Growing Local

One of the hardest parts of expanding a business is finding trusted collaborators. Hear why the founder of Well Seasoned Table came to ASAP’s Business of Farming conference last year to connect with new farmers who will supply her seasonings company with local ingredients.

A thriving food system depends on local collaborations and personal relationships. Hear why Emily Copus from Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market aims to create agricultural job opportunities in Western North Carolina and how she’ll connect with other farmers and food producers at ASAP’s Business of Farming conference.

Three generations of the Creasman family have grown apples in Henderson County, North Carolina. Hear how Creasman Farms has evolved over the years and why they consider the whole community part of their family.

In 2017, Looking Glass Creamery took on a massive challenge of buying a dairy farm, learning how to care for the herd, and moving their cheesemaking operation to Columbus, NC. Hear how this family farm fared in a Growing Local update.

Looking Glass Creamery is known for its award-winning cheese, but in 2017 they decided to get closer to the source of their milk by buying Harmon Dairy. Hear how the Harmon brothers are teaching the cheesemakers how to milk the cows and manage the farm in this episode of Growing Local.

Have you ever wondered how farmers markets offer local produce even when temperatures dip below freezing? Hear about some of the season extension techniques farmers use to grow fresh food through the winter in this episode of Growing Local.

Tobacco barns hug the curves of many rural roads in Madison County, NC. Hear how these stalwarts of the past are being honored by the Appalachian Barn Alliance and how Root Bottom Farm transformed their old tobacco barn into a beacon of local food. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Barn Alliance.

Tobacco farming was once the backbone of agriculture in many parts of Western North Carolina. We look back at the culture that grew alongside tobacco and how communities are changing as farming moves to new crops.

As 2020 comes to a close, Molly Nicholie, program director of ASAP’s Local Food Campaign, reflects on the year and how we can support farmers in 2021.

Harold and Nancy Long grow heirloom seeds on their 40-acre farm in Murphy, North Carolina. Hear how they support and sustain Cherokee agricultural traditions each fall.