Carrie Keller—President
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: Depending on the season, working in the garden or apiary with my honeybees, walking the trails with my husband and dogs, and volunteering with organizations to better our communities. I love to curl up with a good book and travel to visit family. I work out, do yoga, and occasionally paddle a river or two with friends. I am officially retired as a Speech Language Pathologist, bit I remain insatiably curious about far too many things.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP represents the ideal for individuals, families, and communities. By educating ourselves and others about local food sources (even growing some of our own) we are standing up for values that run deep in our human existence. I am excited about ASAP’s focus on how quality local foods contribute to our health—not only for plant-based nutrition, but also for the amazing variety, quality, and taste. Teaching school kids to appreciate gardens and foods grown before their eyes is invaluable, helping them see grocery store produce sections with a new perspective. Farm to table restaurants contribute to awareness in the community. And I value the work being done with the farming community to support that lifestyle and help them move in sustainable directions.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: This is a tough one for me, because I love local foods! If I am cooking, it would be a meal with Sunburst Trout and a stir fry of homegrown kale and zucchini. If it is from a restaurant, it would be the honey drizzled fried eggplant from Cúrate…or maybe Tupelo Honey‘s veggie melt. We are fortunate to have so many options! I love living here in WNC and am SO grateful for all the farms, markets, herbalists, crafters and restaurants.
Craig Mauney—Vice President
Area Specialized Extension Agent
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I have a small forest farm where I raise pawpaws, woodland botanicals, and shiitake mushrooms. When not working on my farm in Zirconia I am usually enjoying some outdoor activities like hiking and hunting wild plants. I enjoy weekend getaways to rural small towns and traveling in SE Asia.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: I was raised on a farm near Brasstown, NC, in a community called Martin’s Creek, on a beef cattle farm. My family are multi-generational from the Brasstown and Peachtree areas, and were closely aligned with the John C. Campbell Folk School. My grandfather had a store in Brasstown and was one of the first to haul vegetables to Murphy and back to help local farmers. I say this to make a point that local is of great importance to me and ASAP is the leader in promoting and understanding the local food systems to help our Appalachian farmers. I am proud to be affiliated with this fine organization helping all our local farmers.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: Cornbread and collard greens.
Nilofer Couture—Secretary
Cherokee Indian Hospital
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: When I’m not at our board meetings, I work full time as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Cherokee Hospital.
When I’m not at work, I’m involved with a group I helped found in Sylva called IndivisibleCommonGroundWNC. A group of us started this in 2017 to address concerns about the actions of local, state, and federal government. Our goal is to promote progressive solutions to the problems we face as a nation. We are involved with voter registration and voter outreach, especially during election time.
I’m also involved with a nonprofit in Sylva called Uncomplicated Kitchen that teaches people of any age and income to plan and prepare quick and easy nutritious meals for themselves and their family. As a dietitian I always promote home-cooked healthy meals and this organization helps me do that in my community. I help out whenever I can and enjoy the time spent helping with a cooking class or being a sounding board for the organization. It’s grown tremendously in the last two years and I hope to see it continue to grow.
I’m an elected member of the Forest Hills town council in Cullowhee and enjoy cooking, yoga, walking my dog, and travel. I’m originally from India and have family in France, so I enjoy traveling to visit friends and family.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP aligns so well with my work professionally. I have admired ASAP for many years because of the work with schools, in particular. I believe that nutrition education should start early and be incorporated into elementary curriculum due to the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in this country. I commend ASAP for working with the schools as I realize it’s not easy to bring about change.
Promoting local foods and sustainable agriculture is so important for local communities and I love how ASAP does this with their vast network of farmers, vendors, shoppers, and supporters. As a dietitian, I recognize the importance of fresh, local food and the role it plays to keep us healthy. I love how ASAP helps farmers access market opportunities and promote their farms. Close to home, Darnell Farms in Swain County is an example of how ASAP has helped farmers diversify their business using agritourism. I recently attended their strawberry festival, which was wonderful!
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: I enjoy dining at Plant which I find so unique in Asheville, but also enjoy food trucks like El Kimchi and the Indian food at Chai Pani.
Francisco Castelblanco—Treasurer
Mountain Area Health Education Center
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I have three kids, a wife who is getting her doctorate in psych, and two dogs. I have a workshop in which I build (a lot). My current project is a pizza oven (my second).
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: I joined the ASAP board because as a cardiovascular nurse I cared for a number of individuals with heart disease. This is preventable in many instances through diet and exercise. I also witnessed some major disparities such as the incidence of heart disease is much higher for African Americans and diabetes is quickly becoming the number one health issue for Hispanics. ASAP promotes local sustainable farms and healthy eating and, through Growing Minds, has educational programming for youth.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: I love the setas (mushrooms at Cúrate) and picking blackberries in the wild.
Wendy Brugh
Dry Ridge Farm
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I am a mother and a farmer who tries to spend as much time as possible in nature. My husband, Graham, and I have two daughters, and we all enjoy hiking trails near our home and lease, exploring the woods and creeks on our farm, picking berries and baking pies. Graham and I own and operate Dry Ridge Farm together, where we raise laying hens, pigs, and cows on pasture and sell our meat and eggs at farmers markets and to local restaurants. When I’m not working or with my family, I enjoy paddleboarding, yoga, trail running, and going out for fancy dessert by myself.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: On a personal level, ASAP has played a huge role in helping us to grow our farm business, from giving us our first opportunity to join a market at Asheville City Market South to helping us connect with restaurants at Business of Farming Conference’s Grower-Buyer Meetings to Appalachian Grown branding—and simply increasing demand for well-grown local food in our area! Besides their direct impact on my business, I especially value the work ASAP does to improve access to local food for our entire community, through markets, Farm Fresh for Health initiatives, and Growing Minds farm to school programs. Over the years, it’s become increasingly clearer to me how very fragile large-scale agriculture can be with its susceptibility to illness and reliance on very few, very large companies, and growers whose failures affect entire industries. I firmly believe that our food systems will, by necessity, become increasingly dependent on small-scale, local producers meeting local food demand. ASAP is important to me because it’s helping my community feed itself. ASAP’s work is critical in building a resilient local food system and food secure communities in the Southern Appalachians.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: Any summer vegetable and fruit salad with a little rice wine vinegar and olive oil. My favorite combos are peach, tomato, mint, and shallot or a cucumber, basil, and berry. My favorite local food is berries, and I love living in a place that has a new berry for every month of spring and summer! Strawberries, raspberries, juneberries, blackberries, black raspberries, and blueberries!
Bill Durr
Ward and Smith, P.A.
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: Much of my time is taken up with my “day job” as a practicing attorney at Ward and Smith, P.A., in downtown Asheville. When not working, I enjoy spending time with my wonderful wife, baking (mostly breads and pastries), biking (primarily road and gravel), and working in my wood shop.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP’s support of local farmers is so important and necessary. I grew up on a small farm and later in life had the privilege of owning a farm where we raised black angus cattle. With this background, I am well aware of the multitude of challenges the farming community encounters on a daily basis. The support and guidance ASAP provides is an incredible resource for new and experienced farmers alike. Also, ASAP’s work positively impacts this wonderful community in so many ways—CSA programs, local farmers markets, farm tours, and farm to school programs, just to name a few.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: Wow, this is such a difficult question. I have a passion for BBQ—Eastern NC sauce with collards and cornbread on the side…but also love anything made with fresh local fruits—especially blueberries, strawberries, and apples.
Lisa C. Payne
Buncombe County Schools Nutrition Director
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I work for Buncombe County Schools Nutrition Department and am proud that I lead a team of culinary professionals who work hard to ensure that we advance children through good nutrition. I currently serve as co-chair for our School Health Advisory Council, serve as adviser to our Buncombe County Schools Nutrition Association, and serve as a Guardian Ad Litem. I love spending time with my fiance, Jim, our three yorkies, and our family. I have three adult children, two whom are married to great people. I have three grandchildren, whom I adore. I have recently taken up yoga to balance work/life.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP is a wonderful organization serving Western North Carolina. I have watched this organization evolve and always been impressed by its efforts. As the administrator of BCS Nutrition Department I honor our ability to work together to offer local foods provided by local folks. Our partnership is a win-win for all. As Federal Procurement laws change I hope to work with ASAP to expand our farm to school programs. I grew up on a farm in South Carolina and this opportunity is allowing me to go home in my heart. I love the farming community and appreciate their hard work.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: Where do I start? All of them—fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meat, honey and the list goes on. Jim and I have always been in the food business and love that Western North Carolina offers so many options. We love to cook at home and we love to eat at local restaurants supporting our talented culinary professionals and eating the local foods they serve.
photo courtesy of BCS Communications Dept.
Mary Walsh
Co-Owner, Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: Running, running the business, cooking, and hanging with my kids.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: Along with my business partner, Jac, we started this business because we wanted to offer local food from local farmers and food makers year-round. ASAP’s resources helped us a lot in our early years of the business, and now, after 13 years of working with hundreds of vendors, we see so much value that ASAP provides to our farmers. The work they do is so important and we’re happy to be a part of it!
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: I love Napa cabbage, and I love making homemade dumplings stuffed with Napa cabbage, local pasture-raised ground chicken, local shiitakes, local ginger, and garlic. It’s the best showcase of things locally available to us. I also love making okonomiyaki with our Napa cabbage. It’s a very under-appreciated vegetable in our area, in my opinion, but we are working to change that!