Mission
We are dedicated to strengthening the High Country's Local Food System by supporting women and their families with resources, education, and skills related to sustainable food and agriculture.

Vision
We envision an equitable local food system that protects the environment, strengthens the local economy, alleviates hunger and poverty, and improves community health.

We accomplish this by:​

• Providing opportunities for women farmers to share knowledge.
• ​Connecting consumers and produces through our Farm Tours and dinners.
• ​Educating consumers about cooking skills and self-sufficiency.
• Preserving our local agricultural heritage and landscape.
• Providing and expanding market & educational opportunities for farmers.
  
• Combating food insecurity by increasing affordability and access to locally produced food.
  

Meet our staff

meet our board

Long Term Goals

Increase the economic viability of farming and food processing, especially among women.

Encourage farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices.

Educate the public about sustainable food and agriculture.

Improve food security.

Help us reach these goals

Current Service Area

North Carolina
🍅 Alleghany 🍅 Ashe 🍅 Avery 🍅 Caldwell 🍅 Mitchell 🍅 Wilkes 🍅 Watauga 🍅 Yancey 🍅

Tennessee
🍅 Johnson County 🍅

History

BRWIA was started by a group of female farmers as a grassroots project in 2003. Since then, BRWIA has worked to rebuild a local food system in northwestern NC. This work began when our founding mothers were told, “Women can’t be farmers.” They knew that wasn’t true because their mothers and grandmothers had grown food to feed their communities. They began holding potlucks on each other’s farms, sharing best practices, and reteaching our community what a just, regenerative local food system and economy looks like. These women aimed to create a supportive network of female gardeners and farmers operating small-scale, diversified farms in the High Country.

We obtained 501(c)3 status in 2005 in order to advance our mission and create positive change in our community around local agriculture. We were a predominantly volunteer-run organization until the hiring of our first Executive Director in 2011.

BRWIA’s programs have grown to meet our community’s developing needs. We now ground our work in three focus areas: building a fair food system for all, informing consumers about a healthy and sustainable food system, and providing resources, networking, and education to producers. BRWIA takes a holistic approach to this work and many programs fall into all three spaces. We also understand that this work cannot be done without our long-term collaborators who join with us in fostering a healthy and sustainable environment.

Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture from angela hensley on Vimeo.