2010 Vendor Links and
Contact Information

As Hot As Possible (assorted hot peppers, hot pepper products, herb plants and more) Cathy and Eric McCall (803) 482-6869  info@AsHotAsPossible.com
Baker's Blessings (hand ground whole grain breads) Maigualida Rowe
bakersblessings@perigee.net
Baskets by Teresa (hand made baskets)
Teresa Yoder (704) 455-9593
tyoder1@carolina.rr.com 
Baucom's Best (grassfed beef)
Milton and Harriett Baucom (704) 254-0742 info@baucomsbest.com
Big Oak Natural Farm (seasonal produce)
Fred Mundie (704) 764-5616
Bird Brain Ostrich Ranch (ostrich meat, eggs) Pat and Anthony Roberts (704) 483-1620 pat@birdbrainranch.com
Bobbyland Ranch (unusual plants, seasonal produce) Bob Hudgins (704) 507-1132 rahudgins@yahoo.com
Bosky Acres Farm (soft goat cheese, chocolate goat cheese truffles, goats milk soaps and lotions) Michele Lamb (704) 843-5947 info@boskyacres.com
Bost Grist Mill (stone-ground cornmeal and grits) Gene and Brenda Bost  (704) 782-1600
Artisan Baked Goods By Lucille (artisan bread, pastries, assorted sweets and mixes made from  organic ingredients) Pastry Chef Laura Lucille Benoit (704) 293-6620 bylucille@gmail.com
Carlea Farms (seasonal produce) Carl and Leah Wagner (704) 463-1882 cwag@ctc.net.
Clover Mushroom Farm (shitake and oyster mushrooms) Rijad Jacic 704-996-7020hajnehaj@hotmail.com
Cody Strawberry Farm (strawberries) Jennifer and Sherrill Cody ((704) 791-0342
Dancing Bees Farm (formerly Old North State Apiaries)(local honey and honey-related products) Jeff and Robin Knight (704) 764-3731 thedancingbees@yahoo.com
Damian International Food (quail eggs and apple croissants) Yurii and Irina Korotkov704-989-3929 korotkov2@yahoo.com
Dove Pottery (handmade pottery)
Selma Krones (704-843-9665
Down Home Baking Co. (artisan bread, bagels, tarts, muffins) Pastry Chef Chris Strzepek (704) 806-0208  chriscooks@carolina.rr.com
Dragon Gardens (hybrid daylilies and groundcovers)John and Anne Smethurst (704) 841-0639 smethurst07@gmail.com
Fisher Farms (heirloom tomatoes and seasonal produce) Dane and Maria Fisher (704) 239-7449 fisherfarms1933@earthlink.net
Garden of the Woods (seasonal produce)
Allan Wood (704) 604-5457 
gardenofthewoods@earthlink.net
Grandpa's Garden (seasonal produce)
Effret Clayton (704) 545-4332
Grateful Growers Farm (pastured pork and poultry  products) Natalie Veres and Cassie Parsons (828) 234-5182  info@ggfarm.com
Hinson Farms (seasonal produce) Doug Hinson (704) 289-3225
Landis Gourmet Mushrooms (oyster mushrooms) John Herron  (704) 202-1216 mushroommill@yahoo.com
Laughing Owl Farm (seasonal produce)
Jenifer and Dean Mullis (704) 463-1555
demullis@vnet.net
Leah's Cuisine (Middle Eastern breads, dips, spreads and more) Firas Bsat (704) 458-3043 www.leahscuisine.com
MaMaw Shine's Flower Patch (fresh-cut flowers)
Harriette Griffin (704) 753-2083
New Town Farms Organic (certified organic seasonal produce, free-range chicken eggs) newtownfarms@windstream.net
Sam Koenigsberg (704) 843-5182
North State Hostas (assorted hostas) (704) 841-2652 nilsn@windstream.net
Nut Hill Farm (seasonal produce and plants)
Jim and Nancy Mundorf (704) 846-2935
Pasta a Mano (fresh and frozen pastas) Joseph Bonaparte 704-918-9828 jbonaparte@aii.edu
Pat's Pickin's (seasonal produce)
Pat Saine (704) 847-6362
Ranucci's Big Butt Barbecue Sauce and Rubs
Alex Ranucci (704) 516-7683 alex@ranuccis.com
Sam Haigler's Produce (seasonal produce)
SamHaigler (704) 847-9287
Quench! Essentials (natural and herbal soaps)
Catherine Alston (704) 248-6605 soapthemes@gmail.com
Simply Sweet (baked goods) Christina Rose704-843-1351 rosechristinaf@gmail.com
Stumpf's Gourmet Tomatoes (greenhouse tomatoes) Jim Stumpf (704) 624-2825
The Secret Chocolatier (assorted gormet truffles) Bill and Karen Dietz (704) 323-8178 bill@thesecretchocolatier.com
Tega Hills Greenhouses (hydroponic lettuces, micro greens, tomatoes and other assorted produce) Mindy and Mark Robinson (803) 370-4466 mrobinson@comporium.net
Tomato Joe Heirloom Tomato and Pepper Plants Joe Fabrizi (704) 846-2252  tomatojoe@windstream.net
Violette Farms Joe and Penny Violette, blackberries, (704) 888-3502 violettefarmsinc@bellsouth.net
Von's Garden of Plenty (seasonal produce, herbs, crocheted baby booties) Von Harris (803)285-1009
Windcrest Farm (certified organic  transplants, herbs and fresh produce) Mary Roberts (704) 764-7746 info@windcrestorganics.com
Questions or Comments?
Contact Market Manager Pauline Wood by email or at (704) 821-6430.
  • The market is held outdoors, rain or shine, so come dressed accordingly.
  • The market is busiest between 8 and 10 am. Come early for best quality and selection. Growers often bring just a few pounds of this or that and the most in-demand produce goes first. Keep in mind, however, that vendors can not sell to customers until the market bell rings at 7:15 am. Please give farmers time to set up their stands if you arrive early.
  • Come with a flexible shopping list. Plan your menus once you get to the market and see what farmers have brought to market that day.
  • Carry small bills so making change will be easy for vendors.
  • Chat with farmers. Ask questions about how produce is grown and how to cook it. Buy something you haven't tried before.  A grower can  tell you on how to select and prepare produce you are curious about.
  • Sturdy shopping bags or baskets will help you carry purchases to your car.
  • Plan to go straight home after shopping at the market so you can put away your purchases. Fresh produce, plants or flowers should not be left to swelter and wilt in your car. If you can't go home right away, bring a cooler in which to stow your purchases.
  • Take your children with you. They will learn where their food comes from and how it looks in when freshly harvested. Farmers are happy to answer questions about how vegetables and fruits grow and to give out samples to taste.
  • Sorry, no dogs are allowed at the farmers' market.

Prospective New Vendors:

    The farmers' market only accepts applications from prospective new vendors  between January 1st and February 1 for the upcoming season. Applications received after that date will not be considered. No applications are kept on file, nor is a waiting list maintained. Please see the application form for more information and criteria.
    Please understand that each year we receive many applications for a very limited number of available spaces that may come open at the start of each season. Applications are reviewed and farm inspections are conducted by the market's Board of Directors before decisions on applications are announced in March.
    Click on the link below to download a copy of the Matthews Community Farmers' Market Rules and New Vendor Application Form. Please read the rules carefully before filling out the application form.
Information Center
History -Vendor Rules and Application Links-Shopping Tips-Market Manager
Matthews Community Farmers' Market is a member of the
Matthews Chamber of Commerce.
Shopping Tips
The Matthews Community Farmers' Market has come a long way from its inception in 1991, when it was founded  to re-establishing the traditional link between local farmers and consumers, as well as strengthening Matthews' sense of community.
  Those who helped get the market started include Renfrow Hardware, Seeds of Hope Project, the Matthews Town Council, the Matthews Chamber of Commerce, a small Christian church and a few community farmers. The market was born in the green space beside Renfrow Hardware with a few local farmers selling their produce. Growth was slow, but gradually more vendors and customers were attracted to the fledging market.
In 1996, a partnership was formed between the market and the Matthews Chamber of Commerce that helped the market grow to the point where it could  prosper on its own.
In 1999, Matthews Community Farmers Market, Inc. was founded as an independent non-profit corporation to run the market. It is composed of farmer members and governed by a board of directors elected from the market's active membership. The board assures  the market remains true to its original mission of providing an outlet for farmers to market their locally produced goods, thereby encouraging local farming and supporting local farms as a viable part of the community. The board decides how the market should evolve to meet the needs of the vendors as well as the community it serves. The market manager supports the board in running the day-to-day operations of the market.
In 2007, the market successfully launched an every-other-week winter farmers market and effectively has become a year-round farmers' market.
Today. the market hosts about 50 vendors at its regular season market and more than 20 vendors at its winter market. It continues as a blend of fresh marketplace and community gathering spot that is a vibrant focal point of activity in downtown Matthews on Saturday mornings.
The 2010 Vendor Appplication Period Is CLOSED.
2010 Matthews Community Farmers' Market Rules and Application Form
2010  Matthews Community Farmers'  Market Rules and Application Form
YOUR FOOD DOLLAR WELL SPENT

    Dollars spent at the Matthews Community Farmers Market on food from local farmers buys you more than groceries. In addition to sustenance, nutritious food and great flavor, it helps support local farms as part of the fabric of the community. Even more than that, it buys you peace of mind that you know where your food comes from and who is growing it.
    Most of our regular customers are savvy consumers and do not come to the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market looking for bargains. They know that good food is not cheap. 
Here’s what you get for your money at the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market:
Food That's Grown By Hand - Growing food on small farms is labor intensive, especially when the farmer uses natural or organic growing practices. Weeds are pulled by hand. Harvesting is done by hand. When people object to, say, the cost of green beans, our farmers explain just what kind of time and labor it takes to hand-pick each bean that goes into that pound bag. None of our farmers us mechanized harvesting equipment.
High Quality, Excellent Value - Food at the Matthews Community Farmers’ Market is sold at its freshest and at the peak of ripeness, when flavor and nutrition are highest. It is harvested within hours of your purchase.  Supermarket produce, often is picked green to prevent damage during long-distance transit, and can take weeks to get to your plate.  There is no comparison. The food you find at this farmers market is some of the freshest and best available. The flavor of the food speaks for itself, whether it’s the produce, free-range chicken eggs, or pasture-raised meats.  Ever wondered why is there such a run on free-range chicken eggs at every market even though they are $4 or $5 a dozen? If you think that’s an outrageous price, then don’t ever taste one. Once you do you’ll never want to buy supermarket eggs again.
More Varieties Of Produce Grown For Their Taste - Not How Well They Ship -Many of the produce varieties that our farmers grow are selected for flavor, not ease of growing or yield. They are more expensive to grow, but worth it. That’s why you’ll find dozens of kinds of lettuce, myriad types of radishes, scores of different tomato varieties, multiple kinds of eggplant, peppers and and beans, to name a few – all picked for their taste. You’ll quickly find your favorites in every season and may discover foods you never knew existed.
Supporting Local Farms And Farm Families -Our farmers’ market is important because it allows farmers to charge retail prices so they can make a decent income from what they grow. As it is, many of our farmers work another job so they will have enough income to support themselves and their families.  Farmers charge what they believe is a fair price, factoring in what it cost in time and labor to plant, nurture and harvest foods, as well as flavor, quality, sustainability and nutrition. Money spent on good locally grown food benefits the farm, the local economy, the consumer and the environment. When you buy from a local farmer, you help make it possible for them to be good stewards of the land. Without enough support from consumers who recognize the outstanding value in what they produce, we run the risk of losing our region’s farmers and farmland, as well as our local food security. So, get to know the local farmers producing your food. You’ll know where your food is coming from, how and where it was grown and you’ll be supporting the continuation of family farms in the process.