Growing Local

To certify or not to certify organic? Balsam Gardens is growing every year and recently decided to become certified organic by the USDA. Owner Steven Beltram talks about the farm’s growing practices, its partnership with New Sprout Organics, and what consumers can expect at grocery stores.

Berry season means an abundance of farm-fresh produce, especially at The Hop Ice Cream Cafe where they swirl up local creations like blueberry lime basil sorbet.

Listen in on a special delivery from Rayburn Farm and Head of the Holler Farm. Then hear how local fruit and basil come together for a sweet treat straight from the berry patch.

Consumer demand for organic food is on the rise, prompting farmers in the Southern Appalachians to decide if they want to become USDA certified organic.

This episode describes some of the factors farmers consider when making this choice and how it impacts consumers. Future episodes will feature certified organic farmers as well as farmers who use organic methods but choose not to be certified.

Join is for an exploration of what “organic” means for farmers and the local food community.

Hundreds of people visited family farms on ASAP’s Farm Tour. Here are just a few of their stories.

Eric Scheffer is a fixture at the North Asheville Tailgate Market. The owner of Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian Restaurant has brought a portable kitchen and a team of chefs to the market for the past 17 years.

These monthly chef demos bring the community together to enjoy fresh food from local farmers. Listen in as Scheffer hunts for ingredients and cooks them up on the spot.

ASAP's Farm Tour is this weekend! June 25 and 26

Explore twenty farms in Western North Carolina, including Zimmerman’s Berry Farm, Spinning Spider Creamery, East Fork Farm, and Dry Ridge Farm. These four farms are in beautiful Madison County, just waiting for you to visit.

Check out many more nearby farms and plan your route : www.asapconnections.org

ASAP's Farm Tour is just a few weeks away -- June 25 and 26, 2016

Open the barnyard gates and meet piglets who will spend their lives roaming the pastures of local farms. Or watch how cheese is made while the farm's goats forage outside. Spend some time learning how hops, one of the main flavoring ingredients in beer, are grown on towering trellises.

The East Cluster route is full of inspiring farms to visit, including Vandele Farms on Cedar Creek, Round Mountain Creamery, Hop n’ Blueberry Farm, and Farm Fresh Ventures.

Buy passes and plan your route: www.asapconnections.org

Immerse yourself in the fields and barnyards of Western North Carolina farms on ASAP's Farm Tour June 25 and 26.

Visit Fairview farms like Cane Creek Creamery, Flying Cloud Farm, and Hickory Nut Gap Farm. They're all a short drive from Asheville and have acres of fields and pasture to explore. Wander through the u-pick flower fields, meet baby chicks, and feast on a farm-fresh lunch made with local ingredients.

Find out more about these farms and many others, plus learn how to buy passes at www.asapconnections.org

It's farm tour season in the Southern Appalachians and farmers are getting ready to welcome the public to their fields and barnyards.

ASAP recently hosted an agritourism workshop at Shelton Family Farm in Whittier, N.C. Farmers from the far western region of the state toured the strawberry fields and learned about the rewards and challenges of inviting the community to their farm.

Everyone is invited to join a public farm tour. There are five farm tours in the mountains of North Carolina this spring and summer. Find one near you: www.fromhere.org

ASAP's Farm Tour is the weekend of June 25 and 26. Plan your route and purchase tickets: www.asapconnections.org

Take the 100% Local Food Challenge by eating only local food for an entire day.

A quick trip to the farmers market offers everything you need to eat locally all day long, from farm fresh eggs for breakfast to pastries for dessert.