monthly news from ASAP    |   FEBRUARY 2023    |    asapconnections.org

Find Your Farm Share During CSA Month 
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Now is the time to sign up for a CSA (or Community Supported Agriculture) program! To celebrate this prelude to the new season, ASAP is declaring Feb. 15 to March 15 to be CSA Month. Watch ASAP's social media : [link removed] over the next few weeks as we roll out a campaign for CSA education and farmer features; use ASAP's digital tools : [link removed] for finding CSA programs; and come to the in-person CSA Fair on March 10 : [link removed] from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the YWCA of Asheville.  

The CSA Fair : [link removed] is relaxed setting where attendees chat with farmers about their products, growing practices, payment structure, and more. Attendees can sign up for a CSA during the fair or follow up with farmers later. The fair will also feature local food tastings and activities for kids, as well as produce and food products available for purchase. Participating farms—all offering CSA pickups in Buncombe County—will be announced in late February.
 
If you're not able to attend the fair, or are looking for a CSA outside of Buncombe County, ASAP's online tools : [link removed] can help you compare CSAs throughout the Appalachian Grown region. As you're deciding which (or if a) CSA is right for you, consider what pickup times and locations are convenient; what share size (i.e., how much food) you need; the farm's growing practices. Some farms offer variations on the traditional CSA model, such as online selection, shorter commitment, or a market share (members pay upfront, but select their own produce at the farmers market each week). 

 

Hear from CSA farmer Nathan Vannette of Growing Green Family Farms : [link removed] on the value of a CSA below in this newsletter's Faces of Local interview.



Scenes from the Business of Farming Conference
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Thank you to everyone involved in making ASAP's Business of Farming Conference : [link removed] this past weekend such a success—including attendees, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, caterers, and volunteers. We are inspired and energized by this amazing exchange of experience and aspiration.  If you missed the conference—or just weren't able to attend all the sessions you wanted—we will have presentations from most of the workshops posted on our website : [link removed] by the end of the week. The free digital version of our Farmer Toolkit : [link removed] is another great starting point for your farm business.



New Pilot for Farm Fresh Prescription Program

: [link removed] launched a new pilot within the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription : [link removed] in Swain County this month. This pilot tests an alternative model for the program in rural communities, where fulfilling prescriptions at farmers markets may not be as accessible. This version of the program focuses on deeper engagement with a smaller number of participating families and partner organizations.
 

For the pilot, Swain County Health Department prescribed patients fresh, local fruits and vegetables to help treat or prevent diet-related illness. Forty-nine families are receiving weekly boxes of produce delivered to their homes, sourced from Darnell Farms : [link removed]. Participants are intergenerational, ranging from families with young children to elderly individuals. Each week, families receive $50 worth of produce, including seasonal greens, squash, apples, mushrooms, and root vegetables. To complement the local produce, ASAP and partner organizations MountainWise and Swain County Health Department are providing families with kitchen equipment, recipes, spices (donated by Spicewalla), and other staple food items in each box.
 

This pilot will continue through April, with monthly gatherings planned for cooking demonstrations, nutrition education, wellness activities, and building relationships within the community. A similar pilot will be offered in Macon County later this year.



Meet Your Farmer: The Forest Farmacy
: [link removed] the latest Meet Your Farmer video : [link removed] from Growing Minds. Kat Houghton and Chris Parker of The Forest Farmacy : [link removed] take us into a world where forest meets the farm to talk about mushroom cultivation and farm life.  "Mushrooms are such a curious group of creatures," says Chris. "Out of estimated 5 billion species on the planet, we know of about 150,000. So there are still so many we do not know about. That's the thing that keeps me excited. There's so much more to be discovered." You can find more Meet Your Farmer videos, as well as related lesson plans and classroom resources, on the Growing Minds website : [link removed]. Thanks to Fusion Digital Media : [link removed] for producing this video!



Free Seeds for Schools from Growing Minds
: [link removed] seeds are here from our partners at Sow True Seed : [link removed]! ASAP's Growing Minds Farm to School Program : [link removed] makes these free seeds available to public and private pre-K through 12 schools located in ASAP's Appalachian Grown region : [link removed]. We have more than 50 varieties, including early producing spring crops like snow peas, radishes, and lettuce.

Educators can contact the Growing Minds team at [email protected] : mailto:[email protected] or 828-236-1282 to schedule a time to pick up seeds from the ASAP office in Asheville.



Come Work with Us!
ASAP is hiring a Farm Fresh for Health Program Director. This position is responsible for guiding the development and implementation of ASAP’s Farm Fresh for Health : [link removed] initiatives, with a special focus on the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program. Farm Fresh for Health is a place-based, farm-centered wellness initiative that is designed to improve the health and social connectedness of all people in the Southern Appalachians through positive local food and farm experiences. 
 

Read the full job description and application instructions. : [link removed] Applications accepted only by email. Please do not call or come by the office.



FACES OF LOCAL
Nathan Vannette
: [link removed] likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month we talked to farmer Nathan Vannette, co-owner of Growing Green Family Farms : [link removed] in Anderson and Greenville, SC, which offers a year-round CSA. Nathan and his wife, Rebecca, also operate Cottage Farmstead : [link removed], a blog and YouTube channel for homesteading education.
 
For anyone who doesn’t know, how are CSAs beneficial to farmers?
 
It provides upfront money for seeds and resources to start growing the crops. But also it’s a connection with our community. They’re investing in the long-term outcome of the farm. It’s reassuring that we have a vision and they are coming along with it.
 
How does Growing Green's CSA work?
 
We have a couple options. It’s split up into small or large shares. We have several pickup locations to increase accessibility. We partner with restaurants in different regions of downtown to make it easier for people to participate. Also, we have a flex share option. The rigidity of the small or large shares can be cumbersome for some people. So we created a token system. You get 10 tokens and you can choose 10 items. So, for instance, if someone wants to make salsa, they can get a lot of tomatoes, peppers. They next week they might have more of a Mediterranean-style menu, and they can get ingredients for that. You’re still paying upfront, but you can choose what you want. We offer a flex week as well. If you go on vacation, you can take a week off and be refunded or choose to gift that week’s CSA to someone. We are very well networked within the community to make sure that donated CSAs are allocated well. We want to take produce to food deserts. We’re doing that through gifting as well as some of our pickup locations.
 
Can you describe a typical share throughout the CSA season?
 
It’s split into four seasons. We try to have diversity within this. People get sick of collards in the winter, so we make sure to have root crops—carrots, beets. Lettuce is our mainstay. We grow that January to December. There are eight items in small share, which comes out to roughly $3 per item, and 12 items in the large share, so it’s 50 percent larger.
 
Do you have tips on cooking with a CSA that you’ve shared with CSA members?
 
We have a blog with recipes—which is nice because it also attracts people outside of the CSA. Our market customers will come to the website for the recipes. The CSA members get a monthly recipe for what’s in season. For instance, kohlrabi is something that a lot people don’t know how to cook, but once they do, they love it. Then we have almost a Q&A format on our social media pages.
 
What are some questions people have asked?
 
How do you preserve tomatoes? It seems like the preservation component is something that current community is very interested in. I mean, that’s our livelihood. Thats what we do in our own home, so it’s easy to share that. Those questions feed into what classes we offer. Growing Green’s education is more commercial, mentoring different farms. Our new business, Cottage Farmstead, is more based around what the individual can do.
 
Who is the right customer for a Growing Green Family Farm CSA?
 
Anyone is right for it. We’re catering the CSA sizes for our market demographics. Small is great for two people who eat intentionally or a family. The large share is great for six to eight friends. People often split their shares. We tell them a CSA is great opportunity to connect with your neighbors or bring them to your table. After the turmoil of COVID, food is something we can build community around. They love it, especially those who live in more urban areas, in an apartment. It’s very easy to share.
 
We’ve learned more about what we grow from these friendships that have developed. We didn’t know some of the produce we grow is ethnic to Eastern Europe, Ukraine in particular. One of our CSA members shared sorrel with Ukrainian friends, who asked, “Where can we get this?”
That’s inspired us as farmers to look more at the cultural background pertaining to food we grow. We want to grow more spices. Some cultures are used to fresh spices they can’t access here—such as cumin, caraway, French tarragon.
 
What are the main benefits that customers get from participating in a CSA?
 
They absolutely love the freshness of the produce, the building of community, and the diversity we offer throughout the year. We’re in a region where we can grow year round, but our farmers markets don’t go year round. We can provide access to local produce. We can also parter to help local farmers who are still growing in the slower season to have an outlet. So we’re making those community connections as well.
 
Want to connect with a CSA near you? Check out ASAP's online tools for finding CSA farms : [link removed].

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Farmer Nathan Vannette's Roasted Root VegetablesAs Nathan says in his Faces of Local interview, above, lots of people don't know how to cook kohlrabi, but once they do, they love it. He shared a recipe he's also shared with the Growing Green Family Farm : [link removed] CSA members to introduce the vegetable. You can find kohlrabi at farmers markets or farm stands around the region now!
 

Ingredients: 
kohlrabibeetsturnipsradishesolive oilsaltDirections:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Scrub all the root vegetables. Peel the kohlrabi. (Skins of beets, turnips, and radishes can all be eaten, but feel free to peel these if that's your preference.) Dice all roots into 3/4-inch chunks.Toss roots with olive oil to coat and add salt. Spread out on a sheet tray and place the oven.Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Broil for last minute and half to two minutes.Excellent on its own or served over rice.

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
“Some folks might come to [local food] because they want to know how their food is grown. Some folks may come to it because they want to know the story of the farm. Whatever those reasons, whatever your ‘why’ for buying local … bringing all those whys together keeps farmers farming.”

—ASAP Executive Director Molly Nicholie in a Mountain Xpress : [link removed] article about how localizing food systems creates a more sustainable, stable environment

CONNECT WITH US
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asapconnections.org : [link removed] | growing-minds.org : [link removed]
appalachiangrown.org : [link removed] | fromhere.org : [link removed]
 
Donate to support local food, strong farms, and healthy communities today! : [link removed]
 
ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.



ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) - 306 W. Haywood Street - Asheville - NC - 28801

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