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monthly news from ASAP | JULY 2020 | asapconnections.org
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Appalachian Farms Feeding Families
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ASAP's Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program, which connects farms with hunger relief efforts, is now in 10 counties, serving 15 feeding sites and partnering with 13 farms. This represents between 1,725 and 2,400 people provided with fresh, local food each week.
"We are so grateful for the opportunity to get fresh food into our community," Michelle Shiplet of Graham County's The Grace Place told ASAP. "The number of clients we serve has more than quadrupled since March, and I think the numbers will continue for some time as we are a very remote and distressed community."
Several food relief partners have noted that previously they just didn't get fresh produce. Because food had to be routed through large distribution centers, only canned goods and shelf stable items were feasible. On ASAP's Growing Local Radio, Paige Christie of The Community Table in Jackson County noted, "There were some older folks talking about how they hadn’t seen this since they were able to pick something out of their grandmother’s garden. It matters to people. It matters to people on a core level. They know it’s fresh; they know the difference.”
ASAP's aim is to develop sustainable partnerships in all 23 counties in WNC. Help us reach that goal, supporting both farmers and our neighbors! Give a donation today to help make an impact.
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Take the #appalachiangrownchefschallenge
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 Are you ready for a Chef's Challenge? Over on ASAP's social media, we're challenging followers to replicate the market dish chef J. Chong demonstrated on her IGTV channel last Saturday. Join in for a chance to win a $40 gift certificate to ASAP Farmers Market. Here's how to participate:
- Watch J. demo the dish. Find the video on Instagram or Facebook. The recipe is also included at the end of this newsletter.
- Shop for ingredients at the ASAP Farmers Market on one of the next two Saturdays.
- Prepare the recipe and post a photo of your finished dish by Aug. 2. You can post on Instagram using the hashtag #appalachiangrownchefschallenge or in the comments of ASAP's Facebook post. (With your submission you grant ASAP the use of your photo on social media and other promotions.)
ASAP will draw a winner on Monday, Aug. 3. Happy cooking!
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August Is Appalachian Grown Farmers Market Month
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 We're building off of National Farmers Market Week (Aug. 2-8) and proclaiming the whole month of August to be Appalachian Grown Farmers Market Month. Celebrate by visiting one of the more than 100 markets in our region and bring home some of that peak summer produce. The following participating markets will offer the chance to win special raffle prizes, such as a copy of the cookbook Good and Cheap.
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Funding for Farm to School, Now Including Literature
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Growing Minds Farm to School mini-grants are available for school gardens, farm field trips, farmer visits, local food cooking, cafeteria taste tests, and—new this year—building farm-to-school libraries. The deadline for the next round of mini-grants is Sept. 15. Pre-K to 12th grade teachers and members of the public working in cooperation with a school in ASAP’s Appalachian Grown region are eligible to apply. Congratulations on all the great work put in by the past year's recipients!
- Asheville Primary School (school garden)
- Charles D. Owen Middle School (school garden and farm field trip)
- East Coast Migrant Head Start Project (cafeteria taste test)
- Eliada Academy (school garden)
- Evolve Early Learning (school garden, pictured)
- Irene Wortham Center (school garden)
- Lenoir-Rhyne University Child Development Center (farmer visit)
- Waynesville Head Start A, B, C (school garden)
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 FACES OF LOCAL |
| |  ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we're talking to photographer Camilla Calnan, who has volunteered her time and talent to photograph area farmers markets throughout the pandemic. You can also find her prints, as well as pop-up portrait mini sessions, at the Enka-Candler Tailgate Market on Thursdays.
What drew you to photographing farmers and farmers markets?
As the reality of COVID-19 was setting in, I realized farmers, vendors, and the market support network could use more photography to help promote all the good things going on at tailgate markets. It began as a way to avoid the grocery store, buy local, and connect to the farming community. Then I started bringing the camera and it became a project. With weddings and events on hold this season, markets have been an outlet for me to figure out how to photograph masked portraits that still capture people's personalities—all while adapting to shooting from behind a mask. Ultimately, it is a good way for me to give back to the farmers and makers that are continuously working hard to keep their community fed and supported as we push through this strange time. And the photojournalist in me knows these masked market photos will be a document of what we hope will be just a memory soon.
How have you seen the atmosphere at farmers markets change during the pandemic?
The main change I have seen is a shift from the uncertainty of the no-contact/masked/six-feet-apart reality to a feeling of “this is the new normal.” The love and community has not changed. Everyone just needed time to adapt and learn how to keep each other safe and keep the markets going. ASAP has been wonderful about evolving as the year has progressed.
Do you have a favorite local farm product in season right now?
One of my favorite things about the markets is enjoying the seasonal variety, but I must admit that peach and berry season might be my favorite. Peaches are never better than market fresh! I found the most wonderful blueberries at market recently, and with blackberries and wineberries growing at home, I cannot think of anything better. That is, until the next seasonal goodness arrives! I plan to make baked goods, but end up eating them all before that happens.
What are some of your other favorite photography subjects?
I love photographing all the things—especially moments of joy and love, whether at a wedding or event, portrait session, or of people at work and at play. The call of the mountains and to photograph nature while adventuring can be the best, too! It’s too hard to choose a favorite. Much of my work has been paused for now. Through all the challenges this year, I am thankful that the pandemic has given me the time to connect to this wonderful farmers market community. The magic of freezing time through photos will never cease to amaze me. Now to get that darkroom set back up and start shooting film again...
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PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT |
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Our July photo of the month was taken by Elizabeth Williams, a photography student at Appalachian State University, at Bluebird Farm in Morganton. Farmer Marie Williamson is testing the "bendiness" of the flower stems before she cuts them. Summer blooms are popping at farmers markets and farm stands across the region! Find one near you in our online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
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 RECIPE OF THE MONTH |
| Sweet & Sour Pork and Veggie Stir-Fry
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From chef J. Chong. Watch her demo the dish on Facebook or Instagram and then try it yourself for the Appalachian Grown Chef's Challenge!
Marinated pork:
- 1 pound pork chop or loin, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger jun
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Combine ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Sweet & sour sauce:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 1 piece star anise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1 1/2 cups distilled vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 spring onions, cut into 1-inch pieces (or use 1 medium onion)
- 2 peaches, seeded and cubed
- 1 Asian pear, seeded and cubed
Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger and caramelize. After three minutes, add star anise. Let the ginger become golden in color. Add ketchup and give it a good stir. Once it starts to bubble, add vinegar and sugar. Let it simmer for 20 minutes on low. After 20 minutes, add peppers and onions and let it simmer for 5 minutes until they become tender. Add peaches and Asian pears and cook for 5 minutes.
Fried pork:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or chickpea flour for GF
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- canola oil for frying
Mix dry ingredients. Dredge marinated pork in dry mixture, then dip in beaten egg, then back into dry mix. Deep fry dredged pork bites in hot oil (approximately 350 degrees) until golden brown. Once all the juicy and tasty pork is cooked, add it to your sweet and sour sauce and mix well to coat every delicious bite!
Market veggie stir-fry:
- 1 purple daikon, cut into 1/2-inch julienne
- 1 yellow zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 small onions, quartered
- 1 bunch sweet choi, cut in half, separate stems and leaves
- 1 bunch water spinach, cut in half, separate stems and leaves
- bitter melon, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 pint shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut in half
- 1/2 bunch green onions, cut into thirds
- 1-inch piece ginger, julienned
- 1 bottle ginger jun, to deglaze
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir well. Add shiitake and cook for three minutes. Deglaze with ginger jun. Add daikon, zucchini, stems of water spinach and sweet choi, and bitter melon (if using). Add sweet choi and water spinach leaves along with soy, sesame, and salt.
To finish:
Serve pork and veggies with a side of rice. Top with kimchi and a sunny-side-up egg. Enjoy!
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 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS |
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The Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program continued to receive coverage, most recently in The Laurel of Asheville and the Mountain Xpress.
ASAP's Molly Nicholie is quoted in a Mountain Xpress cover story on how farms are creating new models for agritourism during COVID-19.
Farmers markets and the Chef's Challenge are the highlight of this week's "social distancing to-do list" from The Asheville Citizen-Times.
Capital at Play's newsletter pointed readers to ASAP's Appalachian Grown Producer Survey report.
An opinion piece in The Mountaineer mentioned ASAP's resources (and bumper sticker).
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 ASAP’s Growing Local audio series runs on WNCW on Monday mornings during Morning Edition at 8:45 a.m. Here are a few recent episodes:
You can listen to all Growing Local episodes on SoundCloud, iTunes, or on ASAP's website.
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ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
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