Artisan cheesemakers and small dairies work collaboratively to support each other’s businesses and grow Western North Carolina’s cheese scene.
Author: Jen Nathan Orris
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Sunburst Chef & Farmer pairs aquaponics, microgreens
Sunburst Chef & Farmer will be one of 20 local farms welcoming the public to tour their operations and take home ultra-fresh food during ASAP’s annual farm tour.
Local gardeners Chase and Guest release book, Drink the Harvest
There’s nothing quite like the tastes of spring. And though the season slips away all too quickly, two local gardeners and writing partners are able to offer tips on preserving the garden’s bounty through beverages that capture the changing seasons.
Women in Ag grant winner fights adversity with farm diversity
Amy Fiedler is a no-nonsense farmer. Like many Western North Carolina growers, her farm was hit hard by last year’s rain, forcing Fiedler to re-think her approach to farming. She is in the process of diversifying her farm with the help of a recent grant from the nonprofit organization Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture.
Twenty-five years of fresh herbs: The Asheville Herb Festival celebrates its silver anniversary
The Asheville Herb Festival — now in its 25th year — started out with just four growers and a handful of people gathered in a parking lot. The sustainable food movement was in its infancy and the public was just starting to gain an appreciation for the benefits of local food, but as the local food movement grew, so did the herb festival.
Home sweet homestead: Urban Homesteading Fair sparks sustainability
Want to add some chickens to your back yard, some fermentation to your kitchen or honey bees to your garden? Whether you have a sprawling lawn you hate to mow or a patch of grass in need of a purpose, the French Broad Food Co-op’s Urban Homesteading Fair has what you need to turn your home into a homestead.
Master Gardeners seek fertile ground: MANNA FoodBank’s expansion sends Master Gardeners searching for a new plot
For the past 15 years, the Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners have cared for a small plot of vegetables, herbs and flowers outside MANNA FoodBank. This year the garden will be bare. MANNA is going through a physical expansion and needs the space for increased food storage and distribution.
Best in Show: WNC Orchid Society showcases world-class blooms
Like a prized Pekingese waiting in the wings, glamorous orchids are being primped and groomed for the Western North Carolina Orchid Society’s 2014 Orchid Show, scheduled for Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30, at the N.C. Arboretum.
No garden, no problem
Growing a community garden isn’t possible for everyone. But when you can’t grow fruits and veggies with your neighbors or in your own backyard, a CSA (community supported agriculture) program lets anyone enjoy the bounty of the harvest without the commitment of tending to a garden week after week.
Seeds of knowledge
Early March is a key season to study up on new techniques and approaches for growing in the Southeast. For the past 21 years, professional farmers and amateur gardeners alike have stepped away from the wood stove and joined with fellow growers to attend Organic Growers School.
Readers’ food stories
Do you make the best blueberry pie in the land? Want to share your secret for the crispiest fried chicken? Xpress invites all home cooks, amateur chefs and anyone who loves playing in the kitchen to share their culinary creations. The dish doesn't have to be yours; it just needs to be homemade. Grandma's Sunday […]
Cournoyer Chiropractic hosts free wellness classes
Press release From Cournoyer Chiropractic: Each Monday Cournoyer Chiropractic offer a 30 minute free class on topics such as spinal health, natural healing and optimizing care. All classes are free and open to the public. Dr. Jenn offers information that many people would benefit from during these classes. Monday, November 4th, Optimize Your Care 6:30pm-7:00pm […]
“We have a farm, but no land to grow on.”
Ten Mile Farm faces a common problem in Western North Carolina: lack of affordable land for small-scale farming. Ten Mile recently lost its lease after eight years as a fixture in the local food movement. In this post, operator Christina Carter shares her and her husband’s struggle to find a place to grow their crops, next year and into the future.
Grow your mind
Organic Growers School hosts three Saturdays of education on everything from city chickens to growing garlic to the virtues of medicinal plants.
“Boo Bash” to benefit Cure Search
From Jeanne Sommer, owner of Hidden River Events On June 1st, Jeanne Sommer hiked 28.3 miles in less than 10 hours to raise $1700 for curesearch.org. She has $800 remaining and this is the second “leg” of the fundraiser. 1st Annual Hidden River Events “Boo Bash” Halloween FUNdraiser Friday, October 25, from 7-11 p.m. Location: […]
Extending the season
The bounty of summer is over, but that doesn’t mean that fresh veggies are a thing of the past. When the sun sets early and the nights get chilly, there are still many ways to grow your own food.
State-wide program awards funding to local farm and food producers
N.C. State Program Awards Funding to Expand 20 Agricultural Businesses The North Carolina Value-Added Cost Share (NCVACS) program and the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission (NCTTFC) this week announced the recipients of the 2013 equipment cost share awards. Coordinated by N.C. Cooperative Extension, NCVACS awarded $311,938 to 20 agricultural operations across the state. NCVACS funding […]
ASAP farm tour photo winners
ASAP's Farm Tour always brings out the crowds – and the cameras. Shutterbugs from near and far descended upon Western North Carolina's family farms on Sept. 21 and 22. They brought with them an enthusiasm for local agriculture and a keen eye for what makes a good shot. Here are the winning photos from ASAP's […]
New media workshop
NEW MEDIA WORKSHOP Award winning editor and educator David Miller leads a three-hour workshop on how to empower the story, work, project, or brand you communicate via the internet. Receive direct feedback on your website and web presence (or ideate a new one), and learn how to launch stronger projects in a fun, interactive learning […]
ASAP Farm to School Conference
A Farm to School-Filled Fall October is National Farm to School Month, ASAP’s Farm to School Conference follows ASHEVILLE, NC (October 7, 2013)—October is National Farm to School Month, a time to celebrate the connections happening all over the country between schools and local food. ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School Program reports there is […]
Eat by the rhythm of the farm
When Joe Yonan, the food and travel editor of The Washington Post, tells you to eat your veggies, you better grab a fork. Author of Eat Your Vegetables, he’s a two-time James Beard Award-winning writer. Yonan focuses on vegetarian cooking, but his writing is just as applicable to those with a few extra mouths to […]