Q: Scuppernong Produce, on the Scuppernong River

Columbia, NC – Last week I stumbled upon the most delicious strawberries (dark red and sweet all the way through) at a road-side stand as I drove from Asheville to the Outer Banks. They were grown at Scuppernong Produce on the Scuppernong River in Columbia, NC. Other types of produce are also grown at Scuppernong during all but the coldest months. And what goes with farm-fresh fruit? Cheese! A huge wheel of Hoop Cheese is usually on hand. When a woman asked for a half pound of the cheese, one of the farm’s owners called me over to see the 1905 Computing Cheese Cutter in action. Was the setting on this over 100-year-old bladed machine accurate? Take a look at the weight of the slice the Computer cut as measured by a current-day digital scale. Pretty darned close. If you’re driving US-64 near the NC coast or in Columbia, NC, take a few minutes and stop for some very good fruit or other produce, and hoop cheese to go with it. Oh, about those strawberries, I picked up half a flat to share with the group of media folks (from NY, KY, CA, and NC) I spent a few days with touring the Outer Banks. It’s Got to Be NC, right? Scuppernong Produce 87 Riverview Farm Ln Columbia, NC 27925 (252) 796-7541

Question 1

Register Now for ASAP’s 2025 Business of Farming Conference

Accepted Answer

Registration is now open for the 22nd annual Business of Farming Conference, presented by ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project), will be held Feb. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The conference will take place at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, Henderson County, NC—which is a location change from A-B Tech, as originally announced. The A-B Tech Conference Center is undergoing repairs after serving as a disaster relief location during Hurricane Helene.
The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, operational, and marketing tools to improve farm businesses and make professional connections. This year&#8217;s conference will also have a strong emphasis on resilience planning and resources for post-Helene recovery. More than a dozen workshops will be led by innovative farmers and specialists, including You Can’t Do It All: Hiring and Keeping a Productive Team and Planning for Farm Resiliency. A full list of workshops is at asapconnections.org.

“Heading into the first growing season post-Helene, farmers especially need opportunities like ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference to come together to share in learning, commiserate, network, share experiences and solutions with one another, or simply socialize after a hard year,” said David Smiley, ASAP’s Local Food Campaign Program Director. “A significant portion of this year&#8217;s workshop content is designed to help farms navigate the post-storm farm business landscape, including potential financial, business planning, and market outlet hurdles and opportunities.”
The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting, in which farmers meet with chefs, grocers, wholesalers, and other buyers to discuss their products and potential business relationships, will be held at lunchtime. Other networking opportunities include an exhibitor hall and one-on-one sessions to ask questions around food safety, tax, and legal topics. Embedded within the conference is the Farmers Market Summit, a chance for farmers market managers from across the region to come together for peer-sharing, technical assistance support, and annual planning.

Registration is now open at asapconnections.org. The cost is $75 by Feb. 1 and $95 after, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Scholarships are available for limited-resource and BIPOC farmers. The registration price includes a locally sourced breakfast and lunch. Lunch is sponsored by Farm Burger.
Support for the conference is provided in part by Dogwood Health Trust, NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more, visit asapconnections.org.

Question 2

Low Country Oyster Co breaks ground on new Seafood Processing Facility

Accepted Answer

South Carolina-based Lowcountry Oyster Company (LowCo.) has grown exponentially since Trey McMillan founded the sustainable oyster farm in 2017 in the ACE Basin. Now, as the state&#8217;s largest oyster farm, LowCo. harvests millions of oysters annually—and McMillan has no plans of slowing down. Expansion is on the horizon as LowCo. breaks ground on its latest venture, a 6.4 million dollar project that will bring at least 30 new jobs with it.
Construction is officially underway on LowCo.&#8217;s &#8220;Oyster Outpost,&#8221; a state-of-the-art Seafood processing and cross-dock facility in Green Pond, SC. Located just over an hour from downtown Charleston and only 30 minutes from I-95, LowCo. hopes to open its doors to other seafood producers and buyers to draw interest from wholesalers and trucking lines by the end of 2024.
New &#8220;Oyster Outpost&#8221; Rendering
&#8220;We are so proud of what we&#8217;ve accomplished over the past seven years in just 16 acres of water here in the ACE Basin,&#8221; states McMillan. &#8220;Our goal from the start has always been to feed as many people as possible on the smallest footprint possible, and this expansion will allow us to reach more oyster lovers than ever before in the Southeast and beyond. As we invest in ourselves with this exciting expansion, we&#8217;re also proud to be able to invest in others. We expect to create more than 30 new jobs in rural Colleton County over the next five years. Giving back to the community has always been important to us as a company, so we are excited about bringing economic opportunity to this area.&#8221;
This facility will have a state-of-the-art chilled water wet storage system and climate-controlled processing and holding areas – boasting over 10,000 square feet of refrigerated space – making it the first of its kind in the state. The new machines will allow LowCo. to go from processing 5,000 oysters to 20,000 oysters an hour. McMillan hopes to increase LowCo.&#8217;s production and sales tenfold, aiming to deliver more fresh South Carolina oysters to shellfish lovers nationwide.
Lowcountry Oyster Company also plans to expand into a new-build retail space in West Ashley in the near future.

Question 3

New! Stump Farms Hydroponic & Urban Farm in Hendersonville

Accepted Answer

Kevin and Alicia Stump moved to Hendersonville from Magnolia, TX, just outside Houston, about a year ago. They&#8217;ve spent that year setting up Stump Farms at 732 Jonesborough St., basically behind Publix. It&#8217;s a continuation of what began as a &#8220;homesteading journey&#8221; &#8211; while holding down full-time jobs &#8211; and turned into full time farming some five years ago.
What&#8217;s different about this &#8220;new&#8221; business is that they come to Hendersonville with extensive hands-on experience having already built a 2 acre farm successfully from the ground up (wink), to the point of selling at multiple Farmers Markets. Yes, they&#8217;re going to have to deal with a totally different environment, coming from, as far as I can tell, a USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9a to a 7b zone. It just about killed me to go from an 8b zone and excellent soil to our current 9a zone and clay soil at our Hendersonville home when it came to gardening.
The Stumps refer to their enterprise as a Hydroponic & Urban Farm, producing Clean & Real Food. Hydroponic in that they are growing hydroponically in over 2,000 square feet indoors. Urban in that they&#8217;re growing outdoors and in greenhouses on an urban-sized lot.
We had a little trouble finding the farmstore entrance, so I&#8217;ve included a couple helpful images from Google Maps in the gallery below.

The farmshop features plants and produce, as well as a few things like natural skin care products, soaps, and teas. One of us left with a bag of produce. The general concensus was that the pricing was very reasonable.
If you want to learn more about Kevin and Alicia, here&#8217;s a Sept 2021 Voyage Houston article where Alicia talks about their background, how & why they started their farming journey, and where it had taken them:  Exploring Life & Business with Alicia Stump of Stump Farms.
What&#8217;s next for this enterprising, hard-working couple? They&#8217;re talking about opening a small plant-based cafe on the property. This makes me happy and nervous. Nervous because part of this urban property is in a flood plain. And it floods just about every year. They&#8217;ve already had to clean up from flooding after the last extended heavy rain we had.
When asked about the flooding, they explained that they&#8217;d built everything up off the floor, so there were no product losses. We&#8217;ll see what they come up with for their (possible) cafe.
Definitely go to the Stump Farms Website: https://www.stumpfarms.com/ and take a good look at all their offerings. It&#8217;s extensive and includes an online store. Here&#8217;s their Instagram Feed where you can get a feel for what they&#8217;re all about. You can also find them on Facebook.
Stump Farms
732 Jonesborough St
Hendersonville, NC
(828) 642-9680

Question 4

ASAP’s Farm Tour Returns Sept. 18–19

Accepted Answer

ASAP’s highly anticipated annual Farm Tour is back for 2021, following cancelation in 2020 due to COVID-19. On Sept. 18–19, from noon to 5 p.m., approximately 20 Appalachian Grown family farms will welcome visitors for guided tours, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. This fun and educational weekend offers the public a chance to experience firsthand how food is grown and raised in the mountains, sample farm-fresh products, and meet local farmers. The tour is a great outing for visitors of all ages and abilities.
The 2021 Farm Tour will feature farms in Buncombe, Henderson, and Haywood counties, all located within an hour drive of Asheville. Every year, ASAP introduces new farms on the tour and brings back old favorites, including u-pick farms, vineyards, flower farms, fiber producers, and more. A full list of participating farms will be announced later this summer. Farm Tour guides, including a map, driving directions, tour tips, and farm descriptions, will be available at community centers and area businesses in mid-August.
“The ASAP Farm Tour gives us a chance to share our dreams and passion with others committed to a sustainable future,” said farmer Sara Martin, whose Two Trees Farm in Haywood County has been a past tour favorite and will return for 2021. “Showing people the joys of working the land and eating fresh food creates a community. We are truly happiest when we have our feet in the soil, sharing skills to make agriculture more accessible to others. Come share our dream!”
The Farm Tour is an outdoor event and will follow current state guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hand-washing facilities or hand sanitizer will be available at all farms. Visitors who are not vaccinated should wear a mask and maintain social distancing while on the tour.
Farm Tour passes are on sale now for $35 at asapconnections.org/farmtour. One pass admits a carload of visitors to all farms both days. Pending availability, passes purchased the weekend of the tour will be $45. More information, including details on volunteering and attending the tour for free, can be found at asapconnections.org or by calling 828-236-1282.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more, visit asapconnections.org.

Question 5

Asheville Culinary Festival Chow Chow Postpones Until September 2021

Accepted Answer

Asheville’s new culinary festival, Chow Chow, is being re-scheduled for September 2021 due to the disruption and uncertainty caused by Covid-19.
After the Board of Directors of Chow Chow, a 501(c)(3) organization, determined launching ticket sales in April was unrealistic, the group also considered the future rules and regulations regarding social gatherings and the indeterminate nature of the impact of the pandemic. As a result, the board voted to postpone the festival until September 2021.
“It was an extremely tough decision and a decision that we don’t make lightly. We so appreciate the support of the community, our sponsors, and our partners during last year’s festival as well as in preparation for 2020. We’re determined to be back better than ever next year,” said Board of Directors President Katie Button. “We’ll all be ready to welcome friends and family back to Asheville and we think Chow Chow will be a great way to celebrate our re-opened doors.”
The organization will also continue its mission in 2020 with a series of events, dinners and an on-line presence that will offer meaningful content celebrating farmers, chefs, makers, and artists. The board remains committed to elevating Asheville’s greater creative community through food and the communal table.
The festival will also shift its focus to support the many farmers, restaurants, chefs, artists, makers, and non-profits severely impacted by Covid-19.
Watch for updates on their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/chowchowavl/

Question 6

ASAP Announces 2019 Local Food Experience

Accepted Answer

Popular local food & farm event returns on Aug 15 at New Belgium Brewing Co.

ASAP’s Local Food Experience celebrates the connections between farmers, chefs, and artisan food producers in the region. The event, to be held on Thursday, August 15, 6-8:30 pm, at New Belgium Brewing Co., is an opportunity for attendees to meet farmers, chefs, and artisans while sampling small plates highlighting seasonal foods grown and raised in the Southern Appalachians. The evening also features an exclusive local food–themed silent auction, a scavenger hunt, and a friendly chef competition for favorite dish.

Participating vendors for 2019 include Sawhorse, Aux Bar, The Montford Rooftop Bar, Early Girl Eatery, Sugar & Snow Gelato, Serotonin Ferments, Shanti Elixirs, Buncombe County Schools, and more. These chefs and producers will highlight Appalachian Grown™ farm products from Looking Glass Creamery, Dry Ridge Farm, Brasstown Beef, Ivy Creek Family Farm, Farm Fresh Ventures, Jah Works Farm, other local farms. More restaurants and farms will be announced in the weeks leading up to the experience. Updated participating partners, as well as a sneak peak at silent auction items, can be found at asapconnections.org.

“I’m so excited to be a part of the ASAP Local Food Experience for the third time!” says Dan Silo, chef-owner of Sawhorse. “It’s been a fantastic way to highlight the relationships between people who grow and produce food and people who cook food in WNC. It’s also been a great way to network with the people who put love and care and thought into what they do with food, and how it impacts the environment, the community, and the local economy. I participated in my first Local Food Experience before I even had my own business to showcase, and now that Sawhorse is up and running it gives me great joy to continue the partnership.”

ASAP’s Local Food Experience is exclusively sponsored by Katie Button Restaurants.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased in advance at asapconnections.org. All proceeds will benefit ASAP’s programs to help local farms thrive and build healthy communities through connections to local food. New Belgium Brewing Co. is located at 21 Craven Street, Asheville, NC 28806.

ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)

ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work in the region, visit asapconnections.org, or call (828) 236-1282.

Question 7

TerraVita Announces 10th Anniversary (Final) Schedule

Accepted Answer

TerraVita Food & Drink Festival is North Carolina’s premier gathering of culinary talent, makers, artisans, food purveyors, food lovers, sustainable eaters and thinkers. For the exciting 10th anniversary, festival founder Colleen Minton is focused on celebrating past, beloved festival contributors and toasting the future of food and sustainability in North Carolina and the South. The star-studded event returns to Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Pittsboro Oct. 16-19. Tickets for the most exciting festival yet go on sale this Thursday, July 11, at noon.
Visit www.TerraVitaFest.com for tickets and schedules. Follow the Facebook page @TerraVitaFest (same for Instagram and Twitter) for announcements as speakers and event participants are added.
In an email to devoted fans, Minton shared personal news: &#8220;There&#8217;s another reason this year will be special&#8230;2019 will also be TerraVita&#8217;s final year. Just as the North Carolina food and beverage scene has matured over the last decade, so has our family! I feel like our community has grown and flourished—and I think the timing is about as good as it gets. I am proud of what TerraVita has become and the way it has tapped into the undeniable power of food and drink. I feel like we were ahead of the curve when it came to exploring topics like sustainable seafood, GMOs and social justice, as it pertains to the industry. We&#8217;ve nurtured relationships and created connections within the culinary community and beyond.
&#8220;Through our close partnership with Orange County Waste, we&#8217;ve diverted more than 22,000 pounds of waste through composting and recycling. Most of all, I&#8217;m proud of the incredible memories we&#8217;ve made and the joy this festival has brought to participants, attendees and volunteers.&#8221;
Wednesday
TerraVita 2019 Events Include Alumni Lineup for All-Star East Meets West Dinner
The East Meets West Dinner kicks off the festival on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Fearrington Barn. Colin Bedford of The Fearrington House in Pittsboro will host nine chefs—all alumni of East Meets West over TerraVita&#8217;s 10 years—for a collaborative dinner. In addition to Colin, the lineup for the evening includes:

Daniel Benjamin of lucettegrace &#8211; Raleigh
Ashely Boyd of 300 East &#8211; Charlotte
Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons at the Umstead &#8211; Cary
Vivian Howard of Chef & The Farmer and The Boiler Room &#8211; Kinston; and Benny&#8217;s Big Time Pizzeria &#8211; Wilmington
Joe Kindred of Kindred &#8211; Davidson; and Hello, Sailor &#8211; Cornelius
Cheetie Kumar of Garland &#8211; Raleigh
Dean Neff of Love, Lydia Bakery &#8211; Wilmington
Keith Rhodes of Catch &#8211; Wilmington
Jesse Roque of Never Blue &#8211; Hendersonville

In addition, master baker Lionel Vatinet of La Farm Bakery will provide fresh baked breads and crafted spreads for the dinner. Botanist & Barrel of Cedar Grove will serve their ciders and dry fruit wines. Tickets are $120.
Hill Fire event
THURSDAY
Hill Fire: A Barbecue Revival with Pigs & Pies
TerraVita&#8217;s Thursday night event at the Carrboro Town Commons celebrates those who love to play with fire. This year, some of the region&#8217;s top pitmasters and chefs will come together for an evening of smoky bliss. In addition, a limited number of VIP tickets offer cocktails and a pre-dinner behind-the-scenes experience with several pitmasters and chefs.
The lineup includes:

Justin Burdett of Crook&#8217;s Corner &#8211; Chapel Hill
Wyatt Dickson of Picnic &#8211; Durham
Sam Jones of the Skylight Inn &#8211; Ayden; Sam Jones BBQ &#8211; Winterville; and Sam Jones BBQ Restaurant &#8211; Greenville, Raleigh and Wilmington
Ricky Moore of Saltbox Seafood Joint &#8211; Durham
Matthew Register of Southern Smoke BBQ &#8211; Garland
Chris Prieto of Prime Barbeque &#8211; Knightdale
Jake Wood of Plates Kitchen &#8211; Raleigh

Additional chefs will be added in the coming weeks. Sean Umstead of Kingfisher in Durham will be slinging specialty cocktails and other beverage participants will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are $80 for the dinner and $105 for the VIP option (which includes the dinner).
Friday
The Sustainable Classroom, a hallmark of TerraVita, will return, stirring the mind, body and soul with workshops, food and beverage tastings, demonstrations, discussions and educational sessions all wrapped into one. Watch TerraVita&#8217;s social media and websites for more announcements and updates for classroom titles and participants. Each classroom pass will include three classes over the course of the morning and early afternoon. Tickets for a Friday class pass are $75.
Spirit of Adventure Cocktail Class
This special stand-alone class at The Crunkleton in downtown Chapel Hill will offer attendees a front-row seat as Gary Crunkleton chooses a few unusual bottles to feature. He&#8217;ll offer a little history lesson and a few distinctive cocktails while also discussing what&#8217;s trending in the bar world. Tickets are $40.
On Friday evening, TerraVita will host a dinner honoring the late Karen Barker, best known for her work at Magnolia Grill, a restaurant she founded with husband Ben Barker. The dinner will offer a chance to reflect, as a community, on the legacy of the Durham pastry chef. Friends and culinary pros from across the South—as well as Karen&#8217;s family—will come together for a family-style meal at Lavender Oaks Farm in Chapel Hill.
Participating chefs include:

Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar & Grill &#8211; Birmingham, AL
Billy & Kelli Cotter of Dashi & Toast &#8211; Durham
John Fleer of Rhubarb & Benne &#8211; Asheville
Phoebe Lawless of Scratch &#8211; Durham
Glenn Lozuke of Weaver Street Market &#8211; Carrboro
Caitlin McCormick Schumacher of FIG &#8211; Charleston, SC
Amanda Orser of Littler &#8211; Durham
Tori Schumacher of The Ordinary &#8211; Charleston, SC

Debra Lewis of Vintage &#8217;59 Imports will curate the wines for the dinner and Fullsteam Brewery will serve beer. Tickets cost $120.
Saturday
Saturday’s Fall Fête on The Green offers the ultimate toast to the talent and innovation of North Carolina and the chefs, artisans and makers serving up a global mix of sustainable offerings. The event at Southern Village in Chapel Hill takes place from 1:30 pm &#8211; 4 pm on Oct. 19 and will feature tastings from more than 40 chefs and artisans. Guests may taste as many as 60 sustainably-produced beverages, including kombucha; organic coffee; biodynamic, organically-grown and natural wines; and sustainably-produced microbrews and spirits. The all-inclusive ticket for the afternoon tasting event is $80; designated driver tickets are available for $65.
In addition, the Fall Fête will have a limited number of VIP tickets available for early entry. VIPs will be the first to shop in the expanded makers&#8217; tent with potters from Seagrove, The Pottery Capital of the U.S. and more than half a dozen food artisans from across the state. The makers&#8217; tent will also feature several pros creating specialty cocktails and hors d&#8217;oeuvres beginning at 12:30 pm. VIPs receive early access to the larger chef tent at 1 pm. VIP entry includes tastings from Jean Anderson&#8217;s new book, Kiln to Kitchen (UNC Press). Anderson will sign her book for the public for the first two hours. VIP tickets are $100.
About TerraVita Food & Drink Festival
Launched in 2010 in Chapel Hill, NC by food activist Colleen Minton, TerraVita was named one of &#8220;seven top-notch festivals around the Southeast to whet the appatite&#8221; this Spring by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Committed to sustainable food and drink, the event brings together award-winning chefs, authors, artisans, makers, media and farmers in unique settings to taste, talk about issues and celebrate the land.
TerraVita strives to produce a zero waste event. More than 22,000 pounds of waste have been diverted over the past nine festivals through composting and recycling. The event shares a strategic partnership with Orange County Solid Waste Management and Brooks Contractors, a commercial composting company located in Chatham County. TerraVita is grateful to the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau, a proud sponsor of TerraVita.
More Information
Watch our new video! http://bit.ly/TerraVita2019Video
Visit www.terravitafest.com and @TerraVitaFest on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Sign up for emails from TerraVita for the latest news and announcements:
http://bit.ly/SignUpforTerraVitaUpdates

Question 8

All Inclusive Culinary Farm Experience at Hotel Domestique

Accepted Answer

Hotel Domestique (http://hoteldomestique.com/) is offering an all-inclusive Culinary Farm Experience from August 4 &#8211; 8, 2019. They&#8217;re located at 10 Rd of Vines • Travelers Rest, SC 29690
Rates: $2300 Single occupancy | $1700 double occupancy
The Culinary Farm Experience price includes 4 night accommodations, all meals, farm excursions, custom Domestique takeaways, transportation to and from farms, personalized lessons from inside the kitchen of Restaurant 17 with Executive Chef Haydn Shaak and more. Taxes and gratuities Included.
Exclusive access to the following farms:
Broken Oak Organics -Tour and picnic lunch
Blue Ridge Creamery &#8211; Tour and Artisan cheese tasting
Victoria Valley Vineyards &#8211; Tour, wine tasting and lunch
Killer Bees Honey &#8211; Tour, honey tasting and lunch
To RESERVE, give them a call at 864-516-1715

Question 9

Outdoor Tailgate Markets Return for the Season

Accepted Answer

Tailgate tents are going up, and area farmers markets are opening outdoors for the season.
Celebrate spring by getting a taste of what Appalachian Grown™ farms are growing. At early spring markets find fresh salad mix, root vegetables, spring greens, mushrooms, apples, spring onions, microgreens, meats, cheeses, eggs, baked goods, honey, preserves, and a wide selection of plant starts. Produce offerings will differ from market to market based on the location of vendor farms—microclimates vary greatly in the region. But the season changes quickly, with new offerings sprouting up each week.
Molly Nicholie, ASAP’s Local Food Campaign Director, is always excited for the opening of
markets each year. “Outdoor farmers markets are one of my favorite harbingers of spring.
Whether I’ll be returning to a long-time favorite market or discovering new markets in the
region, showing up to reconnect with farmers and friends is a great way to renew your
community connections and find a fresh start to the season.”
With more than 100 farmers markets across the region, there are opportunities to explore local food and farm offerings throughout the mountains. Find a list of spring tailgate pening days below. For a complete list of the tailgate markets in the region, including their season start dates, visit ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. The 2019 print guide hits stands in mid-April.
Central Mountains Regional Tailgate Markets
Asheville City Market – Downtown: April 6 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Asheville City Market – South: April 3 (Wednesdays, noon–4pm)
Black Mountain Tailgate Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 9am–noon)
East Asheville Tailgate Market: May 3 (Fridays, 3–6pm)
Hot Springs Homegrown and Handmade Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 10am–2pm)
Mars Hill Farmers & Artisans Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 9am–1pm)
North Asheville Tailgate Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
River Arts District Farmers Market: May 1 (Wednesdays, 3–6pm)
Sundays on the Island: March 31 (Sundays, noon)
Weaverville Tailgate Market: April 3 (Wednesdays, 2:30–6pm)
West Asheville Tailgate Market: April 9 (Tuesdays 3:30–6:30pm)
WNC Farmers Market: open year–round (daily, 8am–6pm)
Yancey County Farmers Market: April 27 (Saturdays, 8:30am–12:30pm)
Foothills Regional Tailgate Markets
Caldwell County Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 6am–noon)
Hildebran Farmers Market: May 7 (Tuesdays, 8am–1pm)
Historic Marion Tailgate Market: May 7 (Tuesdays 3–6pm, Saturdays 9am–noon)
Lenoir Downtown Farmers Market: open year–round (Thursdays, 10am–5pm, Saturdays,
10am–2pm)
Morganton Farmers Market: April 27 (Wednesdays 11am–3pm, Saturdays 8am–noon)
Rutherford County Farmers Market: April 20 (Saturdays, 9am–1pm)
Sawmills Farmers Market: May 7 (Tuesdays, 3–6:30pm)
Valdese Farmers Market: May 24 (Fridays, 11am–4pm)
Southern Mountains Regional Tailgate Markets
Columbus Farmers’ Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Flat Rock Farmers Market: May 2 (Thursdays, 3–6pm)
Henderson County Curb Market: open year–round (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,
8am–2pm)
Henderson County Tailgate Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Mills River Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Saluda Tailgate Market: May 3 (Fridays, 4:30–6:30pm)
Transylvania Farmers’ Market: open year–round (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Near West Regional Tailgate Markets
Franklin Farmers Tailgate Market: open year–round (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market: April 20 (Wednesdays, 3:30–6:30pm, Saturdays
8am–noon)
Jackson County Farmers Market: April 6 (Wednesdays, 3:30–6:30pm, Saturdays, 9am–noon)
Original Waynesville Tailgate Market: May 15 (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Swain County Farmers Market: May 3 (Fridays, 9am–1pm)
The ‘Whee Market: April 2 (Tuesdays, 3–6pm)
Far West Regional Tailgate Markets
Brasstown’s Farmers Market: April 24 (Wednesdays, 10am–2pm)
Graham County Farmers Market: July 13 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
High Country Regional Tailgate Markets
Alleghany County Farmers’ Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 9am–noon)
Ashe County Farmers Market: April 20 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Avery County Farmers Market: May 9 (Thursdays, 4:30–7pm)
King Street Market: May 14 (Tuesdays, 4–7pm)
Yaya Village Farmers’ Market: TBA (Saturdays, 10am–2pm)
Spruce Pine Farmers Market: April 24 (Wednesdays, noon–4pm)
North Georgia Farmers Markets
Blue Ridge Downtown Market: June 1 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Clarkesville Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 9am–noon)
Clayton Farmers Market: April 27 (Saturdays, 9am–12:30pm)
Dahlonega Farmers Market: May 4 (Tuesdays, 2–6pm, Saturdays 8am–1pm)
Lavonia Farmers Market: April 3 (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7am–11am)
Union County Farmers Market: June 1 (Tuesdays, 2–6pm, Saturdays, 7am–1pm)
White County Farmers Market: June 15 (Saturdays, 7:30am–noon)
Upstate South Carolina Farmers Markets
Anderson County Farmers Market: June 1 (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8am–1pm)
Clemson Farmers Market: May 2 (Fridays, 3–6pm)
Foothills Heritage Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Hub City Farmers Market: April 6 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Landrum Farmers Market: TBA (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Norris Farmers’ Market: TBA (Mondays, 3–6pm)
TD Saturday Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Travelers Rest Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8:30am–noon)
East Tennessee Farmers Markets
Dandridge Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Depot Street Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays 9am–1pm)
Dixie Lee Farmers Market: April 27 (Saturdays, 9am–noon)
Ebenezer Road Farmers Market: April 9 (Tuesdays and Fridays, 3–6pm)
Erwin Farmers Market: July 2 (Tuesdays, 5–8pm)
Fox Park Fair: May 4 (Tuesdays and Fridays, 2–5pm)
Gatlinburg Farmers Market: June 1 (Saturdays, 8:30am–noon)
Greeneville Farmers Market: May 11 (Saturdays, 9am–1pm)
Johnson City Farmers Market: TBA (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7am–2pm)
Jonesborough Farmers Market: May 4 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Market Square Farmers’ Market: May 1 (Wednesdays, 11am–2pm, Saturdays, 9am–2pm)
Maryville Farmers Market: April 20 (Saturdays, 9am–noon)
New Harvest Park Farmers’ Market: April 11 (Thursdays, 3–6pm)
Newport Farmers Market: May 1 (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am–1pm)
Sevierville Commons Farmers Market: May 31 (Fridays, 9am–1:30pm)
Seymour Farmers Market: June 1 (Saturdays, 8am–noon)
Southwest Virginia Farmers Markets
Independence Farmers Market: May 10 (Wednesdays, 4–6pm, Saturdays, 9am–1pm)
Rural Retreat Farmer’s Market: TBA (Wednesdays, 1:30 –5:30pm)
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work, visit asapconnections.org, or call (828) 236-1282

Question 10

What North Carolina Farms Need After Hurricane Florence

Accepted Answer

Guest Post by Heather Barnes. North Carolina and other states on the east coast were hit by Hurricane Florence just over one week ago. The storm’s winds battered crops and its rainfall, more than 30 feet in some areas, caused flooding that closed major interstates and shut down entire towns. Agriculture, the number one industry in my state, took a hard hit, the full extent which won&#8217;t be known for months. The needs of the agriculture community are great, and may not be as obvious as you think.
Image: WLOS.com
We need you to know we prepared for this storm. Generators were checked, fuel and feed were stockpiled. Animals were moved to higher ground (more than 20,000 hogs alone). Knowing North Carolina is in hurricane alley, hog farmers began preparing lagoons in August, so these manure storage ponds would be able to hold as much rain water as possible. You can read more about how lagoons work on the NC Pork Council website.
We need you to know farmers stayed behind, even when told to leave. There are no livestock on our farm, but we had tobacco barns running and didn&#8217;t leave. Livestock farmers stayed on their farms, sometimes in the barn, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the animals in their care.
We need you to see the photos and videos farmers have posted on social media, including:
&#8211; farmers using ATVs, trucks, boats or even helicopters to get feed to their animals
&#8211; workers carrying feed to poultry in 5-gallon buckets because there was no power to run the automatic feeders inside the chicken houses
&#8211; tobacco almost melting off the stalk, cotton bolls hardened by rain, sweet potato fields under water and other crop damage
&#8211; the farmers whose pig, chickens and turkeys were in houses with power when their children were not.
We need you to feel the pain of our loss as we stand looking at a crop we worked 80-hour weeks to grow, only to lose it all; to feel the tears we shed at the loss of livestock that drowned; the desperation of livestock owners, like a former coworker of mine, who were stranded with their animals and asking for help to get their horses feed without a thought of their own food needs.
We need you to know family farms of all types were impacted by this storm; both large and small. Livestock, row crop, fruit and vegetables, all were affected including conventional and organic. From first generation to seventh generation, part-time farmer and full-time farmer, family farms that sell at your local farmers market, to your local grocery store and internationally, all were impacted.
We need you to stop assuming &#8220;Crop insurance will pay all their bills.&#8221; It does not. Federal crop insurance is complicated, but the cliff notes version is it only covers certain crops (row crops like cotton and corn, not vegetable crops like sweet potatoes) and only a percentage of your production. Homeowners insurance covers replacement costs of your home. Crop insurance does not replace the lost income from a damaged crop. Many farmers will not farm another year after this loss, just two years after they suffered losses from Hurricane Matthew.
We need you to realize food safety and animal welfare rules don&#8217;t stop because of the storm. Do you really believe drowned animals will enter the food chain? NO. Do you believe crops covered by overflowing creeks, ponds and other bodies of water will be harvested for human consumption? NO. If you believe that, then you must think the fish drowned along Interstate 40 will also end up in the food chain.
We need the media to interview farmers if they want to cover the true story of this hurricane. Get sound bites from those of us who make our living from the land. Talk to the commodity groups and other agriculture organizations that haven&#8217;t been watching from afar, but from the ground beside us.
We need photos and video that are used in stories about Florence to have actually been taken during or after Florence. I&#8217;ve seen photos circulating that were taken after Hurricane Floyd in 1999 accompanying reports of Florence&#8217;s damage. North Carolina saw huge losses, particularly in the livestock industry, from Floyd and learned many lessons which resulted in less loss of livestock and less discharge from hog lagoons from Florence. It is disappointing to see photos from almost 20 years ago being circulated and passed off as current. It&#8217;s even more disheartening to read the comments from people who take them at face value. Photos from 20 years ago aren&#8217;t relevant, unless you want to highlight all the improvements farmers have put in place since then.
We need the media to verify the authenticity of photos and video before they broadcast or print it. Some news media have reported on &#8220;hog farms&#8221;, including photos or videos that weren’t farms at all but municipal waste facilities, poultry farms, warehouses or some other structure. Some hog houses that were shown no longer house pigs and haven’t in many years.
We need you to spread the word that farmers needing assistance can call the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services emergency hotline at 866-645-9403. Some farmers lost all the hay they had baled for winter and pastures have been flooded. Without hay or feed, they will be forced to sell animals. Many are still cleaning up their farms and can&#8217;t take supplies now, but will need them. NCDA&CS, NC Cooperative Extension and many commodity associations also have information related to disaster relief and recovery posted on their websites.
We need help. Immediate needs include temporary or permanent fencing, salt blocks, minerals, feed and hay. These and other supplies are being accepted at the Emergency Farm Supply Distribution site in Pink Hill (call 252-521-1706). Financial donations are being accepted by the Lenoir County Extension office which is working directly with the distribution site. Checks can be made payable to the N.C. Agriculture Foundation (tax deductible) or Lenoir County (not tax deductible) and should be sent to:
Lenoir County Cooperative Extension
Attn: Eve Honeycutt
1791 Hwy 11 55
Kinston, NC 28504
The North Carolina Farm Bureau Foundation is also working to help farmers impacted by Florence.
We need our fellow farmers, who have helped each other through other storms and will continue to do so.
We need to give thanks to the lineman who have restored power, the communities who have supported us, the truckers who brought feed through the flood waters, the volunteers who have fed us and everyone who has donated not only to farmers, but to everyone impacted by Florence.
We don&#8217;t need you to kick us when we&#8217;re down. Even before the storm, as farmers were preparing for Florence to hit land, anti-agriculture organizations were in the sky looking for problems. News reports on the losses have not always been accurate and most include reader comments telling farmers we brought this on ourselves, how much we don&#8217;t care about the livestock in our care and other negative thoughts.
We need boots on the ground, not eyes in the sky. If you are going to fly over our farms, at least drop a load of hay or some fuel on your way over.

Question 11

Gone Fishing - for the true story on NC Seafood (recipes too!)

Accepted Answer

Tomorrow morning &#8211; Monday, May 8 &#8211; I&#8217;ll be heading to Morehead City, NC and surrounding areas in Eastern and Coastal NC for a few days with a small media group hosted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
We&#8217;ll be touring aquaculture farms, seafood producers, a catfish farm, community supported fishery, and hopefully, talk to some folks that fish our waters for a living. I&#8217;ve got questions.
Join me by following along as I post throughout the trip on Carolina Epicurean social channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinaepicurean/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaEpicurean ), and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolinaEpicur .
Image: Stacey Sprenz
And, as it happens, I got a hold of two terrific NC seafood recipes from Chef Bud Taylor of The Bistro at Topsail just in time for this immersion in to NC Seafood.
Want more from Chef Bud Taylor? He&#8217;ll be at the Wilmington Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, May 13th. He will be doing a cooking demo at 3pm that day as well. Here&#8217;s the link to purchase tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2755585
Image: Tessa Nguyen
Bistro Shrimp & Grits by Chef Bud Taylor
GRITS:
• 1 CUP STONE GROUND YELLOW GRITS
• (ADLUH MILLS, ANSON MILLS OR OTHER QUALITY BRAND, DON&#8217;T USE QUICK GRITS)
• 1 CUP WHOLE MILK
• 3 CUPS COLD WATER
• 6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER
• 1 CUP GRATED ASIAGO OR PARMESAN
• SALT & PEPPER
SHRIMP & SAUCE
• 1 POUND LOCAL SHRIMP
• 1 GREEN TOMATO – cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 TABLESPOON MINCED SHALLOT (MAY SUB RED ONION)
• ¼ TEASPOON MINCED GARLIC
• 4-6 oz. NC COUNTRY HAM- CUT INTO SMALL STRIP
• ½ CUP DRY WHITE WINE
• 2 CUPS SHRIMP STOCK (MAY SUB SEAFOOD BASE)
• UNSALTED COLD BUTTER- CUT INTO CUBES
• 2 TABLESPOONS THINLY SLICED SCALLION
• 1 TEASPOON EACH DICED FRESH
• THYME
• BASIL
• PARSLEY
Cooking Instructions:
GRITS:
• In stock pot bring water, milk & butter to a boil
• Slowly whisk in grits and return to a boil for 1-2 minutes
• Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook 30-45 minutes or until grits are tender
• Remove from heat and stir in cheese
• Season to taste with salt & pepper
SHRIMP:
• While grits are cooking peel and clean shrimp.
• Season with salt & pepper and set aside
SAUCE: (sauce can be made in advance and kept warm)
• In hot saute pan place 2 T butter, shallot, garlic and country ham and cook until lightly brown
• De-glaze pan with white whine
• Add green tomatoes to pan and cook approx 1 minute
• Add shrimp stock and 2 T butter and let reduce by ¼
• Add scallions & fresh herbs
• Remove from heat
• Finish sauce by stirring several cubes of cold butter into sauce, until thickens slightly
• Season to taste with Salt & Pepper
In separate pan:
• Heat pan
• Add 2 T butter and seasoned shrimp
• Cook just until shrimp turn pink on bottom then turn shrimp and remove pan from heat.
• Shrimp will finish cooking with residual heat from pan
TO SERVE:
• Toss cooked shrimp into sauce
• Divide grits into 4 bowls
• Spoon sauce & shrimp mixture equally into bowls on top of grits. Do not stir up.
• Garnish with fresh chive (optional)
Pan Roasted Grouper with Orange Braised Leeks & Vadouvan Jus
Leeks:
4-6 Leeks green parts removed
zest and juice of one orange
3 T unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper
pinch sugar

Slice lengthwise through center keeping root end intact.
Soak root end up in bowl of cool water for 1 hour.
remove from bowl and rinse under cool running water, fanning each leaf to remove any remaining grit.
Slice about ½ inch thick
Melt half the butter into large skillet or saute pan, add leeks and cook on low heat for 2-4 minutes. (do not let leeks brown)
Add orange zest & juice
Add remainder of butter, continue to cook until leeks are soft and semi transparent.
Salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Serve immediately

Vadouvan Jus:
1 T butter
1 small shallot diced
1 clove garlic diced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups heavy cream
3 T Vadouvan Spice

Put shallot, garlic, butter in medium sauce pan, cook for 1 minute, add wine and bring to a boil
Cook until liquid is almost gone, about 5-7 minutes
Add cream and vadouvan spice bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Strain into container and use immediately or can be stored in refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Use double boiler to reheat
Pan Roasted Grouper:
(4) 4 oz. Grouper filet about 1 inch thick
2T butter
¼ cup canola oil
salt & pepper

Season fish with salt & pepper
Heat skillet and add oil and butter to pan
Place fish skin side up and in pan and sear until golden brown
Reduce heat and continue to cook fish until cooked about half way through. Fish will start to turn white on the sides.
Turn fish and allow to finish cooking until just flaky.
Do not overcook, fish will continue to cook after you remove it from the pan.

To serve:
Divide leeks equally among 4 plates, place fish at angle on leeks. Finish with just around leeks and fish

Question 12

Scuppernong Produce, on the Scuppernong River

Accepted Answer

Columbia, NC &#8211; Last week I stumbled upon the most delicious strawberries (dark red and sweet all the way through) at a road-side stand as I drove from Asheville to the Outer Banks.
They were grown at Scuppernong Produce on the Scuppernong River in Columbia, NC.
Other types of produce are also grown at Scuppernong during all but the coldest months.

And what goes with farm-fresh fruit? Cheese! A huge wheel of Hoop Cheese is usually on hand. When a woman asked for a half pound of the cheese, one of the farm&#8217;s owners called me over to see the 1905 Computing Cheese Cutter in action.

Was the setting on this over 100-year-old bladed machine accurate? Take a look at the weight of the slice the Computer cut as measured by a current-day digital scale. Pretty darned close.

If you&#8217;re driving US-64 near the NC coast or in Columbia, NC, take a few minutes and stop for some very good fruit or other produce, and hoop cheese to go with it.
Oh, about those strawberries, I picked up half a flat to share with the group of media folks (from NY, KY, CA, and NC) I spent a few days with touring the Outer Banks. It&#8217;s Got to Be NC, right?
Scuppernong Produce
87 Riverview Farm Ln
Columbia, NC 27925
(252) 796-7541

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