, cling and freestones.

Plums-Damson, Ozark Premiere and Green

Cherries-sweet and sour

Apricots-canning and eating

Pears-European and Asian. Bartlett, Shinseiki, 20th Century, Korean Giant, Hosui and Kikusui.

Honey-clover, sumac, sourwood and various in season mixes.

We offer in season: beans, tomatoes, greens and lettuces, corn, squash, cucumbers, and more.

• Beans-half runners, Romano, 100 year, Louise and Pink Tip shelly
• Lettuces-French Crisp, leaf, Romaine and reds
• Tomatoes-Old German, Celebrity, Caspian Pink, Roma and Italian Gold
• Cucumbers-French Cornichon, pickler and slicing
• Corn-Kandy
• Squash-yellow summer
• Greens-mustard, kale and spinach

Coming soon
Rare fruits: sea berries, honey berries. Kiwi, Goumi, persimmons and paw paws.

CONTACT ME ABOUT

Custom Grafting

Tours

Information

Recipes

And TALL TELLS

I offer CSA subscriptions to local families. Community supported agriculture is a way for people to share in the harvest without dealing with the risks involved, such as late frosts. The program is similar to a magazine subscription. Customers receive one bag of apples a week for twelve weeks, each containing three varieties. In the second year the customer can choose half of the varieties included. In subsequent years the choices are entirely up to the customer, and the bags are rounded off with any new varieties that are available.

DIRECTIONS TO THE ORCHARD

From Boone, take 194 N at Perkinsville (intersection of 194 & 421S), go 5.3 miles and take right on Big Hill Road at Green Valley School. Go 2.5 miles to intersection with Tom Jackson Road, continue left on Big Hill Road for .25 miles to orchard.
From Todd, take Big Hill Road for 2.9 miles to orchard. Look for the sign between two buildings on the north side of the road. The house is south of (below) road.

Fried Apples

Peel spice apples and slice thinly, no more than 1/4 inch, into a buttered skillet on medium heat. When apples begin to cook, turn to low for simmering. Add brown sugar and cinnamon or allspice to taste. Place lid on pan, stir occasionally. Use fork to see when done. This recipe can also be used in the microwave.