Amid farmers market dispute, new markets take shape in Watauga
By Scott Nicholson

With the future of the Watauga County Farmers Market clouded because of parking concerns, other farmers markets are also blossoming.

The Blowing Rock Fresh Market will take place in the Wachovia Bank parking area downtown from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 16. Modeled after other community farmer’s markets, the Blowing Rock Fresh Market will feature some of the area’s produce, meats, and plants.

Established by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, the market will be held every Thursday afternoon throughout the season.

“We don’t have a definition on what the end of the season is,” said chamber of commerce spokeswoman Stephanie Keener. “In Watauga County, the farmers market is the (existing Boone) farmers market on Saturday. We’re not trying to compete, we’re just trying to complement.”

The Blowing Rock market will be craft free and has no plans to expand to other types of items. It will feature live bluegrass music.

“We have Art in the Park here so this farmer’s market will be focused exclusively on food and plants,” Keener said. About 18 vendors signed up for the inaugural Fresh Market, with more being added. For more information, call (828) 295-7851.

A farmer’s market in Valle Crucis is held Friday afternoons, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Original Mast General Store. The market is focusing on fresh foods and produce and no crafts, with several vendors already participating. There is no vendor fee, as the store is trying to build up the market.

The Friday afternoon market in Valle Crucis will run through Sept. 24. Interested vendors can call Mary Wood at Mast Store, (828) 963-6511.

Watauga County Farmers Market president Joe Martin said there had been no new developments in the market’s parking conflict with the Southern Appalachian Historical Association. The two organizations are at odds over use of the parking lot on Saturdays, with SAHA planning to rent a number of spaces to Appalachian State University.

“We do not have a resolution yet,” Martin said. A parking consultant with the Town of Boone recommending using remote parking with a shuttle, but Martin said that might work with large sporting events or festivals, but not with a market where people carried items.

“We informally surveyed our customers Saturday and didn’t find one who would do a park-and-ride situation,” he said. “I’ve noticed our customers will make two or three trips back to their cars so we certainly don’t want to discourage them from buying two or three armloads.”

Martin also welcomed the additional markets in the region, saying there was no competition because the markets are on different days of the week.

“They all contacted us and talked to us and made sure they didn’t conflict with the Watauga County farmers market because it’s such a good draw,” he said. “It’s giving customers many, many markets and giving producers more outlets.”

Martin said he sells produce at the Saturday and Wednesday markets in Boone but later in the season, when more crops come in, he will probably try the other markets as well. He believes more markets will create more awareness of local foods that will benefit the agricultural economy.

“It’s good for the consumer network and producer network,” Martin said. “I think it helps. Farmers need every outlet they can get, and a direct marketing outlet is by far the best way. We’re glad to have them and welcome them to the farmers’ market community.”