From time to time, we feature stories about beginning farmers on our radio series and podcast Growing Local. We encourage farmers to share the hurdles they face, their strategies for overcoming challenges, and their motivations to start farming. Many new and beginning farmers attended ASAP’s Business of Farming conference this month, including Nicole Coston of … Read more
Starting a new farm from scratch is a big undertaking. Deciding what to grow, where to sell it, and tackling the unpredictability of farming can be a challenge. Yet many new and beginning farmers are finding their way in Western North Carolina. Henry Payne of Five Pine Farm in Yancey County started his farm just … Read more
Earlier this fall, ASAP set up a story booth at the Local Food Experience event. We invited community members to stop by and tell us about how local food is part of their lives. We heard from parents, college students, volunteers, and lots of people who support local food. Some people we talked to have … 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
It’s a stunning fall day at Darnell Farms in Bryson City, North Carolina. The sky is bright blue and autumn leaves light up the mountains, but this idyllic morning is far from calm for the Darnell family. More than 2,000 people came here yesterday for hayrides, pumpkin picking, and other autumn adventures. Afton Roberts was … Read more
It’s the end of the season at M&M Berry Farm in Henderson County, North Carolina. Mike Pack Junior walks through the rows of dormant blackberry bushes at his family’s farm. “What we’re walking through right now are the canes that produced fruit this summer. So we pruned all this stuff out, piled it out in … Read more
What does comfort food mean to you? Is it indulgent, like macaroni and cheese or ice cream? Or is it healthy and wholesome, perhaps chicken soup? Or nostalgic, a family recipe you ate throughout childhood? No matter which, area farmers tailgate markets have the locally grown ingredients for all your comfort food needs.
In the final episode of our Women in Agriculture series, we drive up to Madison County, North Carolina to meet Emily Patrick of Carolina Flowers. On this hot summer day, Patrick is pounding the stakes that will support the flowers as they grow. She’s determined to make the most of every minute on the farm, … Read more
This past week may have ushered in the start of school, but seasonally, summer isn’t over yet. Area farmers tailgate markets are still full of summer fare, though some favorites may disappear soon, so get ‘em while you can.
Area tailgate farmers markets are full of fresh farmed fare, but there’s also wild-harvested finds such as mushrooms to find. Some mushrooms are cultivated much like other produce, for example Shiitakes and Oyster mushrooms, but so many of the most culinarily delectable mushrooms must be foraged for.