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
A freshly cut Christmas tree brings the magic of the outdoors inside. The experience of driving out to a local tree farm, choosing the perfect tree, and seeing it cut on the spot is a cherished holiday tradition in the mountains. For many farmers in Western North Carolina, that bucolic experience is also an important … 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
Highlands Family Farm sits on 125-acres of beautiful farmland in Burke County, North Carolina. Farmer Daniel Wall and his business partner Jon Mercer come from decidedly different backgrounds, but together with their young families they’ve started a farm that promotes their shared commitment to sustainable agriculture. Daniel Wall does the hands-on work at the livestock … Read more
Thanksgiving is just a few days away and it’s time to set the table. First off, the veggies. Start the meal with a salad of local lettuce and goat cheese from a nearby dairy or creamery. Serve alongside bread from the farmers market for the beginnings of a beautiful meal. Root vegetables reign supreme, with … Read more
If you’ve seen sorghum on restaurant menus lately, you may be wondering what exactly it is. While sorghum syrup is often just called molasses, sorghum molasses is different from sugarcane molasses. When sorghum cane is boiled down, it results in a sweet, mild syrup perfect for pancakes and baking. Southern Appalachian families have added sorghum … Read more
If you drive through the back roads of Madison County, North Carolina on an autumn morning, you might think you’ve traveled back in time. Today, there are still a few family farms, nestled in the hills and hollers, that use draft horses to help squeeze the juice from sorghum cane as neighbors gather ‘round to … 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
Did you hear that sound? It’s preschoolers, K-12 students, and teachers chomping down on fall’s crispiest fruit: the apple. Kids throughout North Carolina will celebrate National Farm to School Month with the “North Carolina Crunch” when they all take a big bite of a locally grown apple on October 24th at Noon. Last year, preschoolers … Read more
It’s a bright, sunny day at the Pick and Preserve Food Hub in Barnardsville, North Carolina. Jessie Dean, the owner of Asheville Tea Company, is waiting by the door for farmer Michael Rayburn. “We’ve got lemon balm, pineapple sage, roselle, sumac, lemon grass, ginger, garlic, and pie pumpkin,” he declares as the door creaks open. … Read more