Comment. Share. Connect. Join ASAP in an ongoing conversation about local food FROM HERE in the Southern Appalachians.
Seafood isn’t something particularly local to the mountains of Western North Carolina, but farmers markets can still be a chance to find good fish choices to enjoy alongside more locally grown fare. Asheville City Market-Winter offers a few possibilities.
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with ASAP volunteer Julie Montenea about why she loves her CSA.
Q: You’ve participated in three different CSAs. Did you receive produce or other farm goods?
I received produce from all three CSAs, but from two farms I could also get eggs and meat, separate from the regular CSA box. I didn’t eat meat for many years and still never eat commercially raised animals. But I now eat some meat and poultry from local farms that I’ve visited and seen how the animals are raised. Read the rest of this entry »
Fruit can be hard to come by in the winter if you’re shopping locally in Western North Carolina. Apples are a rosy-hued exception, and they continue to be available from storage through most of the season. Creasman Farms (Asheville City Market-Winter, Transylvania Farmers Market) usually has ten or so varieties, ranging from the crunchy-tart Arkansas Black to the sweeter, juicier Pink Lady. Read the rest of this entry »
Can you give your loved one a locally grown Valentine’s Day bouquet, even in midst of winter? Yes, you can!
Carolina Flowers returned to Asheville City Market-Winter a few weeks ago and has anemones, hyacinths, paperwhites, and amaryllis. The farm offers vases of flowers as well as bulbs, which means your gift will last longer than a traditional cut-flower bouquet. Enduring living-plant gifts can also be procured from Finally Farm, which has an assortment of potted succulents in many sizes. Read the rest of this entry »
As winter sets in and people around you fall prey to colds, flu, and other ailments, you might be thinking about ways to shore up your immune system. Besides giving you a chance to stock up on fresh, local fruits and vegetables—always a health booster—winter farmers markets are an opportunity to explore a variety of fermented foods.
In this month’s installment of our “Road Trip” series, we button up our winter coats and head down to Polk County, NC, for the Columbus Winter Tailgate Market. Located inside the Rural Seed Restaurant on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon through March, the Columbus Winter Tailgate Market is Polk’s only winter market.
Read the rest of this entry »
It pays to be an early bird at Asheville City Market-Winter, which often sees a line forming outside the doors of the Asheville Masonic Temple on Saturdays before the 9am opening. Some specialty or sought-after products are in short supply, and often sell out before market’s end.
ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with Tracy Cotton, a farm and small business account executive for Morrow Insurance Agency in Marion, NC. In addition to speaking at the Business of Farming Conference, Tracy is a dedicated ASAP volunteer!
Q: How are you involved with ASAP and local food and farms?
I began volunteering with ASAP in 2016. I am a Farm to Fork Insurance Agent in WNC so I am connected to the community by occupation, but also by passion. I chose to focus on farms, food manufacturing, craft beverage, restaurants, and food retailers because I love being part of protecting and connecting. Personally, I grew up in middle Tennessee with farming cousins and enjoyed many weekends helping out (or at least enjoyed the freedom of walking their many acres of pasture).
The belief that the winter months are a time of culinary asceticism has certainly been debunked by the early markets of 2019. An abundance of produce has lined the booths, including assorted lettuces and salad greens; darker greens like Chinese broccoli, spinach, kale, collards, and bok choy; jewel-toned radishes and sweet potatoes; buckets of apples; and more. With such a wealth of options, there is opportunity to branch out and try a few meal-time variations.
After a stretch of unseasonably warm days, wintry temperatures have returned. Meanwhile, New Year’s resolutions may have you vowing to eat your leafy greens. All of this points clearly to one recourse: make soup.
Read the rest of this entry »