Growing Local

A crowd of people line up on the street waiting for the doors to open. They huddle with neighbors and friends until the doors are unlocked and everyone rushes in. It’s not a movie premiere. It’s not even concert tickets that they’re after. These people are waiting for local food at the Asheville City Market. Farmers markets went quiet for a few weeks after the holidays, but indoor winter markets are finally here. Piles of kale and towers of turnips are ready for the community to take home to their dinner tables. Though the range of produce is limited during the winter months, there are plenty of greens, root veggies, meat, eggs, and crafts for winter shoppers. These markets are a gathering place for farmers and members of the community who might not otherwise see each other until spring. This past Saturday at the Asheville City Market and the YMCA Indoor Winter Market, the room echoed with vibrant conversations about everything from soil temperature to ways to cook mustard greens. Winter markets are goin