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: July 08
July 2008
From the Director
The "locally grown" signs have started showing up
in area grocery stores, signifying that the local food movement is no longer on
the fringe, but has emerged as a full-blown leading trend in food retailing. Because
of the popularity of local--popularity that is driven by concerned shoppers who
want the best food grown close by--grocery stores are jumping on the local food
bandwagon that started with tailgate markets and roadside stands. The question
is, how are retailers defining local?
There is no legal definition of local. Food retailers can call anything
they want local. It is really up to us, shoppers who care about where our food
comes from, to make sure that grocers stay honest in their marketing.
Local is, of course, entirely relative. It will be different for different
parts of the country, depending on what can be grown within a certain area and
the population to be fed. As a concerned shoppers, it is up to us to read the
fine print and make sure that we are the ones defining local and not the
grocery store marketers. Most stores would prefer to define local as broadly as
possible--many include a third to a half of the entire US in their definitions
of local. If food from several states away does not strike you as honestly
local, then speak up and let the produce manager know. More effectively, email
the corporate headquarters and let them know what you think. The goal of
a strong local food system is that each of us has the power to effect
change--the grocers supplying food get us what we want or we shop somewhere
that is more responsive.
Last year, ASAP launched Appalachian Grown to certify local farm products. It
was no easy matter to define on paper the definition for local. We were pretty
sure that if we did not they would and they would not have the best interest of
the consumers or the farmers in mind.
How did we decide what would be considered Appalachian Grown? Our first
priority was that our certification be for Appalachian farmers, so we defined the
area as southern Appalachian counties.
We next wanted to make sure we were supporting local businesses and economies,
so we decided on a definition for a family farm.
It is part of the mission of ASAP to create and expand fair local food systems
that serve all segments of society, so we wanted the certification to apply to
an area large enough to feed everyone within it. Because of the concentration
of people and markets, we chose the central mountains of Western
North Carolina as the center. (Two grocery store chains, numerous
tailgate markets, and the region's only dairy bottler are located in Asheville). And finally,
national surveys and our own research showed that 100 miles is the most agreed upon
distance considered local by most people, so we went with 100 miles. 100 miles
is also realistic in being large enough to feed everyone and is what many
farmers consider to be their local market area.
Local for Appalachian Grown is an Appalachian family farm within 100 miles of Asheville.
Appalachian Grown was never intended to define local for everyone. Some people
may be fine with grocery store claims. Others may want their local products to
come from even closer or to be Organic or humanely-raised or have some other
characteristic. For me, I'm happy to know that, when I see Appalachian Grown,
the product comes from the mountains I call home and from the family farms I
want to support. I encourage everyone to make a considered decision, become a
mindful eater, and make sure to shop at stores that respect your personal
definition of local.
Charlie Jackson
Peak Summer Season at Market
The City Market celebrated its
grand opening last month. Mayor Terry Bellamy--pictured with ASAP's Executive Director,
Charlie Jackson--cut a ribbon to mark the occasion.
This month, the North Asheville Tailgate
Market will celebrate its history. Saturday, July 19th is its 28th
anniversary. Sign up for a free raffle to win something from
every vendor at the market, and learn from a local chef offering cooking demonstrations.
Every market is enjoying a peak time for shopping. Green
beans--so much better freshly picked--are now coming in strong. Blueberries
and brambles are approaching their summer best. Basil, a favorite hot-weather
herb, joins cooler-weather herbs like fennel, cilantro, and parsley at market
tables. Cucumbers and summer squash in all shapes and sizes will be available
for the rest of the summer. Early tomatoes are available and the range of
colors and flavors will grow steadily with each coming week. Much more is now
in season; visit a market to see it all. Find complete market
listings at www.appalachiangrown.org,
including the newly-listed market in Spartanburg,
S.C., and about 50 others.
Fresh Produce Safety Training
Food safety is a growing
concern, with the recent salmonella outbreak coming on the heels of outbreaks
involving spinach and ongoing product recalls. In response, the retail and food service industry are beginning to utilize
third party audits to verify that farms are producing vegetables and fruits in
the safest manner possible and in compliance with "Good Agricultural
Practices" (GAP) and "Good Handling Practices" (GHP). To help North
Carolina Cooperative Extension agents and growers prepare, the North
Carolina Fresh Produce Safety Task Force, North Carolina Cooperative Extension,
and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project are offering a fresh produce
safety training on Thursday, July 24th.
The training session will
provide information on the general practices that growers, field workers, and
packers of fresh fruits and vegetables should use to handle fresh produce
safely, reduce the potential for outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, and address
the risks associated with the movement of fresh produce into the
marketplace. A food safety demonstration audit will be conducted at a
Haywood County farm and packing facility by a third party auditor with the Georgia Fruit
and Vegetable Growers Association.
The 2008 Mountain Farm and Garden Tour successfully showcased
almost 30 farms throughout Western North
Carolina. It reconnected residents to their local food sources, and it
educated and inspired people interested in family farms who came from as far
away as Florida.
If you missed the tour, or if you want to see the farms again, there
are many you can still visit. East Fork,
Firefly, Hickory Nut Gap, Holly Hill, Queen's Produce and Berry, Green Toe
Ground, Maple Creek, and Wellspring farms-as well as farms that weren't on the
tour-are open to the public year-round.
Other farms invite you to come and pick your own fruits and vegetables.
Experience even more farms by purchasing their
products.
Find
tailgate markets, farms, wineries, grocers, restaurants, caterers and
bakers, farm stores and stands, farms to visit, B&Bs and farm
lodging, U-picks, CSAs, and distributors--all kinds of ways to get
access local food--in
our Local Food Guide.
Regional Community Calendar visit our website calendar for more information about the following events and
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if you want to add something to the calendar.
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.
