Market uncertainty and the loss of restaurants committed to buying local products are forcing area farmers to make hard decisions.

Market uncertainty and the loss of restaurants committed to buying local products are forcing area farmers to make hard decisions.
Nonprofits dedicated to providing food to the community have relied on COVID-era programs and knowledge to help WNC’s farms survive the impact of Tropical Storm Helene.
From loss of infrastructure, crops and market outlets to erosion of precious topsoil, WNC’s farms are struggling to pick up the pieces left behind after the storm.
Lemon pizza and rye pasta are on the menu at the recently opened Luminosa restaurant. Also in this week’s local food news, 10th Muse Comfort Food reopens, Vowl cocktail bar debuts at DSSOLVR, Asheville Beauty Academy closes and much more.
Horse Shoe restaurant expands, offering over 25 house-made wing flavors; a dinner collaboration in West Asheville; a bake shop closes in Fairview and more.
“Many first-time market shoppers can find the experience overwhelming or intimidating, so I would offer the suggestion of walking around the market first to get a sense of what’s available and make a plan for what you want to buy,” says Molly Nicholie, executive director of ASAP.
French Broad Chocolates celebrates mothers. Plus, Mother Ocean Seafood Market rolls out a new menu; Burnsville gets a breakfast food truck; and more.
Couple prepares to conquer the Pacific Crest Trail to raise money for MANNA FoodBank. Plus, farmers markets open for the season; Pop Bubble Tea highlights Asian culture; and more.
The program, explains communications coordinator Sarah Hart, allows the market to make a 100 percent match on dollars spent through SNAP. “People swipe their SNAP card for $5 and get $10 in tokens to shop the market,” she says.
The ninth annual Asheville Wing War returns on Sunday, March 8. Also: PennyCup Coffee Co. hosts Coffee Farmer Caravan; Asheville CSA Fair returns; and plenty more in this week’s Small Bites.
Entering its fourth year, ASAP’s Local Food Experience returns to New Belgium Brewing Co. on Thursday, Aug. 15 from 6-8:30 p.m. Also: Hole Doughnuts hosts book signing; Soverign Remedies teams up with OWL Bakery; and more.
There’s high demand in Asheville’s restaurant scene for local, pasture-raised eggs, but for small farms, scaling an egg operation to wholesale presents many challenges.
While each tailgate market serves its own area and demographic, they all adhere to roughly the same model, policies and procedures, the logistics of which begin well before opening day and continue through the season.
In April, Cane Creek Valley Farm in Fletcher will open two of its organic fields to the community through a new garden-share program that’s aimed at bolstering the small, family-owned operation against the damaging effects of weather events.
Folkmoot celebrates German traditions and Irish luck. Also: Acornucopia Project hosts tasting event; Asheville Wing War returns; Sushi gets served at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall; and more.
Many area growers rely on holiday sales of their food products and handicrafts to help carry their businesses through the winter season.
Despite the unique set of challenges it presents, WNC women are increasingly looking to agriculture as a business option.
On Thursday, Sept. 13, ASAP will bring farmers and restaurants together in its third annual Local Food Experience. Also: Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. rolls out a collaborative pizza series; Oak and Grist Distilling Co. celebrates its first bottle release; Asheville Community Garden Network hosts its annual dinner; and more.
Nationally known speakers, cooking classes with Asheville chefs and visits to local farms and markets are all part of this new learning event for medical professionals and nutritionists.
Asheville-area initiatives are seeking to connect food-insecure communities with fresh, locally grown food while also supporting WNC farmers.
Despite tight budgets and bureaucratic hurdles, school nutrition directors are accessing more locally grown foods for area students.