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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re talking to Shaniqua Simuel, founder of Change Your Palate, a grassroots whole-food meal prep program focusing on BIPOC people who suffer from type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Shaniqua also works with the WNC Food Justice Planning Initiative and
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we’re talking to farmer Aaron Grier of Gaining Ground Farm along with chefs John Fleer of Rhubarb and Brian Canipelli of Cucina 24 about what has made those chef-farmer relationships so strong over the past decade. (Photo of John