When Randy Shull and Hedy Fischer bought the future home of Pink Dog Creative in March of 2009, Depot Street was a very different place. The flood of industrial buildings turned artists’ studios that had already transformed much of the River Arts District hadn’t yet reached this area, and 372 Depot, part of the massive […]
They say that Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. In our thriving local food community, that’s because it’s the time summer squash and other early-season veggies begin joining spring items at tailgate markets. And that’s a big deal for area chefs, including Jeff Miller, proprietor and pit boss of Luella’s Bar-B-Que. “We’re going […]
Volunteer work is a great way to get involved in your community, meet new friends and develop skills and connections that can lead to paid work. I know this firsthand: I volunteer all over Asheville, and I’m proud of the work I do and the connections I’ve made. I moved here nearly five years ago […]
This weekend, thousands of art enthusiasts — tourists and locals alike — will descend on the River Arts District for the biannual Studio Stroll. There’s been a gale of change since last November’s stroll: at least four new restaurants, a theater and several new studio and gallery spaces have opened, and new sidewalks and a […]
Out of the whispers on a recent bus field trip, one student from Debbi Madill’s kindergarten class at Cullowhee Valley School could be heard exclaiming, “Oh, Ms. Madill, look! We’re in farm valley!” The hay, horses and tractors spotted out the windows were sure signs they were nearing their destination: Ten Acre Garden in Canton. […]
Lifelong friends and Haywood County farmers Dibe Duckett and Kaleb Rathbone have always been idea men, they say. One of their best ideas to date? To hold their now-famous spring Strawberry Day festival, which turns 3 this month. Duckett, a sixth-generation farmer, owns and operates two Duckett’s Produce roadside stands with his family — one […]
How is it that Western North Carolina is blessed with such a thriving food scene? Great local agriculture helps. That’s where the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project comes in. ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive by linking farmers to markets and supporters and building healthy communities through connections to local food. “ASAP’s work over […]
What’s that little green symbol next to some of the restaurants in our guide? The Appalachian Grown logo is a trademark of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. ASAP created the logo as a tool to help identify authentically local food. It’s on fresh produce and packaging and displayed by participating grocers, restaurants and other businesses. These […]
Asheville boasts an abundance of local food. All of the ingredients that make this area’s restaurants stellar (along with the finesse of our local chefs, of course) can be found at tailgate markets nearly every day of the week, at least during the growing season. Visiting tailgate markets gives you the opportunity to meet the […]
Western North Carolina is full of talented farmers, artisan food producers and wine makers. You might even go so far as to call WNC “America’s Tuscany” — the perfect place for a food-and-farm adventure. Let the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project be your virtual travel agency, guiding you to the freshest tomatoes, the most scenic apple […]
The words of a poem may dance around, sit quietly or even challenge you to a duel. But each word has an intention and a purpose. Asheville Wordfest, an annual poetry festival, celebrates the creative use of words with a series of events, May 4 through 8. Laura Hope-Gill, the executive director of the festival […]
It’s strawberry time For many local food lovers and area chefs, the month of May is circled on kitchen calendars in red with a big exclamation mark. That’s because it’s the window in which ripe, juicy local strawberries are available. Accordingly, they are the focus of this month’s Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Get Local […]
The beginning of tailgate-market season is a bit like the start to a new year of junior high school. But instead of being excited to hear about your friends’ vacations, to see what they’re wearing and to find out who they are or aren’t dating, you’re excited to find out what your friends will be […]
Green living is healthy living Last year’s Asheville Earth Day was a busy, community-oriented shindig that packed Martin Luther King Jr. Park. This year will be even bigger, with the party moving to Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville and organizers teaming up with the YMCA and its Healthy Kids Day. The combined forces promise […]
Western North Carolinians may not don foam cheese hats at Tourists’ games, but we’re a cheese-loving and cheese-making region all the same. That’s why Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is putting the focus on local farmstead cheese this month in its Get Local initiative, which brings together farmers, chefs and community members to celebrate a single […]
Reynolds Price wouldn’t like what the 2010 census reveals about North Carolina. The great writer and Duke professor, who died in January, had a thing about our state's small towns. His last book, Ardent Spirits, was a memoir about his time as a Rhodes scholar in England and his early years teaching at Duke. But […]
This two-part event begins with a bread tasting and sale at the Greenlife Grocery in downtown Asheville from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by hands-on workshops and lectures from noon until 6 p.m.
—Photo by Jonathan Welch
The Market Place mixes it up The Market Place, a downtown institution for over 30 years, will reopen on Tuesday, April 5, after undergoing a makeover to update both the look and feel of the venue. "Any business goes through evolutions," says chef and owner William Dissen, who took over The Market Place from Mark […]
It’s been a long winter, but a green glow at the end of the tunnel is finally visible. “My asparagus is starting to wake up,” says Danny McConnell of McConnell Farms in Hendersonville. While his exact harvest date is up in the air (literally; it depends upon the weather), he estimates they’ll be ready around […]
Local author Sarah Addison Allen returns with her newest magical-realism novel, The Peach Keeper. The book will be released on Tuesday, March 22.
