ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. Each month we interview someone working in agriculture, the food system, farm to school education, or community health. These stories are also shared in our monthly newsletter.
Holly Kolarova is an ESL (English as a Second Language) and Special Education teacher at Clear Creek Elementary School in Henderson County. Holly is part of the 2023–24 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, which connects outstanding educators with mentors, creating opportunities and relationships to help students understand how STEM concepts apply in the real … Read more
As the Sustainability Manager for the City of Asheville, what are some of the projects you’re working on? So many different areas! Our department focuses on four main “buckets” of work with plenty of collaborative projects living under each. Our primary buckets are: Climate, Energy, Food, and Waste Reduction. Within those areas we focus on … Read more
Gary Steiner is the co-owner and operator, alongside his wife, Abigail, of Bee-utiful Farm & Garden, nestled in Hendersonville, NC. The couple offers a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) program year round, as well as guided farm tours and school field trip opportunities. What are the main benefits of participating in a CSA? A couple … Read more
Farmer Holly Whitesides will give a welcome address as part of the 2024 Business of Farming Conference on February 24 at A-B Tech in Asheville. Holly has been farming at Against the Grain Farm in Watauga County, North Carolina, since 2012, alongside Andy Bryant and their three daughters, Beatrice, Corva, and Linnea. Can you tell … Read more
Blake Hart is the executive director of Haywood Christian Ministry, a nonprofit organization providing a food pantry as well as heating and housing assistance. The food pantry serves 800 to 850 families each month, offering fresh, local produce in addition to frozen meat, bread, and shelf-stable pantry goods. When did Haywood Christian Ministry first begin … Read more
Alison Francis is the Director of Nutrition of Haywood County Schools, and has worked with ASAP for many years to source from local farms. In September she volunteered for ASAP’s Farm Tour at Pilot Mountain Pears, which sold Asian pears to Haywood County Schools this year. For our Faces of Local interview this month, we … Read more
In early September, the Asheville Art Museum organized a panel discussion on “Appalachian Foodways” as part of its programming around “The Art of Food” exhibit. ASAP’s communication manager, Sarah Hart, moderated the discussion between farmers Malcolm Banks (of Yellow Mountain Garden in Franklin, NC) and Delia Jovel (of Tierra Fértil Coop in Hendersonville, NC), and … Read more
For our Faces of Local interview this month, we talked to Greg Garrison, who owns The Hop with his wife, Ashley Garrison. They source local ingredients from several farms, particularly Lee’s One Fortune Farm in McDowell County, one of the farms featured on this year’s Farm Tour. Visit The Hop for peach ice cream at … Read more
Melinda Bullen has volunteered for several ASAP events, including last year’s Farm Tour. For our Faces of Local interview this month, we asked her about those experiences and some tips for Farm Tour attendees this year. What have you enjoyed about volunteering for ASAP? Well, first and foremost, I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to learn … Read more
Gray Shipley represents the fifth generation of farmers at Shipley Farms and is one of organizers of Good Fields, An Appalachian Food and Farms Festival, which will take place on the farm in Vilas, NC, on June 24. (He’s pictured with his father and grandfather in 2015.) Good Fields will feature a dozen chefs creating … Read more