Rush hour in Boone looks a little different every Saturday morning from May through October. Blame it on area farmers who spread a fine bounty at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. Eager customers clamor for the fresh goods and often arrive before the market officially opens to snag favorite items.

“We open at 8 a.m., but I sell quite a bit before 7:30,” says Jeff Thomas, one of the vendors and president of the market’s association. “We have tried to work on our inventory so that those who come later will find something.”

Location, Location, Location
The market takes place at the Horn in the West where the outdoor drama of the same name is held (June 20-August 16). This location is a win-win situation for farmers and consumers. “It’s sort of out of the way,” says Jeff, “but that’s a good thing. It is a green area, and the town owns it; so it will probably never be developed.”

For the vendors the spacious facility allows plenty of room to display their fresh produce, tasty treats, and just-cut flowers among other tempting items. Awhile back, the Watauga County Market group built sheds that accommodate 36 vendors. “The rest of the folks sit out in the open or under a tarp,” Jeff says. “Your space is limited under the shed, but you don’t get rained on.” That’s an important point, because the market’s a rain-or-shine operation. Great parking keeps customers happy, and their numbers can swell to 3,000 during a busy month.

From June to September, the group offers a Wednesday market for those wanting a midweek fix of freshness. “That one is a totally different market,” Jeff says. “It’s slow and small. We probably have only 15 vendors that day.”