Watauga County Farmers' Market

Saturday Morning October 22

On Saturday at Watauga County Farmers' Market Zydeco Moon Organic Farm and Cabins will have USDA certified organic sweet satsumas from Louisiana, red lettuce mix, braising greens (mustard, kale and chard), sweet broccoli and romaine lettuce. Fog Likely Farm will have the last Amish butter of the season as well as broccoli raab, young turnips, and good mixed lettuce. Sorry folks, the Roma beans didn’t make it. Stock up on honey for the winter at Faith Mountain Farm as well as granola and whole grain breads, which both freeze really well. They will also have a good supply of pumpkins and gourds for decorating.

On October 22 & October 29 only Otus Branch Farm will have three varieties of organic hardnecked garlic, organic Blue Hubbard Squash, and organic Carolla Potatoes for sale. Otus Branch Farm will be selling German Extra Hardy garlic which is a large, white-skinned variety with pink interior skins, Music garlic which is similar to German Extra Hardy but slightly smaller with more-rounded cloves, and Spanish Red garlic which is a smaller bulb with red-striped skins and golden-flesh at $16.00 per pound for gourmet cooking use and/or planting/seed use. You will find that these are some of the largest, healthiest, and most vigorous examples of these hardneck varieties anywhere in the High Country. Quantities of five pounds or more will be discounted to $12.00 per pound, and quantities of nine pounds are available for $99.00 (i.e.- $11 per pound). You will not find better garlic for planting or cooking anywhere. Blue Hubbard is a large squash which is perfect for pies, baking, and also for soups. These squash have grown to large sizes: ten to thirty pounds each. All sizes are available for $1.00 per pound. Carolla potatoes are similar to Yukon Golds, but even better: delicate skins, golden flesh, and delicious flavor. Our organic potatoes will be on sale for $2.00 per pound at any quantity. For more information about Otus Branch's winter-harvest offerings, contact otusbranch@gmail.com or boylanrsr@gmail.com.

Vendor of the week: BR Hoffman and Barb Elyea
BR Hoffman and Barb Elyea are the quilters at the market and have a great selection of quilts and wall hangings to suit any decor.

Shady Grove Gardens will still have great looking fresh cut Dahlias along with plenty of dried and preserved flower choices such as statice, wheat hydrangea, and lavender sachets. For holiday decorating you will find chestnut burs and orange Winterberry holly.

Come by the Pasta Wench booth for yummy ravioli and sauces as well as lots of great ravioli for fall cool weather including pumpkin sage which is going fast. The butternut squash with carmelized pear and garlic is a real hit.

Our master blacksmith, Tom Wooten will have handforged iron creations to add a graceful flourish to your home, deck or garden. His artistically unique hanging planters, bird feeders and matching brackets to mount them are created using mixed metals of solid steel, copper & bronze, forged in fire , with the utmost hands-on attention to detail, strength & durability. tom's booth, fiddler forge is located on the corner at the lower entrance to the market Look "Up" for his new design, the whirligig wind vane now in production.

WATA radio has faithfully reported on the events and interviewed the visitors to the Watauga County Farmers' Market throughout the season.

The Saturday market will continue through the end of October as usual. The holiday markets will be on November 19 and 26, the Saturdays before and after Thanksgiving, from 10 - 2. We appreciate the support the community has given these market days and know you will find something special to brighten your holidays.

The market is having great success on EBT acceptance, you can call 1-828-355-4918 for more information on using EBT at the market. Find us at the Horn in the West in Boone on Saturday mornings, 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 or visit our website at http://wcfm.info for more information. We will be there rain or shine!