. ■.■ "
Tailgate markets in Asheville offer a variety of products to local residents.
PHOTOS BY MEREDITH SHEEHAN
North Asheville Tailgate Market in Full Swing
PEYTON SHEEHAN
News Staffwriter
msheeha3@unca.edu
Fresh, local and organic produce
has never been closer than the P28
parking lot on campus. From April
to November, on Saturdays from 8
a.m. to noon, the North Asheville
Tailgate Market features around
40 different local and regional ven
dors.
Small family owned farm Full
Sun Farms is possibly one of the
longest attending vendors, attend
ing every Saturday for the past 20
years.
“The owners, Alex and Vanessa,
grow everything you see here and
practice organic methods. They, of
course, pick everything fresh,” in
tern Tyler Rich said.
Alex and Vanessa strive to pro
vide beautiful and tasty produce to
sell at the market.
Full Sun Farms’ booth is filled
with beautiful organic produce with
vibrant colors and different options
for fresh bouquets of flowers in
cluding dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias
and other mixed bouquets.
Owner of Sweetheart Bakery, Ai-
mee Mostwill, supports local farms
by buying organic ingredients to
create Sweetheart Bakery’s pastries
and other baked goods.
While walking around, one may
notice fresh produce, baked goods
and flowers are not the only things
available. Fresh eggs, raw milk,
jams, grass-fed meats and many
other products are also available for
purchase.
Joe Scott is the owner of Postre
Caramels. If you have ever gone to
Whit’s Frozen Custard on Merri-
mon, you might have noticed tubes
of their sea salt caramel sauce.
“I set up a booth at the tailgate
market every other weekend,” Scott
said.
Scott, alongside his business part
ner Jamie Sastre, developed the sig
nature sea salt caramel, which con
tains no preservatives, is made from
organic ingredients and is packaged
in recyclable tubes.
According to the Center for Ur
ban Education about Sustainable
Agriculture, buying local produce
_ocai vendors nave settled tneir roots in Asheville wit
giving back to the community.
ie intent of
or flowers not only supports lo
cal farmers, but also helps them
compete with large grocery stores.
Some of the produce found in gro
cery stores travels an average of
1,500 miles, contributing to more
pollution and more natural resourc
es being used.
A majority of these vendors also
post a sign near their products that
state whether or not they are organ
ic.
By committing to local goods,
shoppers connect with and give
back to their communities. Through
the center, visitors wander from
booth to booth. Some stop to speak
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14