By Few things capture the rhythm of Greensboro and the wider Triad quite like a Saturday morning spent at a farmers market: the smell of just-cut basil, tables stacked with sun-warm tomatoes, and farmers who can tell you exactly which field your strawberries came from. Whether you are a visitor looking for a true taste of the Piedmont or a local building a weekly grocery ritual, the markets here run year-round and shift beautifully with the seasons. This guide covers where to shop, when to go, and what to look for on the tables month by month.
The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market
Founded in 1874, the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market is the city’s original market and still its anchor. Housed in a covered, climate-controlled building on Yanceyville Street, it is the rare market that runs every single Saturday of the year, rain, shine, or January cold. The building means you shop in comfort, with heating in winter, restrooms, a cafe, an ATM, and an information desk on site.
Inside you will find a deep bench of local growers alongside bakers, butchers, cheesemakers, and artisans. Expect seasonal produce, eggs, honey, prepared foods, fresh bread, and handmade goods. The market is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operated on behalf of the City of Greensboro, and it runs food access programs, cooking demonstrations, and a Book Nook lending library for kids.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 501 Yanceyville Street, Greensboro, NC 27405
- Phone: (336) 373-2402
- Hours: Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., year-round. A weekday market also runs on Tuesday evenings from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. beginning in mid-April.
- Website: gsofarmersmarket.org
- Email: MarketOpsGFM@gmail.com
- Admission: Free; ample on-site parking
The Corner Farmers Market
On the west side of town, The Corner Farmers Market has become a beloved neighborhood institution near the Lindley Park and Sunset Hills area. Set outdoors at the corner of West Market Street, it carries a producer-only spirit: farm-fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, pasture eggs, local honey, pickles and preserves, breads, baked goods, and prepared foods from community makers.
It is a genuinely family-friendly stop, with kids activities and leashed dogs welcome. One detail that matters for residents on a budget: the market runs a SNAP matching program that doubles benefits up to $50 per week, stretching food dollars while supporting local farms.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 2105 West Market Street, Greensboro, NC
- Hours: Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., year-round, rain or shine
- Website: cornermarketgso.com
- Admission: Free
Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market
For the largest selection in the region, locals head west to the state-run Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Colfax, just off I-40 between Greensboro and Winston-Salem. This is a sprawling, open-daily operation built for serious shopping: produce by the case, bedding plants and flowers in spring, shops, restaurants, and arts and crafts. Because it is open seven days a week, it is the dependable backup when you miss the Saturday-morning markets in town.
The Department of Agriculture publishes a handy North Carolina Produce Availability Chart that the market uses to flag what is currently in season, which is worth a glance before you go.
Plan Your Visit
- Address: 2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax, NC 27235 (I-40 Exit 208)
- Phone: (336) 605-9157
- Hours: Daily 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., year-round. The market office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Admission: Free; free on-site parking
More Markets Around Greensboro and the Triad
Beyond the big three, the area is dotted with smaller neighborhood and seasonal markets worth knowing if you are a local building a weekly route or a visitor staying in a particular part of town.
- South Elm Urban Market: A downtown gathering in the 300 block of South Elm Street, held Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m., seasonally from early May through late November.
- The People’s Market: At 1307 Glenwood Avenue, Thursdays 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., April through October.
- Garden Valley Farmers Market: A daily produce stand at 4204 North Church Street, open Monday through Saturday and Sunday afternoons, year-round.
- NW Guilford Farmers and Specialty Market: In Summerfield at 7200 Summerfield Road, Wednesdays 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., early May through late October.
- Jamestown Community Farmers Market: At 306 Guilford Road in Jamestown, Sundays noon to 6:00 p.m. during the May through September season.
Hours and seasonal dates for the smaller markets can shift year to year, so confirm before making a special trip.
What’s In Season: A Triad Produce Calendar
Half the fun of shopping local is letting the calendar set your menu. North Carolina’s Piedmont has a long growing season, and the tables tell you what month it is. Dates can shift by a week or two with the weather, but here is the general rhythm.
Spring (March through May)
Spring opens with tender greens, lettuces, spinach, radishes, spring onions, and asparagus. The headline act is strawberries, which typically peak in late April and May and disappear fast, so buy them when you see them. This is also peak season for bedding plants and seedlings if you are starting a garden.
Summer (June through August)
Summer is the showstopper. Vine-ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, squash and zucchini, cucumbers, green beans, bell and hot peppers, blueberries, blackberries, melons, okra, and eggplant all crowd the tables. North Carolina peaches hit their stride from June through September. If you want to put up tomato sauce or freeze berries, this is the window to buy in bulk.
Fall (September through November)
As the heat breaks, look for apples, sweet potatoes, winter squash and pumpkins, collards and other hearty greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and the last of the peppers. Fall markets are the best time to stock a pantry with storage crops that keep for weeks.
Winter (December through February)
The growing slows but does not stop. Indoor and year-round markets carry storage sweet potatoes and winter squash, kale and collards, root vegetables, eggs, honey, baked goods, jams, meats, and cheeses. This is when shopping the covered Curb Market really pays off. For a full month-by-month breakdown, the NC Field Family produce calendar is a helpful reference.
Tips for Shopping the Markets Like a Local
- Arrive early. The best of the peaches, berries, and bread can sell out within the first hour on a busy Saturday.
- Bring cash and small bills. Many vendors take cards or apps now, but cash keeps lines moving and is appreciated.
- Bring your own bags. A sturdy tote or two and a cooler bag in summer will save your produce on the ride home.
- Talk to the growers. Ask what is best that week and how to cook it; the answers are usually better than any recipe search.
- Check social media before you go. Markets post weekly vendor lineups and any weather changes on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Where to Stay Nearby
Visitors who want to build a weekend around the markets have excellent options within minutes of both the Curb Market and The Corner. Greensboro’s celebrated boutique hotels, the O.Henry Hotel and the LEED-certified Proximity Hotel, sit on the west side near The Corner Farmers Market and both spotlight local, seasonal cooking. Closer to downtown and the South Elm market, the Marriott Greensboro Downtown and Hyatt Place Greensboro/Downtown put you within walking distance of Sunday shopping. You can compare rates and book these and other Greensboro hotels through Expedia.
Planning tip: Time your visit for a Saturday morning, hit the Curb Market when the doors open at 8:00 a.m., then drive ten minutes west to The Corner before noon. You will catch both flagship markets at their peak and still have the afternoon free for a Piedmont Triad Farmers Market run if you are stocking up for the week.