1. Grate or use a mandolin for thin slices and make coleslaw.

Ingles Markets is proud to work with local food and beverage makers and farmers. You’ll find local and regional products throughout our stores from in-season fruits and vegetables in our Produce Department, artisan breads from City Bakery and Annie’s Breads in the bakery, local meat and sausage from Hickory Nut Gap Farms, trout from Sunburst Trout Farm, snacks from Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn and Asheville Pretzel, local beers, wine and cider like Flat Rock Cider, Biltmore Wines, French Broad Brewing (and so many more!), flowering plants from Van Wingerden ….. even our Laura Lynn milk comes from some local dairy farmers! 

It may be tempting to believe some of the claims you see on social media about buying certain supplements that can help you achieve magical longevity, but the truth is actually much more mundane. Good overall health habits will benefit you much more than stacking supplements. 

People new to vegetable gardening and folks looking for a refresher to hone those skills can learn from a master gardener next week.

Topics covered in the class will include starting a new garden, planning a garden for spring and fall planting, following a garden calendar, improving soil and composting. The class will involve both lectures and hands-on demonstrations. 

Gardeners perhaps haven’t started planning yet, but N.C. State Extension Master Gardener volunteers are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to pest problems. 

The one micronutrient that most all would do well to increase is fiber.

“Fibermaxxing” has had a moment on TikTok with people conducting fiber challenges to see how much they could consume.

Most Americans don’t come close to getting sufficient fiber in their daily diet.

Two of the trends/fads that you can expect to see reflected in products on the shelves at your local Ingles Markets are callouts for protein amounts and callouts for fiber amounts.  

Both protein and fiber are macronutrients. 

Most people think about protein coming from meat, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy products and fiber coming from fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  

I have been thinking a lot about healing lately. How it happens, how long it can take and the differences between healing emotional wounds and physical wounds, not to mention psychic and spiritual wounds. And to no one’s surprise, I’ve been thinking about plants: how they heal themselves, how they help heal the land, and how they help us in our own healing of body and spirit. 

I love buying fresh vegetables, especially when they’re in season, and they look/smell great. But this doesn’t mean that frozen and canned vegetables don’t deserve a place in your fridge, pantry or in your recipes. 

“Farmers & Artisans Market” will be every Friday morning (May-October) at 117 Island St. in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn along the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies/preserves, authentic crafts and more.