RALEIGH — Vendors at the State Farmers Market offer local produce, meats and cheeses throughout the year, but the best time for locally raised crawfish is Crawfish Day. The annual event, sponsored by the N.C. Crawfish Growers Association, will be held Saturday, June 8.
N.C. crawfish are raised in earthen ponds from the Piedmont to the coast, and the season runs from the end of May to mid-July. Last year, crawfish growers raised about 9,000 pounds of crawfish. Sterling Davenport, vice president of the growers association and owner of Millpond Crawfish in Roper, expects another good crop this year.
“We’re harvesting about 90 pounds a day at Millpond, and we’re seeing those numbers from other growers, too,” Davenport said. “We should have about 1,000 pounds of crawfish available for Crawfish Day.”
Growers will start selling at 10 a.m. and continue until they are sold out. The event has become one of the more popular events at the farmers market, and visitors are encouraged to come early. Last year, growers sold out in less than two hours.
Crawfish will be sold for $6 per pound live or $7 per pound cooked with Cajun seasoning. There is a 5-pound minimum purchase for live crawfish and a 1-pound minimum for cooked crawfish. There is also a 25-pound limit per person, and no pre-orders will be accepted.
 The State Farmers Market has a large assortment of seasonal produce, freshly baked bread, and locally grown herbs, plants and shrubs. In the Market Shoppes, visitors will find a variety of meats and cheeses, fruit and gift baskets, as well as custom picture framing and a variety of Goodness Grows in North Carolina products.
The State Farmers Market is located off Lake Wheeler Road at Exit 297 off Interstate 40. More information on Crawfish Day and other events at the State Farmers Market can be found at www.statefarmersmarket.org.