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S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 9 a s a p c o n n e c t i o n s . o r g
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Have you taken a great photograph of local food or farms? Enter it into ASAP's 2020 calendar photo contest! We're looking for photos that depict your experiences with local food and farms, with particular emphasis on the seasons. The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers, and you may submit as many photos as you like. Photos received by Friday, Sept. 20 will be given first consideration, but we will continue to consider images submitted through the end of September. Visit our website for contest rules and and submission information.
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Have You Signed Up for the North Carolina Crunch?
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The North Carolina Crunch celebrates National Farm to School Month in October, but you don't have to be a student or educator to participate! Anyone can join in by crunching into a locally grown apple at noon on Wednesday, October 23 (or another day during the month of October). Find suggestions for how farmers, businesses, or other groups can get involved on the Growing Minds website, including:
- Host a Crunch at your farmers market during October.
- Crunch on the farm or in the office with your family/co-workers.
- Set up a Crunch photo booth at your business and encourage customers to post selfies.
- Do you work at a restaurant? Feature a local apple recipe on your menu.
- Plan an employee field trip to a u-pick apple farm.
Don’t forget to register your event! No event is too small to register and you can skip the questions for schools if your event will not be held in a school.
Happy Crunching! |
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Make a plan to shop with a friend at farmers tailgate markets in Buncombe County this September, and you could win $50 in market money. Visit the market information booth and say "We met at market!" to enter. Participating markets are Asheville City Market, Asheville City Market South, Black Mountain Tailgate Market, East Asheville Tailgate Market, Enka-Candler Tailgate Market, North Asheville Tailgate Market, River Arts District Farmers Market, Riverside Tailgate Market, Weaverville Tailgate Market, and West Asheville Tailgate Market.
Pro tip: Did you know you can ride the bus to many of the markets in Buncombe County? ASAP's updated bus map is now available at the central ART station on Asheland Ave., at City Hall, or ASAP's office—or download one here.
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Diversity in Children's Literature
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Children’s literature is a powerful tool for teaching kids about diversity and equity. It’s also important for kids to see themselves and their peers represented in the books they read. Our Growing Minds team evaluated its library and added a "diversity" tag to better identify farm to school books with diverse characters or subjects. We're committed to growing the list, so if you have more suggestions, please let us know!
In light of recent events, we're featuring four books with Latinx characters, culture, history, and recipes. Find more at growing-minds.org/childrens-literature.
 Harvesting Hope
by Kathleen Krull
Did you know that Cesar Chavez organized the first movement for farmers’ rights in America? This story details his efforts, from his childhood on a ranch in Arizona to his founding of the National Farm Workers Association. It is an inspiring tale of how hard work and nonviolent communication can be tools for achieving great things.
 Harvesting Friends
by Kathleen Contreras
Young Lupe loves helping her mother with their salsa garden full of tomatoes, chile peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro. But one summer day, she sees that the biggest, juiciest tomatoes have disappeared! Who could have taken them? Including easy-to-make recipes, this bilingual picture book for children ages 4-8 will have them clamoring for a garden of their own to plant and harvest. Along the way, young readers and the adults in their lives too will learn that coming together as a community will enable them to harvest more than just vegetables.
 Gathering the Sun
by Alma Flor Ada
English translation by Rosa Zubizarreta
A vibrant alphabet book written in Spanish poems with English translations that honor pride, family, and friends, history and heritage, and the bounty of the harvest.
 The Empanadas That Abuela Madeby Diane Bertrand In this rhythmic story, told in both English and Spanish, learn the steps and ingredients to make Abuela’s pumpkin empanadas. Don’t worry, the recipe is included!
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PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT |
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 FACES OF LOCAL |
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ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with artist Marilyn Place, one of the organizers of Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League's Food: The Unlimited Palate. Twenty percent of proceeds from the show will benefit ASAP's programs. The exhibition will run at the Red House Gallery in Black Mountain through Nov. 4.
How did you decide on the theme of food for the exhibition?
Each year the gallery committee gets together and decides on the themes for the following year's shows with input from all members who wish to participate. I suggested that we do a couple of collaborative shows with other nonprofits in the area to expand our community service. I found ASAP to be a strong, well-established organization with a mission which supported community and connection, themes similar to SVFAL's mission. A food-themed show seemed the obvious choice.
Can you describe some of the pieces included in the exhibition?
We had 51 entries for this show with a variety of mediums and subjects, including paintings of pastoral scenes of farms and farm animals; still life paintings with food as the subject; images focusing on pollinators; ceramic sculptures and functional art such as place settings, cups, and bowls; photography with a narrative around food; a hand-painted table; and even a beautiful handmade guitar entitled "Singing for Your Supper." The artists really had fun with a wide interpretation of the theme and how food connects us.
Farm animals and farmscapes show up often in your own paintings. What inspires you about being on a farm?
I know farming is hard work and a farm can be a beehive of activity, but there's something peaceful and serene about the landscape of a farm, especially in Western North Carolina with valleys and mountains in the background. Farming is a direct connection to the land and a vivid reminder that we are an inseparable part of the earth. And I've always been an animal lover so it's fun to paint the animals as well.
You participated as a plein air painter during ASAP's Farm Tour at Mills River Creamery. Any memorable moments from that experience?
That was such a fun day! I picked a place to set up close to some lively calves who seemed to enjoy the guests as they came by to see them. Fortunately I was under shelter when a rainstorm blew through, but with plein air painting, that's what you get sometimes. I painted the cows as they grazed in the field and had to paint fast since they wouldn't stand still very long. The owners were very gracious for letting me paint on their property and I appreciate ASAP for making it happen. I would love to do it again!
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 RECIPE OF THE MONTH |
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Our recipe this month comes from the Growing Minds recipe database and is also available in Spanish. You can find many seasonal recipes that work for kids at adults at growing-minds.org/recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups okra, sliced
- 3/4 cups onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup bell pepper, sliced
- 1 hot pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric*
- 1 teaspoon cumin*
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander*
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
*You may substitute 1 teaspoon or more of curry powder in place of turmeric, cumin, and coriander.
Instructions
- Prep veggies. Heat oil, salt and spices/curry in wok or skillet.
- Add veggies and sauté.
- Add ginger. Cover and cook to desired doneness (about 10 minutes or so).
- Add tomatoes. Taste and adjust with additional spices, if desired. Mix well.
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 MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS |
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Asheville City Market continued to be part of the discussion about a potential new hotel project on N. Market St., which took center stage at the Sept. 10 City Council meeting. Find coverage in the Asheville Citizen-Times, Mountain Xpress, and WLOS.
ASAP got a shout out in Our State magazine's article on The Barns of Madison County for assisting farms during the tobacco buyout.
The winners of ASAP's Farm Tour photo contest were featured in the August issue of The Laurel of Asheville. (Print edition includes all four winning photographs.)
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 ASAP’s Growing Local audio series runs on WNCW on Monday mornings during Morning Edition at 8:45 am. 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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