Growing Local

Growing Local

Growing Local is a weekly audio series about local food and farms in the Southern Appalachians. It airs during Morning Edition on WNCW 88.7 each Monday at 8:50 a.m. Produced by ASAP, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.

Episodes

Tierra Fertil Coop Digs Deep

April 26, 2021 • 5 mins
A group of Hispanic farmers is coming together in Henderson County to start the Tierra Fertil Coop. Founding member Delia Jovel shares her journey from growing up in El Salvador to farming in Western North Carolina, and explains the coop’s collective vision for fostering social equity through local food.
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Farm Stands for Fun and Flavor

April 19, 2021 • 4 mins
Farm stands throughout Western North Carolina are opening up for the season and farmers can’t wait to welcome folks back. Hear about the roadside stands at Flying Cloud Farm in Fairview and SMM Farms in Hayesville in this episode of Growing Local.
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Kituwah Farm Honors and Sustains Cherokee Agriculture

April 12, 2021 • 3 mins
Agriculture has been a pillar of Cherokee communities for generations and continues to be an important part of indigenous culture today. Visit Kituwah, the Mother Town of the Cherokee people, and hear about the significance of this community farm in this week’s Growing Local.
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Chef J Chong Finds Inspiration at Spring Farmers Markets

April 5, 2021 • 4 mins
Spring vegetables are hitting farmers markets and chefs are using seasonal produce to celebrate. Hear why Chef J Chong is excited for spring markets in this week’s Growing Local.
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Local Food Research Reflects Challenges and Opportunities of Farming During the Pandemic

March 29, 2021 • 6 mins
ASAP’s Local Food Research Center surveyed farmers about their response to COVID-19 and found that overcoming challenges at the beginning of the pandemic gave farmers reason to be optimistic in 2021.
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Working On and Off the Farm

March 22, 2021 • 4 mins
Many farmers work part or full-time jobs off the farm while also growing food and running a farm business. Hear Melissa Harwin from Highgate Farm reflect on her years of being a nurse and farmer, and learn how Hayley Creasman and Colby Buchanan balance multiple jobs while working with their family at Creasman Farms.
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Farm-to-Bottle Hot Sauce in the Mountains

March 15, 2021 • 6 mins
When Jona Felts lived in Costa Rica, he was surrounded by hot peppers and banana vinegar—the perfect ingredients for farm-fresh hot sauce. When he came back to the mountains of North Carolina, he figured out how to grow similar ingredients at Open Ridge Farm so he could use a little heat to sustain the farm through winter.
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Cooking Creative Meals with a CSA

March 8, 2021 • 4 mins
Community Supported Agriculture brings the best of a local farm to your kitchen. Wondering what to do with the bounty? Many CSA farms include recipes and cooking tips, like Encompass Farm, which shares fun and easy meal ideas that highlight that week’s veggie box.
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A CSA For Every Craving

March 1, 2021 • 4 mins
Many farms offer vegetable and fruit CSAs, but as Community Supported Agriculture becomes more popular, some farms are thinking outside the produce drawer. Hear about CSAs that include flowers, meat, and more, and why Daffodil Spring Farm offers the classic combo of meat and potatoes.
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From Stocks and Bonds to Squash and Beets

February 22, 2021 • 4 mins
Frances Juhlin’s path to farming took her through the cutthroat world of commodity trading. Hear how this former stock broker’s assistant got back to her roots growing produce at Candy Mountain Farm.
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Well Seasoned Table Embraces the Business of Farming

February 15, 2021 • 4 mins
One of the hardest parts of expanding a business is finding trusted collaborators. Hear why the founder of Well Seasoned Table came to ASAP’s Business of Farming conference last year to connect with new farmers who will supply her seasonings company with local ingredients.
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Business of Farming Conference Sparks Connections

February 8, 2021 • 4 mins
A thriving food system depends on local collaborations and personal relationships. Hear why Emily Copus from Carolina Flowers and Zadie’s Market aims to create agricultural job opportunities in Western North Carolina and how she’ll connect with other farmers and food producers at ASAP’s Business of Farming conference.
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Everyone is Part of the Family at Creasman Farms

February 1, 2021 • 5 mins
Three generations of the Creasman family have grown apples in Henderson County, North Carolina. Hear how Creasman Farms has evolved over the years and why they consider the whole community part of their family.
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Cows in the Field, Cheese in the Cave

January 25, 2021 • 5 mins
In 2017, Looking Glass Creamery took on a massive challenge of buying a dairy farm, learning how to care for the herd, and moving their cheesemaking operation to Columbus, NC. Hear how this family farm fared in a Growing Local update.
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From Curds to Herds

January 18, 2021 • 7 mins
Looking Glass Creamery is known for its award-winning cheese, but in 2017 they decided to get closer to the source of their milk by buying Harmon Dairy. Hear how the Harmon brothers are teaching the cheesemakers how to milk the cows and manage the farm in this episode of Growing Local.
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Fresh Food All Winter

January 11, 2021 • 5 mins
Have you ever wondered how farmers markets offer local produce even when temperatures dip below freezing? Hear about some of the season extension techniques farmers use to grow fresh food through the winter in this episode of Growing Local.
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The Tobacco Barns of Madison County

January 4, 2021 • 7 mins
Tobacco barns hug the curves of many rural roads in Madison County, NC. Hear how these stalwarts of the past are being honored by the Appalachian Barn Alliance and how Root Bottom Farm transformed their old tobacco barn into a beacon of local food. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Barn Alliance.
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Western North Carolina's Tobacco Legacy

December 28, 2020 • 6 mins
Tobacco farming was once the backbone of agriculture in many parts of Western North Carolina. We look back at the culture that grew alongside tobacco and how communities are changing as farming moves to new crops.
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Local Food in 2020

December 21, 2020 • 4 mins
As 2020 comes to a close, Molly Nicholie, program director of ASAP’s Local Food Campaign, reflects on the year and how we can support farmers in 2021.
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The End of the Growing Season at Long Family Farm

December 14, 2020 • 6 mins
Harold and Nancy Long grow heirloom seeds on their 40-acre farm in Murphy, North Carolina. Hear how they support and sustain Cherokee agricultural traditions each fall.
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