Watauga County Farmers' Market will be having the first holiday market of the season this Saturday, November 22 from 10 to 2. We are expecting more vendors this year and you will have a wide selection to choose from.

Cold weather has slowed many of the local vegetables, but Shiloh Avery and Jason Roehrig of Tumbling Shoals Farm will be harvesting a nice variety of fresh treats including kale, collards, mustard, carrots, chard, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, salad mix, spinach, arugula, mesclin and salad turnips. Charles Church will have four kinds of potatoes: Yukon Gold, Rose Finn, Apple Fingerling and Red Norland. Charles will also have garlic, butternut squash, Swiss chard, parsley, carrots, onions, apples and sweet sorghum molasses. Eugene McGuire and James Wagner will have fresh eggs from free range chickens.

Deb Lowe will have decorative half bushels and tray pack boxes of Brushy Mountain apples ready for holiday gifts. Liza Plaster of Ripshin Goat Dairy will have chocolate goat cheese truffles, both plain and with her own organically grown black walnuts.

There will be a wide variety of local meets at the market. Jason Brooks will have plenty of grass fed beef, Sally Thiel will have free range chickens from Rose Mountain Farm, Cynthia Lowrence will have pork, Dawn Rhudy will have lamb, and Charles Church will have pork cuts including ribs, fatback, ham roasts and pork chops.

A great selection of local handmade crafts will be at the market this Saturday. Brad Hinckley will be bringing sterling earrings made with gemstones and rocks, rings, necklaces, homemade books and wood and metal furniture along with onions and garlic. Tom Wooten will have hand forged wrought iron home and garden decor including elegant hanging planters, brackets and tables. Billy Joe Ward will have lots of handmade wooden toys, bird feeders and houses, ornaments, and many other items you will not find anywhere else. There will be many more hand crafters at the market including most of the regular craft vendors.

There will also be trees and wreaths at this Saturday's market. Rene Donker will have organic Fraser Firs, roping and wreaths. David and Kathy Blackburn will have premium Fraser Fir trees, wreaths, garland and centerpieces and white pine garland. David and Kathy have a limited number of organic trees that can be ordered and delivered to the farmers market. They will not cut or bring any of the organic trees unless someone calls and orders one. The Blackburns will make and deliver to the market any special or large quantity orders, and will also deliver Fraser Fir trees to homes and businesses in the Boone and Blowing Rock area. See them at the market, call 336-846-5249 or send an email.

Watauga County Farmers' Market will be open on Saturday mornings on November 22 and 29 at the Horn in the West in Boone, the same location as our usual market. Turn next to First Citizens Bank on Highway 105 Extension and go to the top of the hill. Call WCFM manager Karen Bauman at 1-828-355-4918 for more information. We will be there rain or shine!