The Winter Blues Farmers Market was held today at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center with 134 West Virginia farmers/producers. Bakery
Christy's Cupcake Creations
Chunky Monkey Sweets LLC
Flavor Mutt
Gibson's Goodies
Honey Do Produce
Lettie Janes
Mama Faye's Fudge & Confections
Mrs. Mel's Nana's Kitchen - They offer many "friendship breads," and I opted for a small salted caramel loaf.

Olden Days Farm and Cottage
Page's Sourdough
Pixie Sweets
Runway Farm
Sycamore Farms & Primitives
The Bluespoon Bakehouse & Catering - This former brick-and-mortar has scaled back, and they are focusing on baked goods. I have a pepperoni roll to try.

The Wild Ramp/Coalfield Development
Tibbenham Chocolates
Triple B Eatery
Willie's Candy
WV BAKr Bath & Body/Candles
Auntie Di's Emporium
Blooming Blessings Greenhouse
Hills & Holler Apothecary
Keep It Simple
Mountain Momma's Mindfulls
Sudsberry
The West Wildflower Co
Wild Mountain Soap Company
WildKat's Herbal Oasis, LLC Hemp
Genesis Mountain Farm, LLC

Pet
Bella and Beau's Biscuits
Buddy N Beast
Pawsitively Delish

Artisan
Blue Thistle Fibers, LLC
Bugtussle Farm
Butterflies From Heather Haw Run Farm - Mini sourdough pepperoni rolld caught my eye, so one went home with me.

Headline Books
Hidden Springs Farm
JEM'S Creations
Moonraker Alpaca Farm LLC
Rock Lake Community Garden

Canned Goods/Jams and Jellies
Dark Hollow Foods
Handmade WV Market
JarHead Farms Keep It Simple - I grabbed a jar of blackberry jam.

Kelly's Fresh Produce & More
Legacy Foods
Mountain & Marsh Trading Co LLC
Sassafras Mountain Farm LLC
Sol de Montani Chile Ltd Co
T. L. Fruits and Vegetables
Tarbilly's BBQ
Tipsy Roo's
Uncle Bunks
Uncle Frankies
Williams River Farm - These folks specialize in two products: strawberry jam and strawberry syrup. I finally got a jar of the jam to try. Yates Sorghum - Sorghum speaks Appalachia to me. I picked up a small jar, but I had a hard time deciding between this and the apple butter.

Goods
Arbaugh Farm
Boone Memorial Hospital
Capitol Conservation District
Firstfruits Flour LLC
Food is Medicine
Front Porch Gifts
Ilar Homestead and Bakery
J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works
Solar Holler
St. Albans Farmers Market
South Charleston Farmers Market Unity Sisters Farm & Mear Mae's Meadow - Eggs and these radish microgreens have a little bite and are absolutely addictive.

Wildlee Made
WV Department of Agriculture Regulatory
WV Department of Agriculture Apiary
WV Grown
WV Farmers Market Association
WV Food and Farm Coalition
WV State University Extension

Freeze Dried Treats
DARN Good Candy
Harvest Trails Co.
Mike's Munchies LLC
TC Treats LLC - These Bits-o-Honey are even better in freeze-dried form.

Snack Items
Angie's What's Poppin Shoppe
Buffalo Creek Provisions
Cerealsly Delicious
Goldilocks Grazing
Mountain Juice Co
Sassy Gals
Something Good In WV LLC The Barefoot Farmer - I picked up some vanilla pecan granola here, which will be perfect for a crisp or with yogurt.

The WV Pickle Guy
Trail Top Popcorn
We B Fryin Snacks Maple and Honey
Family Roots Farm - This Wellsburg-based farm has my heart. They are good people creating high-quality products, and I can't wait to try the maple mustard I purchased.

Lavender Hill Roost
Ronk Family Maple Farm
Treats From Trees
Howe Sweet It Is
Larry's Apiaries
Oldham Sugar Works/Fruits de la Rose
R & A Honeybees LLC
Rimfire Apiary
Simply Bee
Sugar Bottom Farm
Tyler Creek Farm
Woodhaven Farm

Meat and Dairy
Angelos Italian Sausage
Custard Stand Chili
Forest Heights Farm - They had little meatballs samples and sell heritage bred beef. I got one lb. to try put.

Lost River Butcher Block
Middle Mountain Farmstead - Pork chorizo was calling my name. But I've never actually cooked it. Give me your tips! Novak Farm - I purchased some pork kielbasa, which I am hopeful the maple mustard will pair perfectly with!

Parsons Ridge Farm
Perk Farm Organic Dairy
Quicken Farm - ramp brats that I am already dreaming up how I can use. Taylor Family Farms & Custom Meats - I picked up some cowboy cut ribeyes. Produce and Plants
Green Thumb Botanicals LLC
Gritt's Farm
Herd Dirt Compost
Mountain State Fungi - I missed out on them last year, so I was sure to get some dried pearl oyster mushrooms.

Muddy Mountain Flower Farm
Sassafras Mountain Farm LLC
Sloping Acres - It's rare to find black walnuts for sale. I learned this when I was working on a column about them. So I was excited to see these available.

WV Herb Association

Coffee
Aroma of the Andes Coffee
Bean Theory Coffee
Mountain Folk Coffee
Mountain Table
Sibling Coffee Roasters
The Black Dog Coffee Company

Rise + Restore Coffee Co. is a family-owned coffee shop in Mineral Wells that also offers dine in and drive-thru service. Drink options include lattes, refreshers, smoothies, teas and more. I ordered a peach sunrise refresher, which features peach, pomegranate and orange juice. This had a great mix of sweet with tangy tartness. For snacks, they offer several kinds of bagel sandwiches: chicken salad, egg salad or buffalo chicken on an original, everything or jalapeno bagel from Box Bagels. My buffalo chicken everything bagel checked all the satisfactory boxes - some punchy sauce or crumbles of blue cheese would have pushed this into "exceeds expectations" range for me. Grade: B

Across the Board Game Café is a unique restaurant and game café where friends and families connect over delicious food, coffee, and hundreds of board games. They have over 500 games, which is more than I even knew existed. While gaming is not my particular brand of nerdy, I love that it's available for others. I was here for the food. It looks like they have a pretty extensive menu with coffees, ice creams, breakfast, flatbreads, salads, dips, sandwiches, soups, cake, pastries, dirty sodas, mocktails and more. In my eyes, though, I only saw ice cream. Ashby's Sterling Ice Cream is made in Michigan and hand-scooped here in White Sulphur Springs. I took one look at "Strawberry Pretzel Dessert" and knew it needed to be in my tummy. It's a premium, creamy, sweet-and-salty flavor featuring cheesecake ice cream mixed with strawberry puree and a crunchy, salty pretzel crust swirl. I need that ribbon of salty, crunchy contrast in every ice cream for the rest of my life. Grade: A

Toasted is a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant in Inwood that puts creative spins on a childhood favorite. In addition to their brick-and-mortar space, they have a food truck -- which seems like it will be the focus for them moving forward. I ordered the Hot Hen, which has Homemade Buffalo Chicken, Homemade Ranch & Pepper Jack on Sourdough. It delivers a satisfying kick, with tender shredded buffalo chicken bringing just the right level of heat balanced by cool, creamy ranch. Pepper jack melts smoothly into the filling, adding a subtle spice while the sourdough provides a crisp, buttery crunch. It’s a bold, messy-in-the-best-way sandwich. Grade: B

Gump’s IGA is a locally owned neighborhood grocery store in Grafton. It operates as part of the regional IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) network, which allows independently owned stores to offer national brands while maintaining a small-town, community-focused feel. They off a full range of everyday grocery staples including fresh produce, meat and deli items, dairy, frozen foods, pantry essentials, and household necessities typical of a neighborhood supermarket. Their deli makes pepperoni rolls that are popular and have been recommended to me several times. So, it was time. They offer pepperoni rolls both individually wrapped and in six packs. There's mozzarella and hot pepper cheese, at least on the day that I visited. I grabbed a hot pepper cheese one, because I enjoy the little extra spice. And, it wasn't bad. Deli pepperoni rolls tend to have thicker, drier bread in my experience. I like mine to be pretty moist and the interior to be thick with filling. Grade: B

The WV Artisan Market in Jackson County, is a retail space featuring handmade goods from numerous local artisans, offering a diverse selection of art, jewelry, home decor, and more, alongside a cafe and event space for activities like live music and crafting classes. There were some local freeze-dried candies, like J & K Freeze Dried Candies, and jams. After some shopping, I settled in with a menu on the cafe side of the shop. I decided on a small portion of their daily special, spaghetti with meat sauce, as well as some southwestern nachos to go. Both were decent but fairly average: the spaghetti was comforting and filling, though the sauce lacked depth, while the nachos had good toppings but nothing that really stood out in flavor or texture. Overall, it was a satisfying, no-frills meal that did the job without leaving a strong impression. Have you been? Grade: B

Route 33 Steakhouse in Spencer is a new-ish restaurant brought to us by successful restauranteurs in town. It's a modest, straight-forward space without a lot of frill. The steakhouse offers standard steaks, as well as a few appetizers, sides and entrees like fish, chicken and pasta. All in all, though, the menu is fairly compact. We were at a steakhouse, so I decided to go for it and order a steak -- even though it was lunch time. Sides of green beans and macaroni & cheese rounded out the meal. It was good — nicely cooked with solid flavor — even if it didn’t quite reach standout status, and while the green beans were a little watery and the mac and cheese slightly dry, both still tasty overall. Grade: B

You know those lists that are like "THIS little shack out in the middle of nowhere has THE BEST PIZZA"? I always fall for them. That's how Shade Creek Diner & Carryout made its way on my radar. Located in Creston, this small shop is not on the way to anywhere. So, I made a special day trip to check it out. The inside could be mistaken for a handyman's shop, with odds & ends all over the place. Plus some candy bars & chips for purchase. They primarily offer burgers, subs & pizza - including my favorite option: personal size. I ordered a cheese Candace-sized pizza and waited maybe 20 minutes or so before it was ready. It was truly made to order, which I appreciated. The personal size was a perfect portion to enjoy on my way back home. It had a puffy crust, so not for thin-crust lovers. It had a mild sauce and plenty of cheese. I will say it was a decent pizza, though not necessarily memorable. It is kinda like a homestyle, grandma-style that is common in small hometown spots. It's comforting and was piping hot. But not quite as exciting as I'd like. Grade: B

La Banca is an Italian restaurant and bar housed in the historic former City Bank of Milton building. The name “La Banca” means “The Bank” in Italian, and the restaurant blends home‑style Italian cooking with craft cocktails. It opened in late 2024 and is locally and veteran‑owned. The menu features a wide variety of classic and elevated Italian fare, including handmade pastas, artisan pizzas, grinders (Italian‑style sandwiches), salads and soups, seafood, and hearty entrées like lasagna, chicken piccata, and steak. I enjoyed a pappardelle bolognese, which had a hearty, comforting feel, with tender noodles that held the sauce well, but the flavor came across a little flat — missing that rich, meaty punch you hope for in a bolognese. The texture was spot-on, though, and a sprinkle of cheese added a nice touch, even if the overall sauce could use a bit more depth. It’s satisfying, just not quite as bold as I expected. Grade: B