September 2025

8 THE QUEEN CITY’S FOOD FUTURE LOCAL FARMS FEEDING CHARLOTTE The eye-opening clarity you feel when biting into a tomato still warm from the morning sun—that’s what local food tastes like. In Charlotte, that tomato often comes from a farm a dozen miles away, sold to you at the South End Farmers Market at Atherton Mill. Let me walk you through why this movement matters—and why it tastes even richer when you know the story behind it. A Community Market in Action Since 2010, the South End Farmers Market—for- merly known as the Atherton Market—has become a vibrant Saturday ritual, running from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rain or shine. You’ll find everything: fresh produce, meats, seafood, eggs, baked goods, hon- ey, jams, even garden supplies and home-bath