Growing Local

A group of Hispanic farmers is coming together in Henderson County to start the Tierra Fertil Coop. Founding member Delia Jovel shares her journey from growing up in El Salvador to farming in Western North Carolina, and explains the coop’s collective vision for fostering social equity through local food.

Farm stands throughout Western North Carolina are opening up for the season and farmers can’t wait to welcome folks back. Hear about the roadside stands at Flying Cloud Farm in Fairview and SMM Farms in Hayesville in this episode of Growing Local.

Agriculture has been a pillar of Cherokee communities for generations and continues to be an important part of indigenous culture today. Visit Kituwah, the Mother Town of the Cherokee people, and hear about the significance of this community farm in this week’s Growing Local.

Spring vegetables are hitting farmers markets and chefs are using seasonal produce to celebrate. Hear why Chef J Chong is excited for spring markets in this week’s Growing Local.

ASAP’s Local Food Research Center surveyed farmers about their response to COVID-19 and found that overcoming challenges at the beginning of the pandemic gave farmers reason to be optimistic in 2021.

Many farmers work part or full-time jobs off the farm while also growing food and running a farm business. Hear Melissa Harwin from Highgate Farm reflect on her years of being a nurse and farmer, and learn how Hayley Creasman and Colby Buchanan balance multiple jobs while working with their family at Creasman Farms.

When Jona Felts lived in Costa Rica, he was surrounded by hot peppers and banana vinegar—the perfect ingredients for farm-fresh hot sauce. When he came back to the mountains of North Carolina, he figured out how to grow similar ingredients at Open Ridge Farm so he could use a little heat to sustain the farm through winter.

Community Supported Agriculture brings the best of a local farm to your kitchen. Wondering what to do with the bounty? Many CSA farms include recipes and cooking tips, like Encompass Farm, which shares fun and easy meal ideas that highlight that week’s veggie box.

Many farms offer vegetable and fruit CSAs, but as Community Supported Agriculture becomes more popular, some farms are thinking outside the produce drawer. Hear about CSAs that include flowers, meat, and more, and why Daffodil Spring Farm offers the classic combo of meat and potatoes.

Frances Juhlin’s path to farming took her through the cutthroat world of commodity trading. Hear how this former stock broker’s assistant got back to her roots growing produce at Candy Mountain Farm.

One of the hardest parts of expanding a business is finding trusted collaborators. Hear why the founder of Well Seasoned Table came to ASAP’s Business of Farming conference last year to connect with new farmers who will supply her seasonings company with local ingredients.

A thriving food system depends on local collaborations and personal relationships. Hear why Emily Copus from Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market aims to create agricultural job opportunities in Western North Carolina and how she’ll connect with other farmers and food producers at ASAP’s Business of Farming conference.

Three generations of the Creasman family have grown apples in Henderson County, North Carolina. Hear how Creasman Farms has evolved over the years and why they consider the whole community part of their family.

In 2017, Looking Glass Creamery took on a massive challenge of buying a dairy farm, learning how to care for the herd, and moving their cheesemaking operation to Columbus, NC. Hear how this family farm fared in a Growing Local update.

Looking Glass Creamery is known for its award-winning cheese, but in 2017 they decided to get closer to the source of their milk by buying Harmon Dairy. Hear how the Harmon brothers are teaching the cheesemakers how to milk the cows and manage the farm in this episode of Growing Local.

Have you ever wondered how farmers markets offer local produce even when temperatures dip below freezing? Hear about some of the season extension techniques farmers use to grow fresh food through the winter in this episode of Growing Local.

Tobacco barns hug the curves of many rural roads in Madison County, NC. Hear how these stalwarts of the past are being honored by the Appalachian Barn Alliance and how Root Bottom Farm transformed their old tobacco barn into a beacon of local food. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Barn Alliance.

Tobacco farming was once the backbone of agriculture in many parts of Western North Carolina. We look back at the culture that grew alongside tobacco and how communities are changing as farming moves to new crops.

As 2020 comes to a close, Molly Nicholie, program director of ASAP’s Local Food Campaign, reflects on the year and how we can support farmers in 2021.

Harold and Nancy Long grow heirloom seeds on their 40-acre farm in Murphy, North Carolina. Hear how they support and sustain Cherokee agricultural traditions each fall.

Fraser fir trees thrive in Western North Carolina and are often called the Cadillac of Christmas trees. Learn what it takes to grow these iconic trees in this week’s Growing Local.

2020 was a challenging year for farmers markets. Hear how farmers market managers worked together to provide safe places for the community to shop for local food.

With the holidays around the corner, some local farmers are stepping out of the soil and into the kitchen. Gather around the table to hear how farmers from Tumbling Shoals Farm, TK Family Farm, and Candy Mountain Farm celebrate the season.

Local farmers have been working all year to bring a fall feast to your table. Meet the farmers who grew the bounty on your Thanksgiving plate in this episode of Growing Local.

TK Family Farm is named for the family’s three “knucklehead” kids, but they’re not joking around when it comes to farming. Hear about their trellised apple orchard in Polk County, NC and why patience is key to their farm’s success.

Community Supported Agriculture was a popular option when the pandemic began in March. Hear why farms saw an influx of members and how they adjusted their CSAs to meet demand.

Farmers markets are a little different during a pandemic, but having fun with local food is still going strong. Hear how the Transylvania Farmers Market and ASAP are finding creative ways to offer market activities online.

The food pantry at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Marion, NC has seen a significant increase in people seeking nutritious food during the pandemic. Hear how Ol’ Turtle Farm is contributing to the health of the community by participating in ASAP’s Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program.

Trout are picky creatures that require precise temperatures, protein-rich food, and excellent water quality to thrive. Hear how Sunburst Trout Farms, a third-generation family farm, works in harmony with nature to farm and process rainbow trout.

Workplace CSAs are picking up steam as employers seek out ways to support the health of their employees. Hear about the City of Asheville’s pilot CSA program and how it’s impacting city staff and the farmers from Mighty Gnome Market Garden (formerly known as Stonecrop Garden).

Seasonal and migrant farmworkers are vital to the food system in Western North Carolina, often working late into the night to harvest fruits and vegetables for local grocery stores. Hear how the nonprofit healthcare organization Vecinos is supporting their health during COVID-19.

Sheep are tri-purpose animals that produce milk, meat, and wool. While many larger sheep farms produce only dairy, Grassroots Farm and Dairy in Marshall, North Carolina bucks the trend by offering cuts of lamb and wool bedding in addition to milk and yogurt.

Agritourism is picking back up again as some apple orchards invite visitors to pick apples at their farms. Hear how Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville is keeping the community safe while offering outdoor activities at the farm.

While many farm field trips and farmer visits are on hold due to the pandemic, ASAP’s Growing Minds program has a new “Meet Your Farmer” video series that lets kids experience farms from the safety of home and from the perspective of their peers.

Since 2019, Asheville City Market has offered a Double SNAP program that matches dollars spent at farmers markets through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Now, this initiative to make fresh food more accessible is expanding into several new farmers markets in Western North Carolina.

ASAP’s Appalachian Farms Feeding Families initiative is now in McDowell and Caldwell counties. Hear how Red Hill Farm is collaborating with Yokefellow of Caldwell County to share the summer bounty with people in need of nutritious food.

Wehrloom Honey recently opened a new taproom in Asheville’s South Slope. Hear how the Wehr family turned a hobby into a thriving business that provides honey and mead to Graham County and now Asheville.

Indigenous people have centuries of agricultural knowledge to draw from. Hear how Cherokee communities in Western North Carolina are reviving traditions by growing their own food during COVID-19.

NC State Extension fields questions from farmers about everything from field crops to aquaculture. Hear how it expanded its services and adapted its programs in response to COVID-19.

KP Whaley of Tiny Bridge Farm reconnects with his family’s rural roots by growing produce in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Food banks have experienced an influx of people seeking nutritious food during COVID-19. Hear how ASAP is connecting local farms with food relief organizations to provide fresh produce during the pandemic.

Agritourism is changing in response to COVID-19. Hear how Mountain Harvest Organics and Franny’s Farm are adapting their approach to on-farm lodging this summer.

A thriving food system depends on strong relationships between farmers. Hear how Beacon Village Farm built local partnerships while scaling up from a market garden to an organic wholesale farm.

After a year of learning how to grow vegetables on their farm in Madison County, Stephanie Vinat and Jeremiah Batla of The AppaLatin Farmstead were ready to bring Latin peppers like Aji Charapita and Ají Amarillo to farmers markets for the first time. When they lost their off-farm jobs due to the pandemic, they used that time to improve their land and connect with the community as they embarked on their first year in business.

Higher education is changing in response to COVID-19. ASAP’s Growing Minds program is providing community colleges with online resources so future educators can learn about farm to school philosophies and activities that they can share with preschoolers.

Evan Chender, aka The Culinary Gardener, grew edible flowers and specialty greens for restaurants until COVID-19 hit. Then he shifted to a CSA model where the vegetables go to home kitchens instead of restaurant plates.

Farmers in the Appalachian Grown region, including Green Toe Ground Farm and Mountain Harvest Organics, receive immediate needs grants as they adapt to operating during COVID-19.

Chefs and farmers find new ways to collaborate and feed people in need as North Carolina restaurants operate in limited capacities.

The closure and delays of multiple farmers markets prompted ASAP to create a new outdoor market in a matter of days. Hear how the market operates and why it’s more important than ever to support the local food system. Photo credit: Camilla Calnan Photography

For over 70 years, Sunburst Trout Farms has been a mainstay of the Western North Carolina food system. Hear how this family business is adapting its processing facility and distribution methods to meet new challenges.

Countless farms in Western North Carolina changed their business models when the COVID-19 crisis hit. Hear how Dry Ridge Farm is selling pastured meat and eggs directly to consumers as restaurant sales decline.