- Read about all of ASAP’s work in response to COVID-19.
- Join the Appalachian Farms Feeding Families effort as a farm or hunger relief agency partner or by donating.
- Apply for the Appalachian Grown Immediate Needs Grants, get updates on other financial relief available to farmers, or contact ASAP directly for one-on-one assistance.
- Find best practices for farmers market operations and apply for the Farmers Market COVID-19 Response Grant.
- Learn more about the ASAP Farmers Market at A-B Tech, designed to keep shoppers and vendors safe.
- Read a report from ASAP’s Local Food Research Center on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on farmers and market vendors.
- Find ways to buy food directly from farmers during this uncertain time.
COVID-19 Resources
This Week on Growing Local Radio
ASAP Links Farmers with Food Relief Organizations
For the past 20 years, The Community Table has provided nutritious food to residents of Jackson County, North Carolina, including seniors, people with disabilities, children, and working families. READ MORE
Growing Local airs on WNCW on Mondays during Morning Edition at 8:45 am, featuring the local food and farm stories we discover through our Local Food Research Center. Past broadcasts are archived on our website and can be heard on SoundCloud or iTunes.
Fresh at Farmers Markets This Week
What’s Fresh July 10-16, 2020
Summer stalwarts, including new potatoes, beans, okra, and peppers, are all coming in at farmers tailgate markets now. Tomatoes and cucumbers are picking up speed and we’ll continue to see plenty of zucchini and summer squash. Plus, all the greens (dark leafies, head lettuce, and salad mixes) that have been around since spring are still going strong. You don’t have to do much to enjoy this bounty, but here are a few easy-going suggestions. READ MORE
Recent Reports from the Local Food Research Center
2019 Appalachian Grown Producer Survey Report
June 2020: In ASAP’s mission to support Southern Appalachian farms and build a local food system, we developed the Appalachian Grown (AG) branding program in 2007 with the goal of expanding local market opportunities for farmers by providing a way for the public to easily identify products from local farms. We send a survey to all AG farms annually to assess the impact of program services and support and gather feedback to shape the program’s future direction. This report contains the findings from the survey sent to 800 Appalachian Grown farmers in November of 2019.
COVID-19: Impact on Southern Appalachian Farmers and Vendors Selling to Direct Markets
March 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent closure of restaurants, schools, events, and in some places, disruption of farmers markets, is having an immediate and potentially devastating impact on farmers and vendors selling to local markets in the Southern Appalachians. In order to better understand these experiences and how to best support these farm and food businesses, ASAP surveyed the farmers and vendors in their network. Read the press release about the report.
EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems Food and Farm Assessment
November 2019: ASAP’s Local Food Research Center completed a Food and Farm Assessment in the seven western counties of North Carolina and on the Qualla Boundary to guide the work of the EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems Project.
