Fresh produce doesn’t travel far to get to school cafeterias in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. In 2016, Spartanburg School District Six embarked on a big project to connect students with local food by starting its own farm. The Spartanburg County Foundation and Upstate Forever came together to protect a 49-acre tract of land in the … Read more
October is National Farm to School month and kids across the country are digging into garden projects, tasting new foods in the cafeteria, and practicing cooking skills in the classroom. This month is also a time to think about the theories behind farm to school activities. Emily Jackson, director and founder of ASAP’s Growing Minds … Read more
Walk into a grocery store and you’ll find one or maybe two varieties of garlic. Visit a local garlic farm, and you’ll smell dozens of different varieties, each with its own flavor, scent, and color. You’re probably used to soft neck varieties, which have a mild flavor and can be stored and eaten for months … Read more
It’s Saturday morning in Mills River, North Carolina and we’re standing outside the elementary school. School isn’t in session this weekend, of course, but kids are still learning at the farmers market. Linda Brittain is an organizer of the Mills River Farmers Market. She tells us what kids can expect when they come with their … Read more
It’s a crisp, fall day in the orchard and ripe apples are everywhere. You spent all afternoon picking these red and golden beauties, and now it’s time to head home from your u-pick adventure. After you load up the car and breathe in that intoxicating scent of fresh fruit, you might be wondering – what … Read more
Deep in the Brushy Mountains of Western North Carolina, there’s a hidden gem of apple production. An abundance of orchards dot the hillsides, and families have been growing apples here for generations. Perry Lowe III, also known as Ty, is the sixth generation of his family to run an apple orchard. “Looking back in our … Read more
Late summer is a time of abundance, but for many families, getting healthy food on the table is a daily challenge. WIC is a federal program that stands for Women, Infants, and Children. It provides food and nutrition education to low-income families across the country. Nicole Levi Coston is a registered dietitian and WIC nutritionist … Read more
It’s a hot summer day at Franny’s Farm Camp in Leicester, North Carolina. Farmer Frances Tacy and a gaggle of campers are searching for a pig named Doughnut. Franny and the kids shout out “Come here doughnut,” and the sweet snorting pig ambles toward them. Farm camps like this one are cropping up in Western … Read more
Eclipse madness has hit Western North Carolina, and the rest of the country. On the afternoon of August 21st, daylight will become twilight as the moon passes between the sun and Earth. It’s the first total solar eclipse visible in the continental U.S. in 38 years. Parts of Western North Carolina are in the path … Read more
It’s 5:30 in the evening and the cows are already lined up at the gate. Alan Harmon of Harmon Dairy is getting the milking machine ready. How many times has Alan started and ended his day in the milking parlor? “I got started when I was a teenager,” says Alan. “Now I’m 61 years old, … Read more