Walk into a grocery store during the height of summer and you’re bound to see a tower of tomatoes. If you are lucky, these tomatoes didn’t travel far. But even knowing the name of the local farm does not capture the full picture. Each tomato tells a story of the person who planted the seed, … Read more
When Andrea Vangunst from Grassroots Farm and Dairy was a child, she was eager to help her father raise cattle near their home in Virginia. “My dad also worked full time so his farming hours were the shoulder times of the day, but I definitely got to skip school to build fences and go to … Read more
Going apple picking is a hallmark of fall. Plucking apples from a tree and drinking a cup of cider is a way to experience local agriculture and reconnect with nature as cool weather approaches. Although many autumn activities are on hold this year, some local orchards are welcoming visitors to pick apples in the fresh … Read more
Back-to-school season is usually a time when kids from Western North Carolina go on farm field trips and meet farmers in the classroom as part of ASAP’s Growing Minds program. This year, distanced learning has put many of these activities on hold, but it’s still a great time for kids to connect with agriculture. ASAP … Read more
Having access to fresh, nutritious food is even more essential during a pandemic. However, high unemployment rates have put a strain on many people’s food budgets, prompting more people to seek support from the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. Now those SNAP dollars can be stretched farther through ASAP’s Double SNAP … Read more
ASAP’s Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program has been connecting farmers with people in need of nutritious food since May. The initiative has two goals: to provide fresh, healthy food to people and communities that are experiencing hardships during COVID-19, and to fairly compensate farmers who are facing their own challenges now that many of the … Read more
Sometimes a thoughtful gift can cause a chain reaction. A curiosity becomes a hobby that turns into a family business and eventually becomes a cornerstone of a community. When Aron and Jessica Wehr first moved from Pennsylvania to Robbinsville, North Carolina, Aron got Jessica a holiday gift that would change their lives. “I bought my … Read more
Food sovereignty has been central to indigenous communities for thousands of years. Families worked together to grow gardens, prepare meals, and share or trade the bounty with each other. Growing traditional crops like corn, beans, and pumpkins was not only a source of pride, but also a way to be self-sufficient within a community. Joseph … Read more
Every year, farmers rely on a network of resource providers to help them navigate the challenges of farming. NC State Cooperative Extension is one of these critical resources, answering questions and helping farmers troubleshoot everything from pest management to food safety and processing. Extension also hosts field days at local farms, 4-H programs for youth, … Read more
KP Whaley of Tiny Bridge Farm in Henderson County, North Carolina grew up in the industrial city of Rockford, Illinois where his father and three older brothers were machinists. “We all grew up working with our hands in oil and steel,” he says. However, his family had their hands in the soil first. KP’s father … Read more