The large, yellowish-green fruit, although native to the Eastern United States, is hard to come across due to its short shelf life and very limited cultivation. Nevertheless, some Asheville-area makers are crafting pawpaw products to give more people a taste of this indigenous American delight.
Smith Mill Works is a sprawling, formerly abandoned greenhouse complex in West Asheville. The property’s revitalization began with in 2014 with the involvement of Michael Klatt. Now home to a diverse array of resilient businesses, the facility provides insight and inspiration toward a sustainable future for Asheville and the region.
Although some question its overall sustainability, Blue Ridge Biofuels’ Field to Fryer to Fuel program is transitioning to a new facility and on the verge of expansion.
Long overlooked as a source of nutrition, acorns are nutritious, plentiful and free for the taking.
The family-friendly event will feature nutty foods, carnival games, squirrel aerial shows and more in an effort to help a local native nut-growing collective buy equipment to bring its harvest to market.
The Nutty Buddy Collective is pioneering new models of sustainable, perennial agriculture by establishing long-term leasehold agreements with conservation-minded landowners. Once the use of the land has been secured, the collective plants fruit and nut crops that take several years to reach maturity.
