Growing Local Radio Series

Last summer farmer Gabriel Noard, owner of Pangaea Plants, poured his heart and soul into a crop of watermelon on his 24-acre farm in Rutherford County North Carolina. These “Moon and Stars” watermelon—a heirloom variety known for its speckled green […]Read More ▶▶

A crowd of people line up on the street waiting for the doors to open at Asheville City Market. They huddle with neighbors and friends until the doors are unlocked and everyone rushes in. It’s not a movie premiere. It’s […]Read More ▶▶

For most of the region, agriculture is in a state of transition. For example, burley tobacco once dominated farming in the Southern Appalachians. It was a major cash crop at the center of the region’s agriculture for over a century. […]Read More ▶▶

Tomato season has come and gone and summer squash is a distant memory, but local food thrives all year long in the Southern Appalachians. There are many vegetables that stay fresh during the winter months—including giant kohlrabi and other root […]Read More ▶▶

A stroll through the local farmers market is like walking through a cornucopia of abundance. Sweet potatoes are piled high near yellow onions and fresh greens. But before these ingredients are ready for the soup pot, a transaction must be […]Read More ▶▶

The sky is misty and grey, but the hills are firey with autumn color at East Fork Farm in Madison County, North Carolina. Owners Stephen and Dawn Robertson are making their way up the steep gravel driveway, like they do […]Read More ▶▶

The way we eat and the way we live are intertwined. Agriculture sustains us and connects us with the farmers who grow our food and the markets, grocers, chefs, and home cooks that bring it to our table. For over […]Read More ▶▶