ASAP helps create and expand local food markets that will preserve our agricultural heritage, give everyone access to fresh, healthy food, and keep our farmers farming. Our mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
Search our Local Food Guide. Shop for Appalachian Grown certified products. Get involved in the Growing Minds Farm to School program. Visit a farmers market. Browse our information on workshops, grants, and more. Use our classified section, calendar, and online resources. Whether you're a farmer, consumer, or work with a school, restaurant, or grocer, join us in reconnecting people throughout the region with their food.
From Hive to Table: An ASAP Benefit
On Wednesday, September 22, farm-to-table chef extraordinaire Laurey Masterton (of Laurey's Catering and Gourmet to Go) will host a special hive-to-table event to benefit ASAP. Only 20 tickets will be sold, so you'll want to keep reading to learn how you can buy yours!
This year's Local Food Institute will be held October 13 and 14 in Asheville, NC. Build your local food economy with the two-day program designed to share information about and strategies behind ASAP’s innovative approach to creating environments where local food economies thrive. The cost of attendance is $250 for early registration (by September 10) and $300 for late registration (by September 30). For more information and to register online, click here.
We're Moving Chefs to Schools
There's been a great deal of buzz lately around Michelle Obama's Chefs Move to Schools program. The new program, run by the USDA, calls on chefs to adopt a school and work with teachers, parents, and school nutrition professionals to help educate children about food and healthy eating.
Laurey Masterton of Laurey's Catering and Gourmet to Go in Asheville was recently invited to the White House to be a part of the program launch. She's teamed up with us here at ASAP to encourage everyone to get involved! If you're an interested chef, community member, teacher, or other school employee, click here to find interest forms and more information.
There's a New Way to Search for Local Food
Been wishing you could search for local food by region at our online guide? Imagining a clickable map where you could select one region, or two, or three and explore nearby farms, tailgate markets, and more? We hear ya! To use our new search function, visit buyappalachian.org. Under “Find Local Food Near You,” choose “Use Map to Select” and click away!
2010 Mixing Bowl Now Available
ASAP's farm-to-trade business directory, The Mixing Bowl, is now available. The publication serves to make it easy for growers to form partnerships with buyers, as well as convenient for chefs to buy directly from growers and distributors that suit the needs of their restaurants.
Find out by clicking "Farmland" in the navigation bar to your left, or click here. ASAP has partnered with Blue Ridge Forever and its local, regional, and state land trusts and land conservation organizations to bring you information about easements and other available farmland preservation tools.
Readin' Eatin' in Season?
If you've picked up a recent issue of Mountain Xpress, you may have noticed their new Eatin' in Season column. Every other week, ASAP writes an article for the column that highlights what you can expect to find at markets during the month and shares the stories of our area's farmers and their farms. To read past articles, which include delicious seasonal recipes from Early Girl Eatery and Knife & Fork, click here.
Donate Items for ASAP's Office
Have any of these items to spare? -Hand truck -Pallet jack -Working string trimmer -House plants -White board -Matching conference room chairs -Picnic table or outdoor furniture (table and chairs)
Please consider donating them to help furnish ASAP's new office. Contact Charmaine to make arrangements. Thank you.
It's beginning to look a lot like fall everywhere you go. Okay, not
necessarily everywhere, but definitely at area farmers tailgate markets. This weekend at Asheville City Market, Fisher Branch Farm's baskets
overflowed with pumpkins and gourds of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
