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.
Vance Goodman is the Benefits Enrollment Specialist for Council on Aging for Buncombe County, one of the referral providers for ASAP’s Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. What do you do at Council on Aging, and how does the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription fit into that? I work within the Benefits Enrollment Center. I help low-income Medicare … Read more
Stephen Triplett has distributed ASAP’s Local Food Guide in the community for two decades. You can find the 2023 Local Food Guide at local businesses, community centers, and farmers markets starting May 1. When did you start distributing ASAP’s Local Food Guide? I think it was around 2002, 2003. A friend of mine, Erin Everett, … Read more
Dylan Allanson is the Health & Nutrition Coordinator at WNCSource, a community organization and Head Start grantee in Hendersonville, NC. Dylan recently joined the advisory committee for the North Carolina Farm to Preschool Network, co-facilitated by ASAP’s Growing Minds. Why is farm to school and farm to preschool important to you? It is never too … Read more
Nathan Vannette is the co-owner of Growing Green Family Farms in Anderson and Greenville, SC, which offers a year-round CSA. Nathan and his wife, Rebecca, also operate Cottage Farmstead, a blog and YouTube channel for homesteading education. For anyone who doesn’t know, how are CSAs beneficial to farmers? It provides upfront money for seeds and … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we talked to Mary Walsh, co-owner of Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery in Greenville, SC. Supporting local farmers has been at the core of Swamp Rabbit since it opened in 2011, and Mary has been a consistent participant in … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we talked to…Santa Claus! Actually, this is Rod Douglas who, with his wife, Cyndy, have donated to support ASAP’s Growing Minds program. Rod will also donate his time this Saturday, Dec. 17, by appearing as Santa at Asheville City … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we talked to farmer Suzanne Nolter, owner of Blazing Star Flowers. Suzanne is selling dried flowers and specialty chocolates—studded with herbs and flowers from her farm—at several holiday markets this season, including East Asheville Tailgate Market’s final market tomorrow … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month—National Farm to School month!—we’re talking to Nichole Efird, a pre-K teacher with the Cherokee Elementary in the Qualla Boundary. Nichole is part of the 2022-23 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, which connects outstanding educators with mentors, creating opportunities … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re talking to Tiana Kennell, the food and dining reporter for the Citizen Times. Tiana moved to Asheville last year from Shreveport, Louisiana, where she was the Louisiana Flavor Reporter for the Shreveport Times. Did you get to have any farm experiences … Read more
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re talking to Kikkoman Shaw, executive chef for Equal Plates Project (formerly We Give a Share). The organization began during the pandemic as a way to support farmers with diminished sales outlets and provide community members in need with freshly prepared meals. The … Read more