Growing Local

Fraser fir trees thrive in Western North Carolina and are often called the Cadillac of Christmas trees. Learn what it takes to grow these iconic trees in this week’s Growing Local.

2020 was a challenging year for farmers markets. Hear how farmers market managers worked together to provide safe places for the community to shop for local food.

With the holidays around the corner, some local farmers are stepping out of the soil and into the kitchen. Gather around the table to hear how farmers from Tumbling Shoals Farm, TK Family Farm, and Candy Mountain Farm celebrate the season.

Local farmers have been working all year to bring a fall feast to your table. Meet the farmers who grew the bounty on your Thanksgiving plate in this episode of Growing Local.

TK Family Farm is named for the family’s three “knucklehead” kids, but they’re not joking around when it comes to farming. Hear about their trellised apple orchard in Polk County, NC and why patience is key to their farm’s success.

Community Supported Agriculture was a popular option when the pandemic began in March. Hear why farms saw an influx of members and how they adjusted their CSAs to meet demand.

Farmers markets are a little different during a pandemic, but having fun with local food is still going strong. Hear how the Transylvania Farmers Market and ASAP are finding creative ways to offer market activities online.

The food pantry at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Marion, NC has seen a significant increase in people seeking nutritious food during the pandemic. Hear how Ol’ Turtle Farm is contributing to the health of the community by participating in ASAP’s Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program.

Trout are picky creatures that require precise temperatures, protein-rich food, and excellent water quality to thrive. Hear how Sunburst Trout Farms, a third-generation family farm, works in harmony with nature to farm and process rainbow trout.

Workplace CSAs are picking up steam as employers seek out ways to support the health of their employees. Hear about the City of Asheville’s pilot CSA program and how it’s impacting city staff and the farmers from Mighty Gnome Market Garden (formerly known as Stonecrop Garden).

Seasonal and migrant farmworkers are vital to the food system in Western North Carolina, often working late into the night to harvest fruits and vegetables for local grocery stores. Hear how the nonprofit healthcare organization Vecinos is supporting their health during COVID-19.

Sheep are tri-purpose animals that produce milk, meat, and wool. While many larger sheep farms produce only dairy, Grassroots Farm and Dairy in Marshall, North Carolina bucks the trend by offering cuts of lamb and wool bedding in addition to milk and yogurt.

Agritourism is picking back up again as some apple orchards invite visitors to pick apples at their farms. Hear how Stepp’s Hillcrest Orchard in Hendersonville is keeping the community safe while offering outdoor activities at the farm.

While many farm field trips and farmer visits are on hold due to the pandemic, ASAP’s Growing Minds program has a new “Meet Your Farmer” video series that lets kids experience farms from the safety of home and from the perspective of their peers.

Since 2019, Asheville City Market has offered a Double SNAP program that matches dollars spent at farmers markets through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Now, this initiative to make fresh food more accessible is expanding into several new farmers markets in Western North Carolina.

ASAP’s Appalachian Farms Feeding Families initiative is now in McDowell and Caldwell counties. Hear how Red Hill Farm is collaborating with Yokefellow of Caldwell County to share the summer bounty with people in need of nutritious food.

Wehrloom Honey recently opened a new taproom in Asheville’s South Slope. Hear how the Wehr family turned a hobby into a thriving business that provides honey and mead to Graham County and now Asheville.

Indigenous people have centuries of agricultural knowledge to draw from. Hear how Cherokee communities in Western North Carolina are reviving traditions by growing their own food during COVID-19.

NC State Extension fields questions from farmers about everything from field crops to aquaculture. Hear how it expanded its services and adapted its programs in response to COVID-19.

KP Whaley of Tiny Bridge Farm reconnects with his family’s rural roots by growing produce in Hendersonville, North Carolina.