Farm to Table Dining with Local Farmers Markets

Birds are chirping, warm weather is just around the corner, and the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains of the Carolinas will once again turn a delightful shade of green. This can only mean one thing ––  soon, local farms will be brimming with fresh varieties of fruit, vegetables, and more! 

If you want to bring the fresh taste of the farm to your dining room table, discover a few of the best farmers markets found in our own backyard here at The Cliffs. 

Upstate South Carolina 

Located in the heart of the Charlotte-Atlanta corridor, the Upcountry is home to a number of fresh markets to explore. Here a few to put on your list to visit when you’re in the area. 

Stage 22 Farm by Hotel Domestique

Located near The Cliffs Mountain communities, the Stage 22 Farm by Hotel Domestique is a favorite with many of our culinary team at The Cliffs. The farm has just expanded, adding 22 additional acres, and therefore increasing the farm’s capabilities. 

Greenville’s Saturday Market Presented by Prisma Health

Stroll along downtown Greenville’s Main Street on a Saturday morning and you’ll find yourself in the middle of Greenville’s Saturday Market, featuring nearly 80 vendors selling farm-fresh produce, dairy and meat, specialty cheeses, baked goods, and other delicious treats.

Greenville State Farmers Market

Just minutes away from the downtown market — and open six days a week — is the Greenville State Farmers Market, where you can shop a variety of locally grown products and specialty goods in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, like pickled okra, homemade applesauce, and chow chow relish, just to name a few.

Travelers Rest Farmers Market 

If you’re looking to explore one of Greenville’s neighboring towns while still filling your grocery bags, pay a visit to the Travelers Rest Farmers Market. Located a short, 30-minute drive from The Cliffs Mountain communities (and an even shorter 15-minute drive from The Cliffs at Mountain Park), this weekly market averages more than 70 regular farmers and vendors. As the largest independently-run, nonprofit farmers market in the state, there is a large variety of fresh produce and goods for sale –– making farm-to-table dining available to the local community. 

Western North Carolina

Whether you live at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove or are just planning a day trip to the charming, eclectic region, you will want to pay a visit to these charming mountain markets. 

WNC Farmers Market

The WNC Farmers Market in Asheville is full of history! It’s been open at this same site with panoramic views of the mountains and nearby Biltmore Estate — and is open seven days a week. At the WNC Farmers Market, you can shop high-quality fruits and vegetables, freshly baked bread, jams, jellies and preserves, local honey, and even mountain crafts.

River Arts District Farmers Market

Nearby is also the River Arts District Farmers Market, part of Asheville’s burgeoning River Arts District community, where you can shop from dozens of ‘RAD’ vendors selling baked goods, plants and trees, farm-fresh produce, fresh eggs, local cheeses, and other favorites like ghee and essential oils.

Hendersonville Community Co-Op

Located between our Mountain Region communities — The Cliffs Valley, The Cliffs at Glassy, and The Cliffs at Mountain Park — and Asheville is the charming town of Hendersonville. Here you can shop farm-fresh goods at the Hendersonville Community Co-Op with a 100% organic produce department. 

You can also enjoy freshly baked goods or farm-to-table dining options at the Co-Op Deli. The deli has both a hot bar and a salad bar and offers made-to-order sandwiches, and three homemade organic soup varieties every day. Whet your appetite while you shop, then enjoy an organic, gluten-free muffin or daily lunch special.

Creekside Farm at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

Founded in 2010, Creekside Farm is a charming, 50-acre farm located just outside of Asheville. The farm’s founders, Bob and Kara Turner approached The Cliffs with the concept of creating an agricultural neighborhood — also referred to as an agrihood. Today, the farm is home to over 300 varieties of heirloom vegetables, herbs, and flowers, as well as free-roaming chickens and two friendly donkeys. It provides organically raised produce and meat to neighbors through a weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. 

Bob Turner says, “Creekside Farm is building awareness for a lot of people of the importance of healthy food. The model ties in perfectly to The Cliffs’ healthy-living concept. Wellness has two sides: diet and exercise. We just brought the food piece.”  

On the farm, the former, one-room schoolhouse has been transformed into the Creekside Education Center where the Turner’s host farm-to-table dinners, cooking and nutrition classes, and other educational food-related events. 

The Turner’s story was featured in Cliffs Living magazine. To read more stories like this one, and to learn more about The Cliffs, subscribe here.

Farm to Table Dining at The Cliffs 

Ultimately, at The Cliffs, your overall health and wellness are our number one priority –– which is why all of our luxury amenities, including our dining options, are created to offer members a lifestyle that is good for their body, mind, and soul. 

While the term “farm to table” may be ubiquitous these days, that phrase doesn’t do justice to how deeply involved our celebrated chefs and club members are in the process. Become a member and discover your new favorite dishes –– or try our chef’s reimagined classics –– at each of our seven private farm-to-table dining venues. 

To learn more about any of our luxury amenities at The Cliffs, feel free to contact us. 

This post was originally written on Mar 25th, 2020 and rewritten on April 28th, 2021.