Of all the jobs in the world, why would someone choose farming? For some people, it’s a desire to keep a multi-generational farm up and running. For others, it’s a childhood passion that became a career. For Sara Jane Davis, co-owner of A Way of Life Farm, it was her grandfather’s garden that set her … Read more
The holiday season is in full swing here in Western North Carolina, and farmers markets are bustling with locals and visitors looking for holiday gifts. We ran into two customers at Asheville City Market who agreed to let us follow them around while they shopped. C.A. Carlson lives in Asheville and goes to Asheville City … Read more
It’s a chilly winter night, just after dark. Summer vegetables are gone, and the fridge is pretty empty, yet it’s time to get dinner on the table. Rather than rush to the grocery store, you check the pantry to make do with what you have. “In July and August, it might be easy to make … Read more
Earlier this fall, ASAP set up a story booth at the Local Food Experience event. We invited community members to stop by and tell us about how local food is part of their lives. We heard from parents, college students, volunteers, and lots of people who support local food. Some people we talked to have … Read more
Tou Lee stands in the middle of a rice field at Lee’s One Fortune Farm in Marion, North Carolina. He pulls on a glove, runs his hand up the stalk and over the tassel, and shakes individual grains of rice into a bucket. Tou and his wife Chue Lee planted this field of rice in … Read more
Tou Lee walks through the rice field at Lee One’s Fortune Farm in Marion, North Carolina. There was a big storm last night and the bottom of the rice plants are submerged in water and mud. “Be careful where you walk,” he calls out. “It won’t go up to your knees, but it might get … Read more
It’s a stunning fall day at Darnell Farms in Bryson City, North Carolina. The sky is bright blue and autumn leaves light up the mountains, but this idyllic morning is far from calm for the Darnell family. More than 2,000 people came here yesterday for hayrides, pumpkin picking, and other autumn adventures. Afton Roberts was … Read more
Most weeks on Growing Local, we talk to farmers, chefs, and educators who are working to improve the local food system. But there’s another important link in the food chain—the community members who support local food. We wanted to know what motivates people to eat local, so earlier this fall, we invited people to share … Read more
It’s the end of the season at M&M Berry Farm in Henderson County, North Carolina. Mike Pack Junior walks through the rows of dormant blackberry bushes at his family’s farm. “What we’re walking through right now are the canes that produced fruit this summer. So we pruned all this stuff out, piled it out in … Read more
When apples are abundant in Western North Carolina, it’s time to think about how to preserve the fruit. When stored in a cool, dark place, some apple varieties will stay tasty all winter. Others are turned into juice and ciders that capture the flavor of this quintessential fall fruit. That transformation happens at Lewis Creek … Read more