Archives: Growing Local Radio Broadcasts
Our First CSA: Mason and Luke
Joining a CSA can be an eye opening experience. With Community Supported Agriculture, community members support farmers by paying for food in the beginning of the season, and then they get a box of farm-fresh food each week. For Macon York-Costlow and Luke Costlow, picking up their CSA box is cause for celebration. The husband-and-wife … Read more
Why I Support Local Food: Debra and Nelson
Knowing where their food comes from is “vitally important” to Deborah and Nelson Copp. They moved to East Asheville from San Diego five years ago and have embraced the local food movement since making the Southern Appalachians their full-time home. Deborah is a retired nurse with a focus on holistic nutrition and Nelson is retired … Read more
Seeing the Old Family Farm
Eva Duckett stepped back in time this summer. Her family grew hay and tobacco for most of her life in Big Sandy Mush, North Carolina, at what is now Full Sun Farm. Full Sun Farm was a stop on ASAP’s Farm Tour, and Duckett had a chance to walk around her old family land. She … Read more
Local Food Experience
There’s a story behind the foods we eat. The rolling hills, fertile fields, and especially the people who produce our food create a narrative of life in the Southern Appalachians. On Thursday August 18, 2016, an array of farmers, chefs, and food producers will bring their stories to ASAP’s Local Food Experience at Highland Brewing … Read more
Growing and Eating Organically, Without Certification
Kendall Huntley sees organic certification both ways. He has grown organically since 1996, but hasn’t always had USDA certification. He started as a small-scale farmer, and over time he partnered with other farmers in Buncombe and Yancey Counties who now grow under the name of Whisperholler Farms. A few years ago, Huntley let his organic … Read more
Balsam Gardens Scales Up and Gets Certified
Balsam Gardens, a certified organic farm in Western North Carolina, is growing fast. In 2008, owners Steven Beltram and Becca Nestler started bringing extra produce from their family garden to the Jackson County farmers market. They used organic methods to grow summer vegetables on a 16th of an acre, and took pride in explaining their … Read more
What Does Organic Really Mean?
Organic food sales are up in the United States. Consumer demand shows double-digit growth, and sales reached nearly $36 million dollars in 2014. But what does “organic” really mean? The USDA organic label indicates the farm has been certified as organic by the USDA and is prohibited from using synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or growth hormones. … Read more
Farm Tour Voices
The sun beats down on Dry Ridge Farm in Madison County, North Carolina. It’s ASAP’s Farm Tour weekend and crowds of people are hiking up and down the hillsides to see the farm’s free-range chickens and pastured hogs. Down in the valley, 45 pigs huddle in the shade. They have plenty of mud for wallowing … Read more
Chef Demos Spice Up Farmers Markets
Eric Scheffer arrives at the North Asheville Tailgate Market in a blue pickup truck with a crew of staff right behind him. The owner of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian restaurant is here to cook for market-goers who will arrive in just a few minutes. But first, he needs ingredients. “I want to look for some squash … Read more