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: Oct. 08
October 2008
Go Out and GET LOCAL Greens
Turnip greens, mustard
greens, beet greens, kale, collards, chard, and spinach. They aren't just side
dishes -- greens are in spotlight for GET LOCAL, a seasonal celebration of foods
from local farms creatively prepared by local chefs. During the month of
October, area restaurants are joining together to serve greens, each
interpreting the local produce in their own way.
Participating
restaurants include The Market Place and Bar 100, Bistro 1896, Luella's
Bar-B-Que, The Lobster Trap , Laurey's Catering and Gourmet to Go, Savoy,
Rosetta's Kitchen, Bouchon French Bistro, Tupelo Honey Cafe, Early Girl Eatery,
and West End Bakery in Asheville. Lomo Grill in Waynesville, Square One Bistro
in Hendersonville,
and North Star Diner and Weaverville also have GET LOCAL specials.
Try dishes such as fall greens with pear mustard compote, smoked duck
breast, and herb quinoa; chard accompanied shrimp and grits; braised collards
with smashed black eyed peas and stuffed quail; mahi-mahi florentine with local
spinach; and spinach salad with marinated mushrooms and local pumpkin.
Going on farm field
trips and participating in cooking classes, third graders at Brush Creek
Elementary School in Marshall, NC are getting a hands-on education through
ASAP's Growing Minds program.
At Doubletree Farm, students saw
demonstrations of how draft horses are used and how sorghum is grown. At Palmer
Ford Organics, they participated in grinding corn into cornmeal. R-Farm
provided the opportunity for kids to harvest potatoes and squash.
Following
farm field trips, chefs from Zuma and French Broad Taqueria came to the
classroom to give cooking classes. Students learned how to turn the fresh
ingredients they'd harvested the day before into salsa, potato salad, and
pesto. Students also had a tomato taste testing.
Farm
to School programs reconnect kids with their food, showing them how it grows,
introducing them to the farmer who grows it or letting them grow it themselves,
and giving them ways to enjoy fresh produce.
If you want
students to have more opportunities like these, submit your comments on the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Act to the USDA by October 15, 2008.
Contact information and more details are here.
Market Update
Fresh at Farmers Markets
This
month, you'll find a variety of squashes and potatoes, mixed
greens, broccoli, tomatoes, beans, okra, eggplant, sweet peppers,
beets,
mushrooms, turnips, kohlrabi, radishes, onions, garlic, herbs, pastured
pork, pastured lamb, free range chicken, grass fed beef, and farm
raised rainbow trout, as well as crafts and many other farm products.
Market Events
On Saturday, October 11th, Shop with a Chef at
the Asheville City Market. The chef from Fiore's
Cottonwood Ristorante Toscana will cook at the market using ingredients from
the vendors. On November 9th, shop with the chef from Green Sage.
See the demonstrations and taste samples from 9:30a.m. to 10:30a.m.
On October
25, the City of Asheville is holding a Women's
Health Day at the Stephens-Lee
Center. In conjunction
with this nearby event, Asheville City Market will have special offerings such as an herbalist booth,
free massage, and product demos and samples.
Look forward to holiday markets in November.
Training Prepares Growers for GAP & GHP Audits
Food retailers and the food service industry are
beginning to utilize "Good Agricultural Practices" (GAP) and "Good Handling
Practices" (GHP)--third party audits to verify that farmers are producing
vegetables and fruits as safely as possible. To help North Carolina growers and North Carolina
Cooperative Extension agents prepare for GAP and GHP audits, Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project, North Carolina A&T, and the North Carolina
Fresh Produce Safety Task Force offered a training on fresh produce safety at
Jake's Farm this month.
A mix of
farmers and extension agents had the opportunity to explore food safety
protocols hands-on and find out which areas on the farm are of concern to
certifiers. The workshop also allowed farmers to identify a person or organization
that can provide more one-on-one support. Allison Perrett of ASAP says. "I
think everyone went home with steps that they can be taking right now that
would satisfy GAP protocol."
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.
Field Trips & Cooking Classes
Fresh at Farmers Markets
Food retailers and the food service industry are
beginning to utilize "Good Agricultural Practices" (GAP) and "Good Handling
Practices" (GHP)--third party audits to verify that farmers are producing
vegetables and fruits as safely as possible. To help North Carolina growers and North Carolina
Cooperative Extension agents prepare for GAP and GHP audits, Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project, North Carolina A&T, and the North Carolina
Fresh Produce Safety Task Force offered a training on fresh produce safety at
Jake's Farm this month.
