Farm Visits! NoDa Farmers Market

A few weeks ago we announced the formation of the "NoDa Farmers Market". Grand opening of the market is slated for Saturday, May 16th. Hours will be 8am - 12 noon every Saturday during the high season and bi-weekly through the winter.

The seed for the market was planted last fall when Eric Williams of Coldwater Creek Farms contacted us. His family and another run their farm and grow all kinds of year-round produce out of Cabarrus County.

VISIT THE NODA FARMERS MARKET WEBSITE AT THIS LINK!

We talked about the lack of a true, local farmers and producers only, market in the NoDa / Midwood / Central East Charlotte area. We met for coffee one Saturday morning and walked the neighborhood. Our conversation kept circling back to one location: the open field at the corner of Alexander and 36th Street (directly across from our house). The lot is part of the parcel for Johnston Memorial Presbyterian Church.

We approached the church with the idea of the market, and worked with them to come up with a plan the works for the church, maintains their property, and provides this great market for our neighbors and a great outlet for local farmers. This isn't a "for profit business" for anyone other than the farmers themselves. We are the organizers so far, but are putting together a group of volunteers to work the market and keep it going.

We'll also be doing community outreach for various non-profits around the area, and already have plans in place to provide food through the market to Friendship Trays!

LEFT: Coldwater Creek Farm

The market will be a "tailgate" style market. Local farmers and producers will pull in with their trucks, drop the gate, set up a tent and table if they wish, and sell!

As part of the true "local" only concept, we are visiting farms to see their set up, see what they grow, where and how.

I've been to a couple of the farms, Joey has been visiting them all. To date we have multiple vendors signed up that grow / produce vegetables of all kinds, herbs, grains / wheat, grass-fed organic beef, poultry, eggs (chicken, duck, goose), cut flowers, seedlings, goats milk soaps, cheese, fruits and some prepared foods. We also have honey, so local that it's from less than a mile away off Mecklenburg Avenue in Midwood!

It's been an amazing couple weeks. Seeing how these folks and families run their farms. How these crops are grown and how these products are developed. Joey and I both love animals, so seeing and meeting so many of them has been fantastic. I now know how to milk a goat and had a great time spending a morning with their kids (baby goats) roaming the fields.

We can't wait to see the market get started - having great fresh food just across the street, and for our neighbors in walking distance to their homes! We hope you join us and watch the market grow and flourish!