Food & Farm Stories

  • Ali and Brian Tingley

    Ali and Brian Tingley

    Ali and Brian are in the midst of moving their farm, Seven Seeds Farm, from Burnsville to Marshall. As beginning farmers, they have a few market outlets including a spring and main season CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that support their farm year-round. Ali and Brian have big dreams for their new space including an expanded…

  • Mike Bean

    Mike Bean

    Mike Bean is a local chef with Finest Deli (though temporarily on hold) serving up fresh eats at farmers markets in Buncombe County. He serves on On Track WNC‘s Board of Directors and quickly shifted his cooking skills to support meal operations with World Central Kitchen to keep the people of Western North Carolina fed…

  • Vinny Bonanno

    Vinny Bonanno

    Vinny Bonanno is the Executive Director of the West Asheville Tailgate Market (WATM) since 2022, owner operator of Stretching in Public, a Make it Happen coach, and the lead on various creative projects and performances around the Asheville area. After Helene made landfall, Vinny opted to open WATM only days later. The West Asheville Tailgate…

  • Jason Treadway

    Jason Treadway

    Jason Treadway (pictured on the left) is the Director of Food and Nutrition for Verner Center for Early Learning. Verner has worked with Growing Minds to source from local farms and provide farm to school activities for the students. Jason’s staff of six serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks and two sites each day. Food is…

  • Lucy Wetzel

    Lucy Wetzel

    Lucy Wetzel (pictured on the right) and her two-year-old son Wiley are avid farmers market goers, shopping at multiple markets per week. Lucy participates in both ASAP’s Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables program and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. How has the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription made an impact on your life and household?  We…

  • William Yates

    William Yates

    William Yates is an AIG (Academically or Intellectually Gifted) teacher at Waynesville Middle School. He spent three weeks this summer embedded in ASAP’s programs as part of the 2024–25 Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership. The fellowship connects outstanding educators with mentors, creating opportunities and relationships to help students understand how STEM concepts apply in…


Story Archive

The Appalachian Grown region is rich with local food and farm stories—from farmers, educators, chefs, community advocates, and many more. ASAP tries to share as many of these as possible, including in our annual Local Food Guide, in our newsletters, and on social media.

From 2015 to 2021, ASAP presented Growing Local Radio, a weekly broadcast on WNCW. Stories were based on research from ASAP’s Local Food Research Center. More than 200 audio stories and transcripts from Growing Local Radio are included in the archive below.

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Recent Stories

Turning a Hobby Into a Business January 16th, 2018

Microgreens Bring Macro Growth January 8th, 2018 in Growing Local Radio Series

Healthy Kids in the New Year January 8th, 2018 in Growing Local Radio Series

Support ASAP and Join the Local Food Movement January 8th, 2018 in Growing Local Radio Series

Meet Your Farmer: M&M Berry December 18th, 2017

Local Christmas Trees Brighten the Holidays December 11th, 2017 in Growing Local Radio Series

Stock Up on Local Sweet Potatoes December 4th, 2017 in Growing Local Radio Series

Meet Your Farmer: Highlands Family Farm November 27th, 2017 in Growing Local Radio Series

Thanksgiving Bounty November 20th, 2017 in Growing Local Radio Series

Sorghum in the Kitchen November 13th, 2017 in Growing Local Radio Series


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