Market goers tasted a bit of North Carolina scuppernong wine from Fiddlers Vineyard of Cherryville. More photos below. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

Last Saturday, April 6, was opening day for another season of the Davidson Farmer’s Market, with sales shifting from twice a month to weekly for the spring and summer season. Read the full story

Barbee Farms will be back again this year. These carrots were from a previous year’s crop. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net file photo)

Vera Samuels will give cooking demonstrations at the market’s opening day Saturday.

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

DAVIDSON – Eight new vendors ranging from food trucks to poultry and vegetable farmers to a scuppernong winemaker will join the Davidson Farmer’s Market for the 2013 spring and summer season. After a winter of twice-monthly tailgate markets, sales shift back to a weekly schedule this Saturday, April 6, from 8am to noon at the market ground next to Davidson Town Hall.

Shoppers will find a slightly revised layout, with the same popular features as past years, including cooking demonstrations (with a new roster of chefs), live local music, and kids’ activities, along with new workshops on gardening and composting. Read the full story

David Meeks (left) of Flying Fish Seafood and a few other Davidson Farmers Market vendors are hoping to build a weekday indoor farmer’s market in the warehouse at 106 Eden Street. (Chuck McShane/CorneliusNews.net)

By CHUCK McSHANE
CorneliusNews.net

DAVIDSON – Fans of fresh fish and farmer’s market products will soon have a new place to find those items in downtown Davidson. David Meeks has moved his Flying Fish Seafood from a roadside stand on N.C. 115 north of Davidson to the Metrolina Warehouse at 106 Eden Street, near the intersection with Depot Street just behind the railroad tracks.

Bigger plans are in the works. Mr. Meeks, a regular vendor at the Saturday Davidson Farmers Market, hopes to turn the 4,000 square-foot space into a weekday market with several vendors. Read the full story

Davidson Farmer’s Market is back again Saturday for the first of three winter tailgate markets during March, including an extra market added at the month’s end. Meanwhile, the dining calendar is busy in March, with wine dinners, beer tastings and live music at Ass Clown Brewery, a Russian food and music festival at Davidson College, and a big two-day St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Galway Hooker. Read on for the details. Read the full story

Davidson Farmer’s Market is back this Saturday morning, with local farmers selling winter produce, meats and other items. It’s also the market’s next Breakfast of Champions – a beer and chili feast. Meanwhile, Flying Fish Seafood has moved its weekend sales of fresh Carolinas seafood to the Metrolina Warehouse in Davidson. And Davidson Pizza Company is getting ready to open next week in a tiny storefront on Mock Circle, on Davidson’s west side. Plus notes about Galway Hooker’s bigger-than-ever St. Patrick’s Day plans, and a Valentine’s special at Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails. Read the full story

The Davidson Farmer’s Market is now accepting vendor applications for the spring season starting Sat., April 6. Applications may be submitted for review until Jan. 31. The Market specifically seeks grains, fruit, chocolate and organic goods. Read the full story

Davidson Farmer’s Market’s winter tailgate market is back this Saturday morning, Dec. 15, and market organizers say they’ve also decided to add a pre-Christmas market on Saturday, Dec. 22, as well.
Read the full story

Chris Coleman of the Market Kitchen worked on his chicken and sweet potato hash. More photos below. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

DAVIDSON – It was the Davidson Farmer’s Market’s version of Iron Chef: Competitors at Saturday’s 2nd annual Winter Market Chef Challenge were handed a box of ingredients from market farmers and given an hour to create something that would tickle market-goers’ palates.

Zack Renner (left) and Joe Kindred of Roosters were the crowd favorites. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

When the judging was over, Joe Kindred from Roosters Wood Fired Kitchen in Charlotte came out on top. He delivered a tasty Potato Gnocchi with Chef Charles’ chicken apple sausage, kale and goat cheese; and an Autumn Harvest Salad of beets, kohlrabi, and sweet potatoes. Read the full story

Guests at last year’s Davidson Farmer’s Market Winter Market Chef Challenge sample the chef’s creations. This year’s competition is Saturday. (Davidson Farmer’s Market photo)

This Saturday, Nov. 3, marks the first day of Davidson Farmer’s Market’swinter season, and the market celebrates with its 2nd Annual Winter Market Chef Challenge. Five local chefs will prepare dishes using four mystery ingredients from the market to be unveiled when they arrive.

Competitors are Anthony Ascanio of Flatiron Kitchen & Taphouse; Chris Coleman, The Market Kitchen; Alyssa Gorelick; Nicolas Daniels, The Wooden Vine Wine Bar & Bistro; and Joe Kindred, Roosters Kitchen. Read the full story

Sayre Weir

By SAYRE WEIR

Growing up in a household of bargain-hunters taught me how to get the most bang for my buck on our bi-weekly trips to the grocery store. When I tagged along with my dad, he insisted I pack a pencil and scrap paper, and each trip turned into a Saturday math class. By age six, I traded the pencil and paper for a calculator, increasing the time efficiency in addition to the cost efficiency of our trip.

My brothers and I competed to find the bag of frozen potatoes with the least price per spud, and the winner was awarded with his or her choice of dessert. One Saturday I was the first to find the cheapest bag of frozen potatoes, but little did I know that my prize-winning taters were produced in Idaho, while the Davidson Farmers’ Market had a stand of slightly more expensive but locally grown potatoes right across the street. Read the full story

(Davidson Farmer’s Market photo)

Davidson Farmer’s Market will be offering a “Taste of the Market” during sales this Saturday morning, Sept. 29. All vendors and farmers will be offering samples, including fresh shrimp, roasted sweet potatoes, mushroom soup, quiche, hot dogs, sausages, goat cheese, breads, empanadas, confections, jams, honey and more.

The market runs 8 a.m. to noon off Main Street, behind Summit Coffee (128 S. Main St.) and next to Town Hall. Read the full story

Tomatoes and Okra (Davidson Farmer’s Market photo)

DAVIDSON – The weekly Davidson Farmer’s Market will be open in downtown Davidson Saturday, Sept. 8, from 8 a.m. to noon, with fresh meats, produce and other goods. Highlight this week will include the start of painting of a new farmer’s market-themed mural on the side of Summit Coffee at 128 S. Main St., and music at both ends of the market grounds. Read the full story

Claire Naisby and Emma Park of Eco House won with their colorful traditional salsa. (David Boraks/CorneliusNews.net)

By DAVID BORAKS
CorneliusNews.net

DAVIDSON – What’s your taste in salsa? Last Saturday, July 28, local chefs offered different takes on the popular dish at the Davidson Farmer’s Market’s third annual Salsa Showdown. When the judges (market shoppers) were done, a pair of cooks from Davidson College’s Eco House were hands-down winners.

Emma Park and Claire Naisby grabbed the most votes with their “Pura Vida Salsa,” a traditional recipe of tomatoes, peppers, Vidalia onions, and lime. “We tried to make a traditional salsa with a colorful rainbow,” Ms. Park explained.

The recipe included cumin, salt, and “a lot of fresh cilantro,” she said. For their victory, the pair won $25 gift certificates from the market. “Half of next week’s shopping trip,” Ms. Naisby joked. Read the full story

The Davidson Farmer’s Market will host its third annual Salsa Showdown Saturday, during which market patrons will compete to make the best salsa using local produce.

Now is the peak of the market season, and the variety of colorful, fresh produce provides an excellent opportunity for the salsa scientists to begin experimenting. Contestants will arrive at 8 a.m. to shop the market for their salsa ingredients. They are allowed to bring three non-market items, such as olive oil, lemons, vinegar or cilantro. The salsa making will start at 8:30 a.m. and contestants will have 1 1/2 hours to make three quarts of salsa for the judges to taste. Market-goers may begin sampling at 10 a.m., and the winner will be announced at 11 a.m. and receive $25 in market bucks. Read the full story

Davidson Farmer’s Market will host its first Seed Spitting Contest this Saturday morning, July 14, at the market grounds off Main Street, next to Town Hall in downtown Davidson.

Come join the fun, and see how far you can launch watermelon seeds with your mouth. The contest runs from 8 to 11 a.m. Read the full story