Everyone knows to head to the farmers market to get fresh local produce, but most Charlotte Farmers Markets offer way more than just tomatoes. Here are some unique finds at a few local markets you can check out this week:
Handmade soap by Quench! Essentials
Matthews Community Farmers Market
Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon on Trade Street in downtown Matthews
Catherine Alston-Cauthen has been making soap by hand for about 10 years now, but she’s part of a long line of soapmakers. She vividly remembers her mom and aunt making their own soaps when she was little. After working in corporate America for 30 years, she decided it was time to go back to her roots and start making soap full-time. Her products are all-natural with no synthetic fragrances, colors, chemicals or petroleum byproducts. But that doesn’t mean they’re boring. Scents include lavender sage, rosemary mint with French green clay and dozens more. She also sells candles, bath/massage oils and even laundry detergent at her booth at the Matthews market. Have eczema or acne? Ask her which soaps have worked for other customers in the past — she has several testimonials from people who say her natural soaps have soothed their skin issues.
Blueberry Crumb Cake (and other yummy baked goods) from Farmhouse Bakery
Kings Drive Farmers Market
6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays at Simpson’s Produce, 938 S. Kings Drive
Homemade pound cakes, cheese biscuits, cinnamon bread, mini-blueberry crumb cakes, banana bread…. And that’s not even the full list of products Joanna Andrews offers at the Kings Drive Farmers Market. For the past 11 years, baking has been a family affair for Joanna — her two sons grew up working the market every Saturday and her husband still helps out with the selling.
Farmhouse Bakery’s most popular item is the homemade sourdough bread, which comes in white or wheat. Joanna told us it’s a “Southern sourdough,” which means it has a hint of sweetness that makes it perfect for making sandwiches with tomato, chicken salad or pimento cheese. … is your mouth watering yet?
Seafood (and a whole lot more)
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market
Tuesday – Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday: noon to 6 p.m. at 1801 Yorkmont Road
Fresh seafood isn’t just for beach-dwellers. Vendors at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market offer clams, snapper, bass, trout and tuna all from North Carolina’s coasts, rivers and lakes. One of four regional farmers markets owned by the state and operated by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, this huge market is open six days a week and features everything from your normal produce selections to baked goods, local cheese and even muscadine wine.
Margarita Fudge from Iva Jean’s Fudge
NoDa Farmers Market
Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon
Can we talk about how adorable this small-batch fudgery is? Not only do they offer more than a dozen different varieties (think classics like peanut butter chocolate and new favorites like chocolate chili bacon), all the ingredients are sourced from local farms and shops. Iva Jean’s is even debuting some exclusive new flavors for the NoDa market that you’ll have to check out in person to find out what they are. And that margarita fudge we mentioned earlier? It’s made with real tequila, a little lime zest and a lot of love.
The NoDa market has lots of other vendors too, including cheese, seafood, coffee and more. Vendors aren’t charged a fee to participate, and all vendors grow or produce their product themselves.
Want more options? Download this list of Mecklenburg County farmers markets from Queen City Forward.
