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 and/or apiary with my honeybees, walking the trails with my husband and dogs, volunteering with organizations to better our communities (women’s issues, clean water, and, of course, gardening and bees). I love to curl up with a good book and travel to visit family in New York City and Virginia. I work out, do yoga, and occasionally paddle a river or two with friends. I work hard to maintain my certification as a Speech Language Pathologist, and am 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. Local food provides the best quality option with nutritional value that is hard to get from distantly grown and transported produce. It helps us to stay in touch with the natural world around us and value the things we DO receive from distance locations (don’t know how many folks would do well without their coffee beans!). 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 (and restaurant) contributes to the awareness of the community and appreciation of the collaboration of the “foodie” community here in WNC! Last to comment on (but far from the least) I value the work being done with the farming community to support their lifestyle and help them move in sustainable directions. ASAP is my hero, and I am proud to serve on the Board.
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 trout from Sunburst Trout Farms and a stir fry of homegrown kale and zucchini. If it is from a restaurant, it would be the honey drizzled fried eggplant from Curate (or wait… maybe the Tupelo Honey sandwich Misse’s Asheville Veggie Melt). My favorites change on a regular basis! We are so fortunate to have so many options.
Dr. Brian Asbill — Vice President
Asheville Cardiology AssociatesQ: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I have been practicing cardiology in Asheville since 2001 with an interest in lipidology (cholesterol management) and a growing and even greater interest in lifestyle medicine. I began facilitating a lifetstyle medicine program called CHIP-the Complete Health Improvement Program-in Asheville in October 2014 and have been astounded by the difference that it makes in people’s lives! I spend most of my free time these days chasing my two boys around to various sporting events and enjoy exercising, hiking, cooking, and playing with our new dog, Watson. I love to travel and especially enjoy active adventure vacations. Trying to stay young enough to check some of the epic hikes of the world off of my bucket list before it’s too late.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: Through my involvement in the growing field of lifestyle medicine, I have witnessed the important role that good nutrition plays in managing disease risk and illness burden. Many if not most of our chronic diseases (diabetes, high cholesterol, blood pressure, cardiovascular disease) are rooted in poor lifestyle choices and what we eat makes such a huge difference to our health. People who eat whole food that is locally grown will live healthier, longer lives than those who do not. ASAP is helping build a healthy local food system that ultimately means a healthier community–and fewer patients! I am particularly interested in the Growing Minds Farm to School Program as our children need to be taught the importance of good nutrition at an early age. I look forward to exploring other ways in which ASAP can become involved with our local healthcare providers to improve the health of the citizens of Western North Carolina.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: Honestly, we don’t eat out often as we are just too busy in the evenings with various activities these days. Since we eat a primarily plant-based diet, we enjoy cooking locally grown produce at home. Getting that weekly CSA box is like opening a Christmas present for me! I enjoy trying various ways of getting all of those great looking fruits and veggies on the dinner table each week and am constantly working to find that perfect veggie chili and veggie burger recipe. Please let me know if you have a favorite!
Julie Jensen — Secretary
Echoview Farm & Echoview Fiber MillQ: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I co-own and operate Echoview Farm and Echoview Fiber Mill where we make yarn. I love waking up at the farm and going to visit my animals. We have chickens, two cows, and mules as well as a variety of fiber animals. I just love being outdoors here in our mountains, so I am outside often walking around the farm with one of my dogs.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: I was attracted to WNC because of its long association of farming, craft, and innovation. I bought a farm and learned of ASAP’s Farm Tour and went on it. ASAP and that Farm Tour jump-started my journey through the local food world. ASAP embodies so many of the things that are important to me such preserving our rural past and innovating along the way to ensure that our past is relevant. It brings together very diverse groups to create a cohesive community supporting economic development through farming, health, and education. And, last but not least, it is fun to participate in ASAP’s activities.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: My favorite dish is greasy beans fixed any and all ways, We raise them on the farm, eat as many fresh as we possibly can, and then dry them just like in the olds as leather britches. We eat them all winter long.
Terri Orange — Treasurer
Q: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: I am Accounting Supervisor at the City of Asheville and enjoy working with great people in a beautiful downtown location with access to lots of wonderful local food! When I’m not working, I enjoy baking, hiking with my husband, Craig, long, lazy road trips, and spending time with our young adult offspring. We make our home in Black Mountain.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: In a life where few movements seem universally beneficial, ASAP’s work stands out. ASAP supports a food chain that is environmentally responsible, nutritious, and economically beneficial to our community. I especially applaud and appreciate ASAP’s education of our children regarding nutrition and local food. Children are amazingly receptive and the simplicity of ASAP’s message lends itself well to being instilled in children of all ages.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: I am a diehard meat eater and am pleased to have access to locally raised meat of all kinds. I like supporting local producers and with many I can also observe firsthand how the animals are cared for.
Amy Ager
Hickory Nut Gap FarmQ: What are you up to when you are not at our board meetings?
A: I co-own and operate Hickory Nut Gap Farm and Hickory Nut Gap Meats. We raise grassfed beef and pasture raised pork and chicken, host guests at our farm store and for agritourism activities as well as operate an on-farm event and catering business. HNGM purchases meat from other local farmers who grow to our protocol and distributes it regionally to both restaurants and health food stores. My husband Jamie and I also have three wonderful children who enrich our lives every day. We enjoy taking our kids to practices and games and hiking and traveling when we aren’t at the farm.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP brings all of us farmers together with buyers both on the individual and wholesale level by putting the meaning behind the term local food. They do a great job in strengthening the connections of all aspects of the food chain and promoting farming. As a farmer, I have been a part of ASAP’s initiatives since the very beginning of their efforts and have seen the inner workings and creation of Asheville City Market, been a part of the first Local Food Guide as well a host farm for the Farm Tour for many years. This organization is a staple to our food community and their staff a bright shining light behind the mission.
Q: Whats your favorite local food dish?
Today for lunch I am having Asheville Pretzel Company siracha spice pretzel rods with Three Graces Dairy cranberry and orange farmstead cheese and its really good!
William Dissen
The Market PlaceQ: What are you up to when you’re not at our board meetings?
A: Typically I am manning the wood fire in the kitchen at The Market Place and focusing on our next seasonal menu while chasing the best ingredients from in and around Asheville. I spend a lot of time traveling to promote sustainable food, and have found myself frequenting Capitol Hill to lobby for better food systems through food policy. When I’m home from work I’m spending time with my wife, and chasing after our two young children. We like to get out and explore the outdoors as much as possible, especially off of the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike, fly fish, and forage. And when we can we get out to travel and see the world.
Q: Why is ASAP important to you?
A: ASAP was an important reason for me to move to Asheville. Coming from West Virginia, I grew up around an Appalachian table where we ate what we grew and preserved the season’s harvest to eat throughout the year. Coming to Asheville, I knew this would be an important part of how I operated my business – Appalachian values of community, preservation, and local food. ASAP has been instrumental in helping me to forge strong relationships with local farms and artisan producers to get the best possible ingredients at The Market Place. And along the way, I’ve met some amazing people and producers who’ve help to educate me as a chef and lover of great food.
Q: What’s your favorite local food dish?
A: My favorite local dish is what’s in season. We like to cook in the moment with ingredients that are fresh from our tailgate markets and local farms. When ingredients are super fresh, you can taste the difference. Right now local asparagus is coming in, and we are cooking a roasted asparagus with green goddess dressing, soft poached farm egg, herb croutons, pickled rhubarb, and shaved country ham. It’s bright, fresh, and let’s me know that Spring is here!
