The sun is setting behind New Belgium Brewing as ASAP’s Local Food Experience comes to a close. The event celebrated food grown and raised in the Southern Appalachian mountains, and featured collaborations between local farmers and chefs. Inside the brewery, the crowd finished their small plates and drinks. Outside, ASAP’s community storybooth welcomed one last … Read more
It’s the end of the growing season and Harold Long is standing in front of a row of pole beans. The vines are withered and the pods are bone dry, but this seed’s journey is actually just beginning. Harold and his wife, Nancy Long, grow heirloom beans, corn, pumpkins, and heritage chickens at Long Family … Read more
The holiday season is in full swing here in Western North Carolina, and farmers markets are bustling with locals and visitors looking for holiday gifts. We ran into two customers at Asheville City Market who agreed to let us follow them around while they shopped. C.A. Carlson lives in Asheville and goes to Asheville City … Read more
It’s a stunning late autumn day in Franklin, North Carolina. The sun is setting over the hillsides at Winding Stair Farm, and while the mountains are in shadow, the pasture glows in the afternoon light. I’m walking down the gravel path with Stacy Bredendieck, who co-owns the farm with her husband, Greg Mullins. We walk … Read more
As we start the countdown to Thanksgiving, families throughout the region are planning their holiday feasts—and so are local chefs. We asked two Asheville-based chefs to share their Thanksgiving traditions and offer some tips for making a holiday meal with local ingredients. Ashleigh Shanti is the chef de cuisine at Benne on Eagle. The restaurant … Read more
There’s so much to discover in Western North Carolina, especially for someone who’s recently moved to the region. One way to become part of a new community is to explore the area through local food. “It’s just so great to be a newcomer to the region and learn about everything that’s grown here,” Kay West … Read more
It takes farms of all sizes to create a thriving food system. Here in Western North Carolina, some farms sell directly to customers through farmers markets and community supported agriculture. There are also larger-scale local farms that use food distributors to get produce from their fields to nearby restaurants and grocery stores. Today, we’ll focus … Read more
It’s a busy Wednesday afternoon and Shannon Barrett, human resource manager for the City of Asheville, is standing in the lobby of Asheville City Hall. Employees and visitors are rushing to appointments upstairs, but Shannon has a reason to slow down and think about her health today. “I’m getting ready to open my CSA box,” … Read more
Sometimes a handful of soil can spark a family’s interest in sustainability. Vincent and Colleen Sicca came to ASAP’s community storybooth to share how their family gained a greater understanding of how food is grown. Vincent and Colleen wanted to teach their three children about the life cycle of a tomato plant and how growing … Read more
Of all the jobs in the world, why would someone choose farming? For some people, it’s a desire to keep a multi-generational farm up and running. For others, it’s a childhood passion that became a career. For Sara Jane Davis, co-owner of A Way of Life Farm, it was her grandfather’s garden that set her … Read more