Food as medicine to be explored at local farmers market event |

THOMASVILLE — The Thomasville Farmers Market and Davidson County Local Food Network have partnered to offer a day of exploring food as medicine on Sept. 21.

The Food As Medicine Festival will allow participants to learn the connection between food and wellness and how its benefits our physical and mental health. Cooking demonstrations, tasting tables and special guests will be part of the event from 8 a.m.-noon.

“We wanted to end the market season with a bang,” said Grace Kanoy, the president of the Thomasville Farmers Market Board of Directors and a co-founder of DCLFN, noting Sept. 21 is the last day of the market. “There is a whole movement with culinary medicine. There is a lot that can be done for people with diabetes or dementia.” 

Kanoy and others involved with the farmers market and DCLFN are pros at understanding what healthy meals and plates of food look like. However, in their discussions with others, many have told them they aren’t sure and need guidance.

Mahalaville Farms of Lexington will be on hand to discuss the healing and health benefits of mushrooms. There will also be beekeepers on hand with information about honey and the usual farmers market vendors, such as Crossings Farm, will talk about their bone broth.

“Eating fresh, local food is really the best for anybody,” she said. “And although the farmers market is ending on Sept. 21, you can still keep purchasing fresh, healthy food from local farmers and vendors through Piedmont Fresh. We’ll tell people how they can order farm fresh food and where to pick it up after the market closes for the season. We don’t want people to stop eating healthy, locally-produced food when the market closes.”

Additionally, Chefs Ross Bolen of Kitchenology in High Point and Thomas McNeil of Piedmont Fresh will be on hand preparing healthy dishes from the foods sold at the Thomasville Farmers Market.

Representatives from Renew Integrative Wellness and N.C. Medical Assist, a nonprofit pharmacy in North Carolina that gives out vitamins and over the counter medications, will also be at the Food As Medicine Festival, Kanoy said.

The special farmers market day is possible, she added, because of a grant to the farmers market from the Thomasville Community Foundation.

The Thomasville Farmers Market is at 21 E. Guilford St. 

Jill Doss-Raines is The Dispatch trending topics and personality profiles senior reporter and is always looking for tips about businesses and entertainment events, secret and new menu items and interesting people in Davidson County. Contact me at jill.doss-raines@the-dispatch.com.