Residents and visitors of Cashiers Valley, Sapphire, and Highlands Plateau enjoy more than breathtaking scenery and outdoor recreation. Here are some of the most fruitful farmers markets, farms, and produce markets in the area.
Cashiers Farmers Market
Cashiers Farmers Market is a beloved family-owned and operated business and a year-round destination for specialty groceries and produce. Established in 1995 and owned by the Crawford family, this marketplace offers the freshest seasonal produce from various local farmers. When you walk in, the aroma of freshly baked goods overtakes your senses. Pair a pastry with some homemade ice cream for a special treat. In addition to delightful bakery items and produce, you can find great wine, all-natural local beef, seasonal coastal seafood, delectable prepared foods, and many gourmet items. This is the perfect market to pick up weekly groceries and take home some tender hand-pulled pork and all the fixings.
The Village Green Market
A trip to the Village Green Market is a fantastic way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. This world-class market gives locals access to an extensive selection of seasonal produce and artisanal foodstuffs. The market is “producer only,” meaning all vendors grow or produce all goods, and they must be within a 125-mile radius of Cashiers. Chit-chat with community members as you peruse the plethora of phenomenal local producers’ and growers’ offerings. The market also serves as a forum where you can learn about various growing processes. At last check, the Village Green Market offered a spate of goods including handmade artisan soaps, pottery, plants, and flowers; herbs, spices, honey, micro-greens, and salad vegetables; orchard apples, mushrooms, blueberries, and local eggs; pork products, baked goods, kettle corn, coffee, and homemade fudge. The market typically operates Wednesday afternoons from late April through October.
The Highlands Farmers Market
The Highlands Farmers Market operates Saturday mornings (8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.) from April through October, a time when the population of the Highlands Plateau swells with thousands of seasonal homeowners and guests. Collected at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park, local growers market a range of food products including farm eggs, honey, canned preservatives, baked goods, fruits, and vegetables. The market is a community staple and social hub where you also can buy food for every meal of the week. Artisans sell handmade soaps, candles, salves, jewelry, art, and more. For more information, including contacts to register as a vendor, visit the market’s website or Facebook page.
Green Falls Farm
Green Falls Farm (Sapphire, N.C.) is owned by Danny and Kim Bottoms and opens for visitors and shoppers each May. Its ethos is to ease the strain on the planet’s environment and serve the community with the best lettuces, leafy greens, herbs, and roots. As opposed to traditional farmers markets, Green Farms is a high-tech farm that optimizes produce through careful manipulation of lighting, water, and environment. Incredibly, the farm “can grow 4,000 heads of lettuce monthly in 320 square feet using less than five gallons of water per day” (details about the hydroponic farm are available online). Absent herbicides, pesticides, torrential rains, drought, and pesky animals, the farm’s produce is consistent and tastes great. Monthly subscriptions are sometimes available online (though sometimes sold out), and the farm’s operating hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Native Prime Provisions
What sets Native Prime Provisions apart from other local markets is its selection of meats and seafood. Owner Scott Alderson began as a farmers market vendor and grew his business into a brick-and-mortar store. All fish are caught on the East Coast and transported overnight straight from the docks. Availability is subject to demand and often includes oysters, mussels, clams, calmon, halibut, blue fin tuna, scallops, swordfish, crab, flounder, rainbow trout, and redfish. Regarding meat, Native Prime offers USDA prime cuts, Wagyu from Japan and Australia, dry-aged products, and more. The store functions as a de facto farmers market — Scott also makes available locally sourced products like olive oil, eggs, grains, wine, and beer.
Root 64
One of the newest local produce markets in the Cashiers Valley area, Root 64 is located on U.S. 64 next to the Sapphire post office. According to owner Briony Le Roi-Crowe, the market’s main purpose is to provide locals with locally sourced food. One way they do this is by connecting with local farmers who grow their own food but have not found a place to sell it. The focus of Root 64 is on specialty fresh produce, wines, charcuterie boards, candies, and more — their coolers are stocked with vegetables and fruits including blood oranges, blackberries, and apples. You can visit the store Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Jackson County Farmers Market
The Jackson County Farmers Market is a year-round marketplace that offers two locations: Innovation Station in Dillsboro from 3:30-6:30 p.m. and downtown Sylva in Bridge Park’s parking lot on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Regardless of the location, you’ll find an abundance of locally-grown produce, herbal products, and handmade crafts. This farmers market always offers the freshest seasonal goods to help you eat healthfully year-round.
WNC Farmers Market
Beyond the fabulous selection of regional agriculture products, locals love WNC Farmers Market for its recognition of diverse culture, food, and heritage. WNC is a long-distance option from Cashiers Valley, and many area chefs make the drive to retrieve fresh produce. Take a quick stroll through WNC and you’ll find an array of local staples, including jams, baked treats, honey, syrups, Jamaican sauces, North Carolina rice and milled products, spices, tea, local muscadine wine, local meat, produce, and so much more. There is far more than local eats and treasures found here; you can shop local artists’ handcrafted wood items, crafts, and home decor. From fragrant herbs and strawberries in Spring to handmade wreaths and zingy citrus in Winter, shopping seasonally is a breeze at WNC Farmers Market.
Are you in the market for Cashiers real estate? Contact Cashiers Valley Real Estate to assist you with all of your Cashiers Valley real estate needs. Philip Bradley, Merrel Hattink, Thomas Platt and Sarah Jennings will help you find the Cashiers Valley home perfect for you and your family.