Picture one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey. That’s what one honeybee produces in her lifetime. Now picture a field full of spring flowers. A hive of bees has to tap two million of these flowers to make a pound of honey. It’s an amazing feat that happens in our own backyards. The taste is … Read more
If you stepped onto JB Farm five years ago, you would have seen 56,000 chickens in their poultry houses. Farmers Paula and Dale Boles raised chickens in Caldwell County, North Carolina for one of the biggest poultry companies in the country. They were contract farmers, producing meat birds on a large scale for a national … Read more
For many farmers, the lull of winter is a time to look back on the growing season. At Mountain Harvest Organics, a diversified vegetable farm near Hot Springs, the entire community is invited to reflect on the year as well. Farmers Julie Mansfield and Carl Evans posted several questions on Instagram to get feedback from … Read more
Consider an apple on a grocery store shelf. Bright green and waxy, a Granny Smith apple can travel over 8,000 miles to get from New Zealand to North Carolina. A combination of trucks, airplanes, and refrigerated ships are often used to keep apples fresh on their journey. They’re touched by countless hands as they travel … Read more
When you’re driving through the Southern Appalachians, nearly every twist and turn reveals steep hills and cascading creeks. Cattle dot the hillsides and tidy rows of vegetables line the bottomland by the road. This landscape has been cherished for generations and working farms are helping to preserve it. More than one hundred families have permanently … Read more
This year on Growing Local, we’ve shared dozens of stories about farmers, chefs, kids, and community members who support the local food movement. Today we’ll share some ways you can support local food, and take you behind the scenes at ASAP to meet two staff members who work every day to strengthen the local food … Read more
The days are short and the fields are mostly empty, but that doesn’t mean local food is in hibernation. Many vegetables like winter squashes and apples are harvested in the fall, stored in cool conditions, and sold all winter. Greens like spinach and collards can be grown in hoop houses. Carrots, beets, and turnips are … Read more
If you look for local products when you shop or dine out, you might notice the term “local” is often left undefined, or given a broad definition. For those of us who want to support family farms in the Southern Appalachians, ASAP has developed the “Appalachian Grown” branding program to identify products that are grown … Read more
Farmer Anna Littman stands beside the north fork of Ivy Creek in Barnardsville, North Carolina. Her 10-month-old baby Abe squirms in a carrier on her back. Abe is on the move, eager to get his hands in the soil. Anna sets him down beside a row of swiss chard. He grabs a leaf with his … Read more
‘Tis the season to give and receive gifts, and what better way to celebrate the holidays than to give local this year. Shopping at farmers markets and local businesses offers unique gifts that keep money in the local economy. Here are some fun gifts to be found at farmers markets and local shops this year: … Read more