Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture
Project
306 West Haywood Street
Asheville, NC 28801
Voice: 828-236-1282
Fax: 828-236-1280 Email
Us
Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project is
a
501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization.
e-Connections: February 2011
February 2011
CSA Fair: The New ASAP Event on the Block
ASAP is thrilled to announce that we're hosting a CSA fair next month, and we hope you'll attend! Our Meet Your Farmer CSA Fair will be your opportunity to meet farmers face-to-face and learn more about their CSA farm share programs and products.
Just what is a CSA farm share anyway?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. As a CSA farm share member, you pay the farmer in advance for "shares" of the season's bounty. Then, you get to enjoy a steady supply of fresh foods, from meats to veggies, straight from the farm every week!
Mark your calendar:
What: 2011 Meet Your Farmer CSA Fair
When: Saturday, March 26 from 2-6 pm
Where: Asheville Brewing Company at 77 Coxe Avenue in Asheville Who: Open to the public; the event is FREE!
More information will be posted on our website shortly and will follow in our March e-connections, so stay tuned!
Want to sign up for your farm share right away? Find a list of farms offering CSAs in our online Local Food Guide.
Plant Some Seeds for Schools
We know these sunny days have you thinking spring planting. As you ready your soil, we hope you'll consider planting an extra flat/tray of seeds for an area school garden!
As we announced in our last e-connections, Sow True Seed, Asheville's open-pollinated/non-hybrid seed source, has generously donated 500 packets of seeds for school gardens across our region. We think it would be a wonderful complement to also offer schools plant starts to brighten up their gardens next season.
Ordering your seeds from Sow True? In addition to being the exclusive seed partner for our Growing Minds Farm to School program, they've graciously offered to donate 30% of their income from seed sales of phone, online, or in-person orders over $15 to ASAP! All you have to do is purchase your seeds for spring or beyond and mention/enter ASAP2011 during your order.
ASAP is proud to be an organizing partner of the upcoming WNC Come to the Table Conference: Communities of Faith Relieving Hunger and Supporting Local Farms on March 11 and 12.
We hope to see you there!
The two-day event will include workshops and networking opportunities; ASAP's own Charlie Jackson and Molly Nicholie are slated to present. There will be a delicious local food lunch on Friday, the 11th, and a breakfast and tours of local food ministries and projects
on Saturday, the 12th.
Registration is $10, or $5 for Saturday only. All are welcome, and free registration is available for those who would otherwise be unable to attend. For more information and to sign up, click HERE.
Classrooms are Cookin'!
ASAP's Growing Minds Farm to School program has been linking area chefs and classrooms for cooking demonstrations since 2004, and we look forward to offering more demos this year than ever before!
We're excited to report that we recently received funding from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to continue making these connections and helping children establish healthy attitudes and behaviors through positive experiences with fresh, locally grown food. (Find a press release about the grant award HERE.)
Head over to our Facebook page to check out our Cooking Demos 2011 photo album. You'll find the first round of snapshots from Claxton Elementary (pictured above) there now; and check back soon, as we plan to upload and update as often as we can.
get Local
ASAP's Get Local program brings together restaurants, chefs, and community members around the region to highlight and enjoy seasonal ingredients. February is all about trout!
Sunburst Trout Farms in Canton held a recipe contest earlier this month, and the winning recipes sound delicious! Click the link to find out how to make your own Smoked Trout Nori Rolls and Blackened Trout Fillets! And find trout cooking tips from acclaimed area chefs in our newest Eatin' in Season!
In honor of the occasion, you'll find Sunburst's trout featured on a special tasting menu at Red Stag Grill through February 28. We also hear that The Market Place has some trout tricks
up their sleeves; find their recipe for trout rillettesHERE!
For more information about Get Local and a list of all participating restaurants, visit
Our sold-out 2011 Marketing Opportunities for Farmers (MOFF) conference is just around the corner - this Saturday, February 26, to be exact. We're excited to see
you there!
Didn't get a chance to sign up before it filled up? Email us your contact information, and we'll be sure you receive notice about similar workshops and next year's conference!
We Want You... ...to apply now for our summer/fall internships!
Interns are a vital part of the ASAP team. We offer four-month and eight-month internships in these categories: Growing Minds, research, and programming. Click HERE for more information about each position and how to apply; application deadline for both summer and fall terms is
April 8.
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food and farming events on ASAP's calendar. You are also invited to post your own.
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E-Newsletter
If you were forwarded this email and would like to be added to our monthly e-newsletter mailing list, click here.
Contact Maggie with e-newsletter comments and suggestions.
Looking for the weekly Fresh at Farmers Markets update? Find it at FromHere.org, ASAP's new community website, along with other news, photos, local food and farm events, and more. While you're there, join the conversation!
Curious about the difference your donation can make? Here are some examples of what ASAP can accomplish with your support:
-$1,000 helps farmers access new markets
-$500 brings a class of school children to a local farm
-$100 funds a cooking demo on how to prepare fresh foods
-$50 trains a farmer in new skills -$25 provides seeds and resources for school gardens
Click here to give your gift to ASAP today. Or, give on behalf of a loved one and tell the recipient about the good work that will be done in his or her name.
