Picture yourself standing in a field of flowers, surrounded by blooms grown by a local farmer. Feel the breeze as it whispers through the blueberry bushes. Imagine standing in the barnyard petting baby calves or watching cheese get made in the farm kitchen. These are just a few ways to experience ASAP’s Farm Tour on … Read more
Farmers throughout the region are getting ready for farm tour season, and dozens of farms in the Southern Appalachians will open their gates to the public this month. At many farms, the community can walk through the fields, hear about the history of the farm, ask questions, and learn about the romance and realities of … Read more
There are lots of ways to eat locally, and it’s entirely possible to eat only local food for an entire day. Here are a few ways to take the 100% Local Challenge. Start the day with farm fresh eggs and bread from the farmers market, or make an omelette with sauteed greens and local cheese. … Read more
You can bet the farm on the way agriculture comes up in the way we talk. Many of the words and phrases we use in everyday life — like “flew the coop” or “spring chicken” — come to us from previous generations who lived their lives on the farm. When we use these figures of … Read more
The soil is warming up and home gardeners are eager to get their plants in the ground. May marks the last frost for much of the region, meaning it’s safe to plant summer annuals outside. Some vegetables grow best when their seeds are planted directly in the soil, but many others thrive as transplants. Some … Read more
This summer, preschoolers at the Child Care Center of First Presbyterian Church of Asheville are trying an experiment. These four and five-year-olds are planting seeds to find out if they germinate better in soil or a wet paper towel. It’s part of a series of gardening and cooking lessons the school is offering as ASAP’s … Read more
Say the name Eliot Coleman to a farmer and get ready for a spirited conversation about sustainable agriculture. Coleman is a pioneer in organic farming whose book The New Organic Grower has inspired countless farmers. He grows all year at Four Season Farm in Maine, where even the harshest winters can’t stop him for producing … Read more
Our region is rich in farm-fresh food. Farmers markets, artisan producers, and small family farms dot the landscape throughout the Southern Appalachians. Here at ASAP, we often hear from people who want to incorporate local food and farms into their lives and need ideas of where to start. Each year ASAP produces a Local Food … Read more
It’s feeding time at Round Mountain Creamery and the farm’s 300 goats are getting hungry. The mature females will produce about 30 gallons of milk today at this small creamery in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and much of that will be turned into cheese. The artisan cheesemaking industry is growing in Western North Carolina, and … Read more
Outdoor farmers markets are finally here and local food lovers have reason to rejoice. Town squares and parking lots across the region have been transformed into community hubs for farm-fresh food and lively conversation. Neighbors and farmers chat about growing and cooking local food, and families dance and clap their hands as bluegrass music floats … Read more