Gairl & Tim Barker – Mountain Paradise Nursery
With over 25 years in business and a passion for plants, we hope you’ll come and meet Gairl and Tim at the market. They have many delightful plant surprises almost every week throughout the season. Rare, unusual, garden favorites, native to exotic, they have them all!
Linda Bennett – The Bread Lady
The Bread Lady sells sourdough bread, amish friendship loaves and crochet and knitted items like scarves and shawls. Her mother taught her to make sourdough bread at a young age and she has been making it ever since. It’ s melt in your mouth delicious! Stop by the market and try it for yourself! You will not be sorry! But get there early as she is usually the first one to sell out each week!!!
Wayne Berry – A Berry Patch Farm
Everyone knows Wayne at the market. Kids especially come running down the market to see who can get to his space first to buy his flavorful “honey straws”!! Wayne loves his bee hives and it shows in his honey. He has clover and wildflower with hints of blackberries, etc. Wayne is a wealth of information if you are looking to know a little something about bees. Have you tried his creamed honey on a hot biscuit? Oh my, is it good!!
Laura Bower – Bower’s Design
Laura started making bracelets because her sister in law made them for her as gifts and she loved getting them so much she decided to start making them herself. She uses semi-precious stones which she loves and says there are so many of them to chose from. She uses leather cords and wood burned buttons for clasps. She makes bracelets, necklaces and has other offerings at her space. Stop by and stay hello!
Amy Bumgardner – Amy Bumgardner Jewelry
Many of you already know Amy as she has been a Craft/Expo vendor for several years. We welcome her as a permanent vendor with her stunning handmade sterling silver and up-cycled copper artisan jewelry. Each piece is designed and handcrafted by her. In 2010, she began looking for creative outlets and making jewelry sparked her interest. She started out making beaded jewelry and quickly shifted to metalsmithing once she purchased her first torch. Go by and say hello to Amy and welcome her to the market! Check out her website at https://amybumgardner.com.
Josh & Meghann Clawson – Triple Peaks Farm
Josh and Meghann are first generation hemp farmers here in heart of the Appalachian mountains. All of their CBD products are handmade from their own hemp crops. They are proud to say they keep everything from processing to creation in the High Country of North Carolina + are so proud of their mountain roots. Stop by their space to learn more about their many offerings. Also check out their website at http://triplepeakshemp.com
Beverly Clayton – Blossom Blessings
Beverly has a love for flowers and desired to find a way to restore them. After studying books on pressing, she mastered the craft. She has recently become interested in wood burning and has begun creating shapes out of blank wood pieces. You can find Beverly at the first space at the main entrance. She is a lovely woman to chat with!
Joe Clayton – Joe’s Jamming Woodworks
Joe loves making furniture from the wood he harvests on his land here in Ashe County. Each shape and color varies as he chooses them walking through the woods. Reindeer were Joe’s first animal creation and over the years, he has a barnyard full of different kinds. You can also find Joe along with Beverly at the main entrance. Joe will always have a joke or two for you!
Martha, Charlie and George Colvard – Colvard Farms
The Colvard Family has been farming in Ashe County for nearly 100 years. They sale farm fresh eggs and various items including several variety of potatoes, sweet corn, summer & winter squash, beans, cabbage, peppers and the best sweet sorghum you ever had. Put some of that on a hot biscuit with some butter and you will be back every year for more!
Tanner Correll – Hooked Off Line
Tanner began crafting fishing lures of various sorts many years ago as a broke teenager with a love for fishing. Then as a senior project in college, he invented and manufactured the first Lineminder™. He also hand carves fishing lures (Rapala style) hand tied flies for fly fishing and lure wraps. Stop by the market and meet Tanner and check out his one of a kind Lineminder™. Check Tanner out at http://hookedoff-line.com
Ron & Sharon Cox – Cold Tuesday Farm
Ron grows amazing Asparagus! I use to think asparagus would be best if I picked it when it had small, thin stalks, but I soon learned that the most tender, wonderful tasting asparagus are the fat, larger stalks. You never know what you might learn when you talk to a farmer! Ron’s wife Sharon makes wonderful Apple Pies, Pecan Pies, Black Walnut Cakes and Apple Butter. Stop by and see them one Saturday.
Mike & Dianne Eldreth – Fuzzy Hollar Farms & Crafts
Mike hand crafts cornhole boards. He has large ones and table top varieties. Pick from your favorite sport team logos to USA flags, outdoor scenery, or tell him your idea for decorating one. Once you meet him, you will never guess what is favorite college team is:)
Opal & Joe Essick – Essick Jam & Jellies
Opal makes all kinds of things! She is a true homemaker. She has every kind of jam and jelly you can think of and sweets galore. She is always bringing cobblers, pies, cakes, brownies, cookies, mini loaves of different things. Many people return for her elderberry jam. It goes great with peanut butter!
Sanford Fishel – Fishel Organics
Sanford has 38 acres devoted to organic production of tomatoes of all varieties and many other unique vegetables. He has an abundance of vegetables every week at the market. People from all over come to see what Sanford has fresh at the market. His space is filled with beautiful fresh organic temptings each week.
Brian Furches – Oakwood Farm
Brian and Family are new to our market this year. They are starting a berry farm which will produce ever bearing strawberries and raspberries. We look forward to Brian and his family joining our market.
Tom Givins & Berkeley Brown – The Sugar Shack & Abundant Toad Garden
Tom makes maple syrup from sap collected on Vermont State Park land. The syrup is brought down to the high country in barrels, reheated, filtered and put into small jugs. He also makes maple candy from the syrup. Is maple syrup pretty much all the same? Absolutely not, just ask Tom! You can find Tom & Berkeley at the market most Saturday’s! Visit their website at http://www.thesugarshack.net
Alan Hanson – Blue Ridge Naturals
Alan grew up farming and uses organic practices. He grows greens using hydroponic methods which means using no soil, only water. He has some delicious lettuces, kale, chard, etc. Interested in this method, stop by and talk to Alan! He is always located on the closed end of the shelter at the first space when you walk in.
Michelle Hanson – Back Street Beads
Michelle has a love of gemstones and it shows in her gemstone jewelry and accessories. She is located in the closed end of the market when you first walk in. Stop by and say hello and ask her about some of her creations on her table.
Danny Harvey / Bill Moretz – Apples Etc. & Piney Creek Products and Moretz Orchards & Farms
Farming has always been a part of life for Danny and his family. Danny has a small farm and grows a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries as well as cane for molasses, honey bees and chickens for eggs. You can always find a variety of goodies in Danny’s space. He also dries fresh apple rings and they are mighty tasty!
Shelia, Wes Helms & Lisa Cleary – Bare Bottom Farms
Their family has been farming in Ashe County for over 100 years, so this family followed the footsteps of their previous generations. They grow fruits and vegetables and maintain a bee apiary for honey production. Their woodworking and craftwork skills have been a family tradition and has evolved over time incorporating new technologies and techniques. You can reach them at http://barebottomfarmashe.com
Joe Howard – Howard’s Knub
Joe makes every size and shape of spoon you can think of out of a lot of different species of woods. Stop by Joe’s table in the closed end section of the market and let him tell you about his spoons.
Ricky Hurt – Mountain Roots Farm
Ricky has an amazing variety of fresh produce throughout the growing season. His wide variety of beautiful potted flowers and stunning sunflowers keep customers coming back week after week. Did I mention his smile! Maybe that’s why customers keep coming back!
Lyn Hutton – Crafts
Lyn is an ole timer at the market. She has seen a lot of changes and faces come and go at the market. Lyn makes carpenter bee traps, blue bird, swallow, finch and wren houses and other wood items like the spaghetti measurer you see in the picture. Lyn is also a retired New York Fire Captain. Talk to her about that!
Ron & Suzanne Joyner – Big Horse Creek Farm
Ron and Suzanne began growing many varieties of apple trees and then began grafting their own apple trees and now have over 300 heirloom apple varieties in their orchards. They bring their fresh apples to the market to sell each season along with a variety of apple trees. They also sell gourmet garlic in bulk and braids. Check out their website at http://www.bighorsecreekfarm.com
George Katsoudas – Deep Ford Woodworking
George is a woodworking man! He makes beautiful cutting boards, charcuterie boards and furniture. George is located in the closed end of the market. Stop by and strike up a conversation! You won’t be sorry.
Jessica & Andy Ladd – Amado Farm
Jessica and Andy moved to NC Mountains in 2021 and immediately began to raise ducks, chickens and quail for their eggs. They bring all three types of eggs to the market to sell each week. Sometimes they bring a quail for show and tell. Stop by their space to see what they have each week! You never know what surprise it will be!
Jennifer & Adrienne Ley – Pendle Alpacas
Fine fiber from cute critters is a mother daughter enterprise. Jennifer and her family moved to Ashe County in 2015 and began raising alpacas and working with their fiber. They create hand spun and dyed yarn and accessories including handwoven scarves, hand knitted items, felted ornaments and dryer balls. Visit their website at http://www.pendlealpacas.com
John Maddocks – Big Ivy Studio
John brings quarts of pure gold to the market. That’s honey to us here in the mountains. John is on the Wilkes County side where the sourwood trees grow. Stop by and talk to John sometime about the many different flavors of honey. Picture to come….
Dan Marett – Shipwrecked Seasonings & Coffee
Dan is new to our market for 2023. He will be offering seasonings, flavored coffees – whole bean & ground and hot chocolate mixes. Dan got into this business when he entered a cooking competition in 2009 and well, the rest is history. Welcome to the market Dan! You can find Dan on http://www.shipwreckedseasonings.com Picture to follow…
Jamie & Sarah Miles – 7 Stands Farm
7 Stands Farm practices regenerative farming with all of its assets: pigs, goats and bees. They use non-gmo feeds and no artificially sourced treatments. Jamie & Sarah are 4th generation farmers who treat the land and animals with respect. Jamie is also a 4th generation beekeeper and Sarah is a 4th generation farmer/livestock producer. In other words, farming is in their blood!! Check out their website at http://www.7standsfarm.com
Tim & Carolyn Miller – Highland Meadow Cattle Company
Tim and Carolyn raise Scottish Highland Cattle for beef and breeding stock. Check out their website at http://www.highlandmeadowscattle.com to learn more about the benefits of this naturally lean and tender beef. You can find Tim & Carolyn in the middle of the open end section of our market.
Dalton (Bodi) Miller – Oak and Iron
Dalton’s farm started when they decided to step up their production to be more self-reliant. They are a small organic farm and grow as much as their space allows but specialize in tomatoes. Dalton also started blacksmithing as a hobby. You can usually find a few pieces at this space. Picture to follow..
Michele Moore – Make it Great
Michele is new to the market this year bringing fresh microgreens. She started raising microgreens for her family and decided to grow excess to sell at the market. Welcome Michele.
Nancy Potter – Potter Farms
Nancy has been a staple at our market for many, many years. She brings fresh produce weekly and beans and corn by the bushels. She always has people in line and sells out frequently so if you want anything from Nancy, you better make her your first stop!
Paul & Bri Raiche – Happy Hens NC, LLC
Happy Hens is an Ashe County farm producing chickens, turkeys and chicken eggs. In the beginning, Paul and Bri were growing for themselves, then started their farm and decided to expand their customer base and markets. We are delighted to have them at the market along with their precious children! Check out their website at http://www.happyhensnc.com
Chuck & Ann Rice – Nature’s Light Candles
Chuck & Ann are producers of soy/coconut wax candles, scented with essential oils in a variety of scents and containers. If you smell something nice in the market air, it’s probably one of their scents in the air. Check out their website at http://www.natureslightcandles.com
John Roberts Jr. – Fraser Ridge Farm
John and his family have been at the market for many years. They have a variety of perennial and annual flowers for your flower beds, window boxes or anywhere you would like to plant a flower! They are located in the open end of the market in the middle.
Helen & Jerry Roman – Helen’s Products from the Farm
Helen & Jerry decided that their lifestyle choice would be farming. They raise beef, lamb, yak and dzo. Jerry always has something interesting to tell you and Helen has wonderful baked products, gourmet jams and Malcom’s Madness which is a delicious pepper sauce that can be stirred and then enjoyed on everything except maybe ice cream.
Ann Rose – Rose Mountain Farm
Rose Mountain farm produces organically grown produce in 6000 square feet of high tunnel space and one half acre of open field. Apple trees were planted in 2018 for a mix of cider and dessert fruits. 30 pawpaw were added 2022. Elderberry remains a staple nursery crop. Learn more about Ann at http://rosemtnfarm.com
Darlene Sekerak & Ben Massey – Red Hill Farm
Darlene and Ben bring delicious blueberries and raspberries to the market during the season. You can also find flavored wood chips from their land, great for adding to your grill or smoker for a nice apple or hickory flavor.
Stephanie & Dave Shipley – Blue Ridge Valley Farm
BRV farm is a woman owned and operated farm. They specialize in growing high quality cut flowers as well as vegetables. They take pride in using only organic growing methods. They have amazing fresh flower bouquets each week at the market. However, they sell out fast, so get there early! Check out their website at http://www.brvfarm.com
Brenda Smith – Honor the Past Herbals
Brenda became interested in wild food foraging in the 70’s when she read the Foxfire books about mountain traditional living. She branched out into studying herbalism and the healing medicinal properties of plants. Brenda creates looseleaf tea blends from plants she grows using no chemicals and some she forages herself from wild land. She also sells botanical incense made from those same plants.
Paula Snow – Snowset Farm
Paula is new to our market this year. She is dedicated to growing farm fresh flowers, garlic and gourds. Her flowers are used in fresh bouquets and flower crowns, others are dried and used on wreaths and various crafts. The garlic is harvested mid summer, cured and braided for fresh or decorative use. Pumpkins and gourds of several interesting varieties will be available in the fall for decorative use. Stop by and say Hello to Paula!
Jessica Stetter – Simply Growing Farm
Simply Growing is an educational farm growing vegetables and animals using organic and low-tillage practices and serves as an environment for outdoor farm education programs for children. They look to offer healthy food to the community while working with nature in a respectful, naturally, beneficial way. Check out their website at http://simplygrowingfarm.org
Mark & Debbie Strickland – Honey Rock Homestead
Mark & Debbie sell both wildflower and sourwood honey and make additional products from the harvest of their honeybees. They harvest their own fruit for jellies and jams. They also make freeze dried fruit and candy. We welcome Mark & Debbie to the market! Stop by and meet them and learn more about their homestead. Check out their website at https://teamhoneyrock.com. Picture to follow….
Kevin Swann – Handwrought Goods, LLC
Kevin is new to our market this year. He started out making high quality leather goods for himself and now it has turned into a business. He creates handcrafted leather goods, utilizing high end vegetable tanned leather to make a variety of products. Stop by and say hello to Kevin and his family and welcome them to the market.
Carrie Vargas – Vargas Family Farms
Located in Crumpler, Vargas Family Farms utilizes seasonal extension techniques to provide naturally grown, seasonally fresh produce from early spring until late fall. They grow in high tunnels which allows them to maintain a warmer climate for their “plant babies” as they start their season. Look for Carrie at the market as she is known for her lettuce bowls and DIY vegetable and herb garden needs. She’s tall, redheaded and full of energy with a great big smile!! Got any questions, just ask her! Visit their website at http://www.vargasfamilyfarms.com
Johnny Viers – Viers Nursery
Johnny grows all your shrubbery needs. He has green giants, golden thread, emerald green, beautiful hydrangea’s, yews, weigelia’s and hetz midgets. Stop by and talk to Johnny, you probably know him already!
Phaedra Walker – For the Love of All Dogs
Phaedra’s daughter June wanted to start baking cookies for her dog and soon this turned into a mother-daughter business. They love to give a free treat to our service animals that come through the market. Stop by their booth, you will probably find a bowl of water for your service animal too!
Scott Walworth – Woodbine Native Nursery
Scott is a walking encyclopedia book of native plants grown in the high country. He has medicinal, edible, and ornamental varieties of flowers, shrubs, and trees. He also has shiitake logs and chestnut trees. You can find Scott on the open end of the market close to the main entrance.
Cheryl Williams – Grassy Creek Pottery
Cheryl received a Fine Arts degree with a major in pottery in the late 80’s. While working as a Montessori Teacher for 21 years, she continued to do pottery on the side. Cheryl hand throws functional pieces that are dishwasher and microwave safe. She also creates face jugs and sculptural pieces that are inspired by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can tell her love for the art by looking at her work. Stop by and say hello to Cheryl when you are at the market. Check out her website at http://www.grassycreekpottery.com
Linda Wylie – Wylie Crafts
Linda is a very talented artist. She makes beautiful baskets, pottery, nativity sets, yarn bowls, flower vases, and so much more. She is located in the closed end section of the market. Stop by and see what beautiful things she has today!
Phil Wylie – Woodworking by Phil
Phil is a woodworker and makes beautiful things out of many different species of wood. He has lazy susans, salt & pepper shakers, beautiful unique bowls, cutting boards, etc. Phil is located in the closed end of the section. Stop on by and see what Phil has made this week!
Carol Griffith – Market Manager – Manager’s Table
Carol is a native to Ashe County and also our Market Manager. Her office is in the mid section of the market where she hands out Double Food Bucks for SNAP/EBT, WIC and Senior FMNP. Please make sure you see her first to get your tokens. She also has Market Tokens if you forgot to go by an ATM on your way in. Market Tokens act just like cash and can be used at any vendor space. They come in $5.00 increments. The market does have to add on a small fee to run your debit/credit card for the Market Tokens due to the fees we get charged. The market also has ACFM T-shirts for sale and also market tote bags, water and sodas available for donations. Stop by and say hello!!