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’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
Tou Lee stands in the middle of a rice field at Lee’s One Fortune Farm in Marion, North Carolina. He pulls on a glove, runs his hand up the stalk and over the tassel, and shakes individual grains of rice into a bucket. Tou and his wife Chue Lee planted this field of rice in … Read more
Tou Lee walks through the rice field at Lee One’s Fortune Farm in Marion, North Carolina. There was a big storm last night and the bottom of the rice plants are submerged in water and mud. “Be careful where you walk,” he calls out. “It won’t go up to your knees, but it might get … Read more
The daily work of a farmer often involves a lot of physical labor, but farmers also do plenty of analyzing and strategizing. “We are constantly talking about, thinking about, planning, asking ourselves, ‘How do we market better? How do we sell this better? How do we grow this differently? What is the market wanting? What … Read more
Earlier this summer, ASAP invited members of the community to come to our storybooth to talk about how local food is part of their lives. George Ivey from Hendersonville, North Carolina stepped right up with his 15-month-old son. His baby is just starting to eat solid foods and is loving the abundance of fruit this … Read more