Posts

Farmers Markets Open in Cary this Weekend

cary-farmers-markets-2014

Cary, NC- We are fortunate in Cary to live where we can easily shop for healthful food selections. We have organic grocers, international grocers and giant grocers. We also have 3 (count ’em) farmers markets. Two of them open this weekend, with the third opening later this month. Read more

Gracious Harvest Grows Food in Downtown Cary

gracious harvestCary, NC — If you’re not careful, you’ll miss it – the Gracious Harvest Community Garden across the Waldo Street parking lot from the First United Methodist Church in Downtown Cary. First started in November of 2009, the Garden is now well-established and producing a bounty of food for the community. Read more

Meet The Farmers: 3 Cary Stories

farmers-caryCary, NC – Good news for local agriculture: farmers who do business in Cary are on the rise. Here are three of their stories: a cheese maker, a grower of fresh produce and a farmer of lambs and turkeys. Read more

A Visit to the Culinary Farm at SAS Campus

sas-farm-2

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – On Monday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Culinary Farm at SAS Campus. This gem-of-a-garden supplies fresh vegetables and fruit for Herons, An and the SAS cafeterias.

A Visit to the Culinary Farm at SAS

I had heard about the farm at SAS a while back. Two years ago, the effort got a full-time Culinary farmer. Her name is Maggie Lawrence and she gave me the full tour on a bright morning.

“This is a culinary farm,” Maggie told me. “Everything we grow is for the table.” The farm supplies fresh-picked, organically grown vegetables and fruits to The Umstead Hotel, Herons and An Restaurant. The farm also supplies produce to the employee cafeterias at SAS and The Umstead.

“This is a late-spring garden,” Maggie told me. She’s growing broccoli, fennel, lots of lettuce, turnips, beets, peas and a whole lot more.

I saw cilantro blossoms and red vein sorrel; comfy, tarragon and chervil; opal basil and red Russian kale.

Maggie showed me red bok choi, Napa cabbage and rainbow chard. She has blueberry and blackberry shrubs just getting started with hopes to produce fruit in a couple of years. She even has a small stand of asparagus for future production.

The culinary farm also includes plants like Salvia and butterfly bush, grown not for the table but to attract pollinators like wild honey bees and butterflies.

Looking toward summer, Maggie plans to grown different varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes and other hot weather crops. She even grows produce for the Hotel bar, including mint and the aforementioned opal basil. “I’ve been consulting with a mixologist,” she explained.

The plot I saw was one of two on the SAS campus. Maggie and her co-worker Ariel Greenwood plant, pick and cultivate it all themselves.

As a guy who loves gardening, it was heaven. But all too soon, we all had to get back to work. Maybe I’ll get invited to visit again.

Pictures: Culinary Farm at SAS Campus

sas-farm-1

sas-farm-3

sas-farm-6

sas-farm-2

sas-farm-4

sas-farm-7

sas-farm-8

Pictures: Spring Farmers’ Market

wwfm-2013-1

 

Photos by Hal Goodtree and Lindsey Chester.

Cary, NC – Two of Cary’s three farmers’ markets opened their Spring season on Saturday. Here are some pictures. Read more

Special Thanksgiving Farmers Market on Tuesday Nov 22

Story from staff reports. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC – The Western Wake Farmer’s Market (WWFM) is holding a special market on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 for your Thanksgiving meal this year. Read more

Pig Pickin’ Palooza

Cary, N.C. – Enjoy an old-fashioned pig pickin’, live music, kids’ entertainment and raffle prizes at the Pig Pickin’ Palooza Fundraiser on Sat., Sept. 10, 11 am-2 pm, at the Western Wake Farmers’ Market. Read more

Food: The Tomato Story

Story and photos by Hal Goodtree

Cary, NC – You can get tomatoes at the supermarket all year round. But science can’t trump Nature, and for the true tomato aficionado, now is a time of tomato joy in the Piedmont. Read more

Western Wake Farmers Market Ponders Move

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Cary, NC- Time is running out on the land used for the current Western Wake Farmer’s Market (WWFM) located in Carpenter Village. And the group has plans for a move. Read more

Food: Farm-Fresh Tuesday

Cary, NC – If you have ever said to yourself, “I should buy more locally grown produce,” I have one word for you to remember: Tuesday. That’s the day you’ll farm locally-grown, farm-fresh produce on sale mid-week at Cary’s two farmers markets. Read more