Sorghum, Coffee Roasting, and the People Behind Your Saturday in Waynesville

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  June 29, 2026

A close cousin to molasses is getting its own demonstration in a theater parking lot in Waynesville this summer. The folks at Hidden Valley Farm will walk shoppers through how they make sorghum at the Haywood Historic Farmers Market on Saturday, July 4. It is the first stop in a new monthly series.

The market sets up Saturday mornings in the HART Theatre lot at 250 Pigeon Street in Haywood County. Waynesville sits just off US-23/74, about a 30-minute drive west of Asheville, which makes it an easy morning trip whether you live here or are still dreaming about it.

What is the Market Mentors series?

The new series is called Market Mentors, and the idea is simple. Each month a different vendor steps out from behind their table to explain how they actually make what they sell. The talks run 20 minutes, with hands-on activities and demonstrations, and they happen twice on the first Saturday of the month, at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

That format works well. You are not stuck in a lecture. You can catch a talk, ask a few questions, and get back to filling your tote bag with tomatoes and bread.

Sorghum is a fitting kickoff. It is one of those Appalachian staples that has quietly held on for generations in these mountains, and most people have no idea how it goes from a tall grassy stalk to the sweet syrup on the breakfast table. Hidden Valley Farm will show you.

What's coming up each month?

The lineup carries through the fall, and there is something for nearly every kind of curiosity.

On August 1, Great Commission Coffee answers a question most of us never think to ask, which is how a funny little green bean becomes the best part of the morning. They will run a roasting demonstration and make the case for small, local roasters.

September 5 brings Fire on the Mountain Candle Company, with a look at non-toxic candles and how to use them well. October 3 features Sustainabillies on the unglamorous but essential work of feeding your soil, because good growers tend their dirt before anything else.

The series wraps November 7 with Crescent Moon Farm at Frog Holler Cove. They will run a cooking demonstration built around the underappreciated vegetables that show up at market once the weather turns. If you have ever stared at an unfamiliar fall squash and put it back down, this one is for you.

Why does a market like this matter in Waynesville?

A farmers market is more than a place to buy produce. In a town like Waynesville, it is where the community actually shows up. You see the same growers week after week, you learn whose tomatoes are best, and you start to recognize the people who feed your neighbors.

That sense of connection is a big part of what draws people to Haywood County in the first place. The market sits a short walk from Waynesville's historic Main Street, with galleries, coffee shops, and the kind of small-town character that is getting harder to find. Spend one Saturday morning there and you understand the appeal pretty quickly.

It also reflects something real about the local economy here. Small farms and independent roasters are not a novelty in these mountains. They are the backbone of how a lot of folks make a living, and a series like Market Mentors gives them a chance to share the craft behind it.

How do you plan a visit?

Keep it loose. The market runs Saturday mornings, so come early, grab a coffee, and let the Market Mentors talk anchor your morning. The first Saturday of each month is the one to circle if you want to catch a demonstration, with sessions at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Bring cash and a bag, and leave room in your schedule to wander Main Street afterward. For specifics on vendors or dates, email the market at haywoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

If a Saturday morning like this one has you picturing what life in Waynesville could really be like, Jon Tharp is always glad to talk through what it takes to call these mountains home.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Haywood Historic Farmers Market located?

The Haywood Historic Farmers Market sets up Saturday mornings in the parking lot of HART Theatre at 250 Pigeon Street in Waynesville, North Carolina. Waynesville is the county seat of Haywood County, just off US-23/74 and about 30 minutes west of Asheville. The location puts the market within easy walking distance of the historic Main Street shops and restaurants, making it an easy anchor for a full Saturday morning downtown. For questions, the market can be reached at haywoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

What is the Market Mentors series at the Haywood Farmers Market?

Market Mentors is a new series this season that spotlights a different vendor and their production practices each month. Each session is a 20-minute talk paired with hands-on activities and demonstrations, held at 9:30 and 11 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month. The lineup runs July through November and covers sorghum making, coffee roasting, non-toxic candles, soil health, and a fall cooking demonstration. The talks are built to be casual and educational, so you can wander up, learn something, and keep shopping.

When are the Market Mentors talks scheduled in 2026?

The series runs on the first Saturday of each month from July through November. July 4 features Hidden Valley Farm on sorghum. August 1 brings Great Commission Coffee with a roasting demonstration. September 5 is Fire on the Mountain Candle Company on non-toxic candles. October 3 features Sustainabillies on building healthy soil. November 7 closes the series with Crescent Moon Farm at Frog Holler Cove and a cooking demonstration using underappreciated fall vegetables. Each date includes two talk times, at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Is the Haywood Farmers Market worth visiting if I'm considering a move to Waynesville?

For a lot of people weighing a move to the mountains, the Saturday farmers market is the clearest snapshot of what daily life here feels like. You meet the growers, the roasters, and the makers who live and work in Haywood County, and you get a sense of the pace and the community. Waynesville's market sits in a walkable downtown with restaurants, galleries, and mountain views close by. Spending a Saturday morning there tells you more about the lifestyle than any listing photo can.