Places

Fresh Finds & Local Vibes: Why Winston-Salem’s Farmers Markets Are Weekend Gold

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From sun-ripened tomatoes in July to fresh-cut flowers and Friday-night open mics, Winston-Salem’s farmers markets are more than just places to pick up produce—they’re vibrant hubs of local flavor, community connection, and surprise perks.

Whether you’re after pasture-raised meats, handmade soaps, or a strong cup of Bolivian coffee while your kids play, this guide helps you find the perfect market to match your weekend vibe. Scroll on for your new favorite spot.

Farmers market lady handing vegetables to customer

Tip: Always check market websites or social pages for current hours, vendor details, and event information, as they may change seasonally.

Year-Round Farmers Markets

These markets are open throughout the year, making them ideal destinations for regular shoppers, local food enthusiasts, and anyone looking for fresh ingredients regardless of the season.

Whether you’re seeking heirloom vegetables in August or freshly baked bread in January, you’ll find a reliable mix of produce, meats, and handmade goods at these locations. Many also offer indoor or covered options, so you can comfortably browse rain or shine.

Buffalo Creek Farm & Creamery

  • Location: 3255 Buffalo Creek Farm Road, Germanton, NC 27019
  • Hours: Monday–Saturday: 9 am – 6 pm | Sunday: 1 pm – 6 pm (Closed Christmas Day)
  • Parking: Free on-site parking (handicap accessible)
  • Pet Policy: No pets allowed
  • Visit Website

Tucked away in the Piedmont countryside on a 35-acre former tobacco farm, Buffalo Creek Farm & Creamery delivers a hands-on experience that goes beyond shopping. Since 2012, this family-run farm has specialized in traditional, small-batch cheeses—from fresh chevre and feta to aged raw milk varieties and their frozen, gelato-style dessert, Goat-La-To.

The charming Farm Store and creamery are the heart of the operation, where visitors are encouraged to slow down and learn about how their food is made. The cheeses are made in small batches using traditional techniques that date back hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years. Offerings include Chevre, feta, farmers, and Queso Fresco.

Alongside their farmstead offerings, you’ll find shelves stocked with North Carolina-made items like jams, muscadine juice, pickles, cow butter, and honey, plus goat-themed gifts, toys, wind chimes, and handmade crafts.

And if Saturday mornings find you closer to downtown Winston-Salem? You can also catch them at Cobblestone Farmers Market.

Highlights

  • Farmstead cheeses, Goat-La-To frozen dessert, meats, and goat’s milk soaps
  • Local jams, pickles, muscadine juice, butter, honey, crafts, and unique gift items
  • Video tour in the farm store of cheese production and the farm’s animals
  • Located on a scenic, historic farm with deep Piedmont roots

Insider Tip: Visitors are encouraged to “sample and talk cheese” during their visit. Due to seasonality of the products, not all cheeses are always available.

Cobblestone Farmers Market

  • Location: 1007 Marshall Street SW, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Season: April – December | Winter Market: January – March
  • Hours: Saturdays, 8:30 am – 12 pm | Winter: 9:30 am – 12 pm
  • Parking: Street and lot parking available nearby
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: SNAP/EBT, WIC FMNP, SFMNP
  • Pet Policy: No dogs or other animals permitted inside the market
  • Visit Website

With a boutique feel, high standards for sustainability, and a curated list of vendors, Cobblestone draws both serious food lovers and casual Saturday strollers. This is where you go for exceptional quality, hard-to-find ingredients, and a social scene that feels like a weekly block party.

Expect a vibrant mix of meats, dairy, flowers, teas, and produce—many certified organic or Animal Welfare Approved. The market guarantees all vendors meet strict naturally grown and humane practice standards.

Start your stroll by picking up a sourdough loaf from Camino Bakery (you might want to grab a chai latte, too). Head to Heritage Harvest Farms for a jar of wellness honey (made with their own Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail mushrooms). Then, swing by Cedar House Farms for locally grown produce and blooms.

Saura Creek Farm is another great stop. Here, you can shop for humanely raised, mercury-free rainbow trout and a wide selection of seasonal produce.

Throughout the year, you’ll find full-season and guest vendors, food trucks, and live music.

Winston-Salem farmers market produce.
Photo by Michelle Schenker for My Winston-Salem, © Cover Story Media, Inc. 2025.

Highlights

  • Dedicated to increasing access to local, sustainably grown food and growing the regional food economy
  • WIC and Senior FMNP accepted and matched; SNAP participants receive an additional $10 in market tokens per visit
  • Walkable, family-friendly space with music, food trucks, and shaded green space

Insider Tip: Expect higher prices here than at larger markets—but the quality, care, and ambiance make it well worth the visit.

Our Personal Experience At Cobblestone Farmers Market

The Winston-Salem farmers markets are a joy to attend. It’s one of our favorite weekend outings and stocks our fridge and pantry with healthy local ingredients for the week. Our go-to is Cobblestone—it has plenty of room to hang out, a big fenced-in play area for kids, and even Bolivian coffee.

– Alex Schenker, Resident & Co-Founder of MyWinston-Salem.com

Fair Share Farm

  • Location: 3868 Transou Road, Pfafftown, NC 27040
  • Hours: Friday 1 pm 6 pm, Saturday 10 am – 4 pm
  • Parking: Free on-site parking
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: SNAP/EBT, WIC, FMNP, SFMNP
  • Visit Website

Located just outside Winston-Salem, this small farm not only offers seasonal produce from its own fields but also partners with nearby producers to bring customers a wide variety of goods through in-person and online shopping. You’ll find pastured eggs, meats, goat cheese, baked goods, pantry staples, and fresh coffee from local artisans.

The on-site barn store is stocked weekly with items from partner producers like Bobby Boy Bake Shop bread, Magic Beans Coffee, RootLevel Farms chicken, Goat Lady Dairy cheese, and more. Can’t make it in person? Their online farm stand allows you to pre-order for cooler pickup on Tuesdays.

One of the season’s highlights is the annual Barn Bash, a community celebration with live music, food trucks, farm tours, games for kids, and 20+ local vendors. It’s free to attend, and you’re encouraged to bring a cooler, camp chair, and appetite.

Highlights

  • Certified Naturally Grown produce and farm partner goods (meats, cheese, coffee, baked goods)
  • Online farm stand with Tuesday pre-order pickup
  • Seasonal events like Barn Bash with food trucks and music
  • Actively reduces food waste and expands access through food assistance and donation programs

Insider Tip: Bring cash for pop-up vendors at events, and consider pre-ordering online for weekly produce orders.

Fairgrounds Farmers Market (Carolina Classic Farmers Market)

  • Location: Winston-Salem Fair Grounds, 421 W. 27th St/University Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Hours: Saturdays, 6 am – 12 pm
  • Parking: Enter off 27th Street—free and spacious
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: SNAP/EBT, WIC
  • Pet Policy: No dogs or pets allowed in the market, except for assistance/service animals
  • Visit Website

Forsyth County’s longest-running market, the Fairgrounds Farmers Market is a Saturday morning tradition. This market offers a weatherproof, year-round shopping experience with a spacious, indoor layout.

Vendors return weekly with a rotating lineup of seasonal goods, ensuring each visit offers something new while providing the dependable staples regulars count on. There’s something for everyone, from produce and pasture-raised meats to honey, fresh flowers, baked goods, and crafts.

Regulars know to stop by longtime vendor Marshall Farms for seasonal produce and canned goods or to Turtle Bay Skin Care for handmade soaps and natural body products—but it’s worth wandering the full loop to explore handcrafted jewelry, pottery, local coffee, and more.

If you have a sweet tooth, head to Oh My Cookies for their soft, chewy cookies—three for $5. Saint Basil Farm & Teas stands out for its small-batch herbal tinctures, medicinal tea blends, and sourdough baked goods. Whether you come for the produce or the pastries, this indoor market delivers year-round flavor and hometown pride.

Highlights

  • Wide selection of fruits, vegetables, flowers, crafts, and baked goods
  • Longstanding community market with deep local ties
  • Covered shopping area and Saturday morning atmosphere
winston salem farmers market png
Photo by Michelle Schenker for My Winston-Salem, © Cover Story Media, Inc. 2025.

Piedmont Triad Farmers Market

  • Location: 2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax, NC (Exit 208 off I-40)
  • Hours: Open daily, 7 am – 6 pm
  • Parking: Free on-site parking available
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: SNAP/EBT, FMNP, WIC
  • Pet Policy: Pets are not allowed inside market buildings, sheds, or shops, but well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome in outdoor areas
  • Visit Website

Open seven days a week and spanning multiple buildings, the Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market features daily produce from local growers, an indoor retail shop building, and a food truck alley. It’s one of the region’s largest and most comprehensive markets, offering something for everyone—from quick midweek grocery runs to weekend shopping excursions.

The Farmer’s Buildings are dedicated to local growers selling fruits, vegetables, plants, ornamentals, meats, and cheeses. These covered sheds provide plenty of space to talk directly with the people who grow your food.

The Market Shoppe is a 12,600-square-foot indoor retail area filled with locally-made baked goods, candies, jams, local meats, cheeses, handmade soaps, honey, and seasonal gifts.

Adjacent to the main market, A.B. Seed Company runs a full-service garden center and greenhouse stocked with flowers, herbs, vegetable starts, and gardening supplies.

Highlights

  • Huge range of North Carolina products, from produce to wine
  • Indoor and outdoor shopping areas with year-round accessibility
  • On-site garden center with a greenhouse for plant shopping

Insider Tip: Piedmont Triad is one of the best markets in the region for affordable produce and variety. It’s state-run, massive, and perfect for scoring deals on bulk fruits and vegetables. Use the weekday hours for quieter shopping—weekends get crowded!

New! Trade Street Farmers Market

  • Location: 560 Trade Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Hours: Oct 5, Nov 2, Dec 7 – 10 am-2 pm
  • Visit Instagram

The new Trade Street Farmers Market will open the first Sunday of each month in 2025 and have a weekly schedule in 2026. It will feature fresh produce, local vendors, food, and drinks. More information to come as it becomes available.

Seasonal Farmers Markets

While some markets operate all year, others truly come to life with the arrival of spring and summer. These seasonal farmers markets are a highlight of warmer months in Winston-Salem, offering vibrant selections of produce, flowers, and handmade goods in lively, open-air settings.

From weekday pop-ups to weekend community events, these markets are perfect for soaking up sunshine, supporting local growers, and discovering something new each week.

Clemmons Farmers Market

  • Location: Jerry Long Family YMCA, 1150 S. Peace Haven Rd, Clemmons, NC
  • Season: May 10 – September 27
  • Hours: Saturdays, 8:30 am – 2 pm
  • Parking: Free onsite and field parking near Jessie Village Drive
  • Pet Policy: The Jerry Long YMCA campus is dog-free
  • Visit Website

Set in the open field beside the Jerry Long Family YMCA, the Clemmons Farmers Market is a Saturday staple for locals seeking a low-key, community-first market experience. With a strong emphasis on healthy living and sustainable agriculture, this seasonal market offers an approachable mix of food, wellness, and handmade goods.

You’ll find a friendly collection of vendors selling everything from pasture-raised eggs and goat cheese to crocheted goods, herbal tinctures, pottery, and plants.

Kombucha lovers will want to swing by Wirehaired Booch for a rotating selection of flavors like Blackberry Orange and Mango Habanero. And don’t miss Stone of Scone, a micro-bakery serving up trail bars and granola. For a boost to your immune system, grab a bottle of elderberry syrup from Nurture By Nature.

Highlights

  • Focus on healthy living and locally-grown food
  • Special event days with food trucks and live music
  • Relaxed, family-friendly setting on YMCA grounds

Kernersville Farmers Market

  • Location: 134 E. Mountain Street, Kernersville, NC
  • Season: May – October
  • Hours: Wednesdays & Saturdays, 8 am – 12 pm
  • Visit Website

The Kernersville Farmers Market is a true local institution, connecting the community to farmers, bakers, nurseries, cheesemakers, and other producers from Kernersville and surrounding North Carolina counties. This market emphasizes transparency and authenticity—everything sold here must be grown or made by the person or family selling it, and all products must originate from within a 12-county region.

It’s more than a place to shop—it’s a resource for learning about food, agriculture, and nutrition and a chance to support small farms in a region known for its agricultural roots. Whether you’re after plants, produce, handmade jam, or a friendly chat, this market offers a laid-back experience about connection.

Highlights

  • Only homegrown or homemade items from a 12-county region
  • Includes fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, nursery plants, and farm-made crafts
  • Friendly, slower-paced atmosphere great for families and newcomers alike
bins of fresh vegetables, including peas and many different colors and types of peppers.
Find farm fresh fruit and vegetables at the Farmer’s Markets.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Marion

King Farmers Market

  • Location: Stokes Family YMCA, 105 Moore Rd, King, NC
  • Season: May 7 – October 30
  • Hours: Wednesdays, 11 am – 1 pm
  • Parking: Free in the YMCA lot
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: WIC FMNP and SFMNP
  • Visit Website

The King Farmers Market has been serving the Stokes County community since 1998. As a producer-only market, every product is grown, raised, or handmade by the vendor selling it—no reselling allowed.

This midweek market is small but mighty, offering farm-fresh produce, pasture-raised meats and eggs, goat milk soap, native plants, mushrooms, and seasonal baked goods.

Run as a non-profit, the market’s mission goes beyond commerce: it improves food access and security, supports local farms and artisans, and promotes healthy eating. It’s also the only market in Stokes County that accepts Senior FMNP vouchers.

You’ll find regulars like Beaver Creek Farm (vegetables), Engleberries Farm (seasonal berries and eggs), Rivas Ranch (pasture-raised meats), and Twisted Pine Acres (goat milk soap and baked goods). With a friendly crowd and a relaxed pace, it’s a great place to stock up midweek and chat with local growers.

Highlights

  • Longest-running, producer-only market in Stokes County
  • Non-profit mission to support food access, healthy eating, and local growers
  • Accepts WIC and Senior FMNP nutrition assistance programs

Liberty Street Urban Farmers Market

  • Location: 1551 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Season: April – October
  • Hours: First and third Fridays of the month, 4 pm – 6 pm
  • Accepted Nutrition Assistance Programs: SNAP/EBT

Liberty Street offers a unique look into Winston-Salem’s urban food scene. It’s built around community garden plots and backyard growers from nearby neighborhoods—many of whom started farming to address food access and insecurity.

The market features ultra-fresh produce grown within city limits, sometimes harvested the night before. The vibe is grassroots and welcoming. Volunteers often help organize cooking demos, nutrition workshops, and garden tours.

Highlights

  • Produce grown in community gardens and urban plots
  • Unique hyper-local offerings not found elsewhere
  • Focus on sustainability and food access

Insider Tip: Arrive early for the freshest produce. This market was started to support local growers working in backyard plots and community gardens in food deserts. Selection varies week to week based on what’s harvested.

Willow Ridge Farmstead

  • Location: 4720 Willow Court, Winston-Salem, NC
  • Hours: Saturdays, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Visit Website

Willow Ridge Farmstead feels more like a weekend retreat than a standard market. Nestled on a small family farm, it blends outdoor fun, sustainable farming, and a community-minded mission into a relaxed and memorable Saturday experience. Their philosophy centers on cultivating a thriving, sustainable community through naturally grown produce and regenerative practices.

Visitors are welcomed with hearty breakfasts served on the porch and a vibrant market lineup each Saturday. At the market, expect farm-fresh eggs, sourdough bread, local honey, goat milk soap, candles, hot sauce, and a rotating harvest of leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and spinach. You can even pick your own blueberries in July.

Beyond the food, Willow Ridge is a family-friendly space filled with games and charm. Kids (and kids at heart) can enjoy ping-pong, Pac-Man, pickle tether ball, and visits with the goats and chickens. On Thursday evenings, the farm transforms into a music venue for Open Mic Nights, with farm-fresh cheesesteaks, chicken burgers, and local talent taking the stage.

Highlights

  • Saturday porch breakfasts
  • Online ordering available for convenient pickup
  • Outdoor games and farm animal visits for all ages
  • Weekly Open Mic Nights with live music and food

Insider Tip: Don’t skip the porch breakfast—and bring a cooler and chairs if you plan to stay a while.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question before you visit your local market? You’re not alone.

Whether you’re a first-time shopper or a Saturday morning regular, this FAQ answers some of the most common questions about shopping local, getting the most out of your visit, and navigating seasonal markets across the Winston-Salem area.

Don’t see yours? Ask us in the comments!

What Should I Bring With Me To A Farmers Market?

Most farmers markets in Winston-Salem are casual, open-air events, so dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Bring a reusable bag or market basket to carry your items—some vendors provide bags, but not all.

It’s also a good idea to bring cash (especially small bills) as not every booth will accept cards, though more vendors are transitioning to digital payments.

A cooler with ice packs is helpful when shopping for meat, dairy, or eggs, particularly during the warmer months. If you’re visiting with kids or pets, check each market’s pet policy, and consider packing water and a light snack to enjoy while exploring.

Are The Markets Open In The Winter?

Yes, a few markets operate year-round. Cobblestone Farmers Market continues through the winter with a modified schedule (Saturdays, 9:30 am–12 pm from January to March). Piedmont Triad and the Fairgrounds Farmers Market also stay open throughout the year.

These winter markets often offer fewer vendors, but you can still find fresh greens, root vegetables, meats, baked goods, and pantry staples.

Before heading out, check the market’s website or social media for the latest hours and vendor information.

Can I Bring My Dog?

Many farmers markets have policies prohibiting dogs due to liability and food-safety concerns. Because these policies vary significantly, always check the specific market’s policy online or by calling ahead. Even at pet-friendly markets, it’s courteous to give vendors space and avoid crowding tight booths.

What’s The Best Time To Arrive?

Early birds get the best pick of produce—especially popular items like berries, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh-baked bread. Arriving right when the market opens is ideal if you’re looking for a full selection and fewer crowds. Many vendors sell out by mid-morning.

However, if you’re hoping to score deals, the market’s final hour may offer markdowns or bundle discounts as vendors prepare to pack up. Just remember that selection is more limited later in the day, and some stands close early.

Do Vendors Accept SNAP/EBT Or WIC?

Yes, several markets support food access programs. Look for a central booth or information tent at the market entrance where you can swipe your EBT card and receive tokens to spend. Matching programs often double your buying power, making it easier to bring home fresh, healthy food.

Farmers Markets – A Great Way To Spend The Day!

Visiting a Farmers Market offers time in the sunshine, a sense of community, healthy eating with homegrown, local products, and a great way to spend a day with the family. The farmers and vendors can provide information and recipes if they have the time to chat. To learn more about Farmers Markets, be sure to see our Cobblestone Farmers Market feature.

Don’t see your farmer’s market? Let us know in the comments!

Kathy Solarino

I am originally from New Jersey but now call Winston-Salem home. I am blessed with 3 sons, their wives, and five grandchildren. My husband is deceased, but I gained his two sons, their wives, and four additional grandchildren. I fell in love with Winston-Salem because of the beautiful area, the arts, the music, and the people. It's a city with a heart and soul.

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