Annual Mother's Day Campaign

Mother’s Day in the mountains signals our summer growing season as we sow beans and begin to harvest more and more from our gardens. There is so much power in this time of the year as we look forward.

We know the power of local food. It holds our community together. When the pandemic laid bare the disparities in our food and economic systems, we saw how local food invests in our communities and provides for the health of our people.

This is the work that Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture does.

We also know that we have to work hard to access local food. Greater access for everyone is our challenge and our present work.

This Mother’s Day, we are asking for your support so that we can continue to lead our community towards a resilient tomorrow.

Over the next year Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture will launch innovative and important programs that will radically change the way that our community accesses local food.

This begins with Satellite Pick-up Locations for the High Country Food Hub.

Thanks to support from the Golden LEAF Foundation and Resourceful Communities, customers will soon be able to pick up their local food at workplaces, churches, and community centers throughout the High Country.

Funding for this project will have additional impacts. It will enable the High Country Food Hub much-needed additional capacity to store fresh fruits and vegetables and to deliver them to food pantries, restaurants, and other food hubs within our region. This will significantly increase the revenue of our community’s farms and food businesses.

Further, this project complements Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture’s food equity programs. Satellite Pick-up Locations will be Double Up Food Bucks sites and additional cold storage and distribution networks will support the continuation of FarmsSHARE.

Below, BRWIA's Operations Director Liz Whiteman speaks to the challenges of accessing local food and the 2021 strategies that BRWIA is taking to ensure that more community members can access it.

The Power of Local Food
Over the last year our programs responded in extraordinary ways, including:

The Double Up program matched $23,759 — more local food dollars than 2017-2019 combined, impacting 228+ families.

The Food Hub facilitated $865,675 in local food sales for 83 producers. Driven by 1,353 new customers, this represented 4.2x the economic impact of 2019.

Through the end of June 2021, the FarmsSHARE program will have connected 6,500+ pounds of food with hundreds of families and provided $50,000 to local farmers.

To read more about our community's visions for a just, vibrant local food system please keep scrolling.

Our system is fragile. Its disparities are so clear — from shortages last spring at the grocery store to families lining up outside of schools so that their kids have food to eat. But, it doesn’t have to be that way, and we have seen how Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture’s work makes our community and world more resilient and just.

For the future, we envision a place where:

Producers are thriving. Farmers are able to invest in their soil and save for their retirement. They are able to pay employees a good wage to work the land. They are able to afford healthcare and not stress about cloudy days that threaten farmers’ market attendance and what that means for the future of their farms.

Local food is accessible to all. Everyone has the opportunity to eat good, healthy local food no matter how much it costs because our community has many different ways for them to access it whether it’s through the Double Up Food Bucks program, a childcare or senior center, food pantry, or at a pay-what-you can restaurant.

This Mother’s Day, we ask that you join our movement to strengthen our food system. COVID-19 has shown us that our community needs local food. Now is the time to put in place:

Good salaries and benefits for BRWIA employees
Training programs for future growers and stipends for current growers to attend educational conferences
Paid-internships for food system leaders, interning with BRWIA
Funding for local food taste tests and farmer visits at schools and senior centers
Grants for farmers to scale their enterprises and try innovative techniques that extend the season, restore the soil, and add value to their products
Marketing and educational programs that let more of our neighbors know about the Double Up Food Bucks program and why farmers’ markets matter.

Donate Here

Profiles of Women in Agriculture

Our community works together to cultivate a regenerative and just future. Here are stories of our community and how women are working to envision a world where producers are thriving and local food is accessible to all.

Kara Dodson, Farmer at Full Moon Farm

My favorite thing to grow on the farm is Okra. She always wins. She’s super tall and productive. Okra has a rich history. It was brought by female slaves from Africa, stowed in their braids. The type that we grow is Cowhorn. Okra is also delicious, and we eat it raw, cook it with Indian food or as a Southern classic. The velvety, creamy-colored flowers are also edible. In the summer the Okra looks like a forest ~ 8 feet tall ~ It’s beautiful and each plant is a part of our agricultural history.

To me the greatest challenge in our local food system that we don’t talk about as much is employment or fair pay within our food system, how workers get paid in our local food system. It’s tied to the value of food in our society. People can get a deal at the grocery store, and it feels like a value.

We need to teach people that small farms are competing against Publix for prices and for attention. For small farms to pay well, pay more workers, not have burnout, we need to talk more about the value of local food. Making a liveable income becomes the hardest issue.

The Food Hub solves all of the problems that small farms face. Marketing ourselves, distribution to a bigger market — both wholesale and retail — the food waste problems that happen with other direct sales like farmers’ markets. The food at the Food Hub is so much fresher. It’s harvested within 1-2 days of the customer receiving it and handled in a safe way.

It’s a fast-paced world, and the Food Hub meets people where they are. The time that we save, the efficiency of it, allows us more time to grow better food.

Judith Phoenix, Community Volunteer

Judith Phoenix (left) volunteering at the High Country Farm Tour

I am in my second year of volunteering weekly at the Food Hub. I have seen the Food Hub super step up when COVID forced restaurants to shut down and farmers had all this food to sell and no place to sell it. As a result, Food Hub demand shot up and volunteers and staff kept up with the overwhelming numbers. This really financially supported our farmers and fed our community.

The Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture staff are easy to work with, “young”, smart, often with degrees or studying sustainable development, committed, full of energy and enthusiasm. As an elder, I feel privileged to be in their company. BRWIA has grown this year because the staff was there to meet community needs. The future is local small farms, everywhere.

Research is showing that industrial farming and glyphosate (Round Up) can not safely feed anyone, let alone the world. As this information because more in the mainstream, there will be increased demand for local food.

The nation needs organizations like BRWIA to show the communities how to make this transition to local foods, farms and overall health and resiliency.

Megann Southworth, Local Food Markets and Community Connections Designer, AmeriCorps VISTA

I was drawn towards BRWIA because of the intentionality with which they approach the complicated issues at play within the High Country's local food system. Additionally, I am a huge proponent of building community alongside my neighbors and, due to the inherently relational nature of food, feel that the effects of community organizations like BRWIA can ripple out beyond the relatively niche boundaries of "local food", changing many aspects of the broader society for the better. These two reasons made BRWIA seem like the perfect organization to learn from as I jumpstart my career in food systems.

As someone who is relatively new to this line of work, BRWIA has helped me understand more about the various organizations in our region that are also engaging in meaningful, important food systems issues. Additionally, I've been encouraged to jump right into various projects and professional development opportunities, increasing confidence in my ability to continue this work as a career.

The main thing I've learned is that there is still SO much work to be done to allow everyone to access local food if they want to. It's easy to get caught up in the "feel good" sentiments of purchasing locally but, without advancing towards complete food justice, this work will never be able to repair our communities in a meaningful way.

In 5 years I hope to either be working in some capacity with a food systems nonprofit like BRWIA or attending grad school to further my education in food system issues. Regardless of which of those two paths I choose, I will definitely still be working hands-on with local farmers and gardeners to increase my knowledge of sustainable growing practices so I can one day own my own little homestead!

Liz Whiteman

I serve as the Operations Director at Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, directing our programs like the High Country Food Hub. I came to the High Country from Washington DC, after several years of working on federal farm and nutrition policy. Through this experience, I came to the realization that the food system reform we desperately need will not be achieved through federal legislation, but is already happening in communities like Boone.

I see the robust local food system here in the High Country as an example of what is possible for communities all over the country.

As a relative newcomer to the community, I feel immensely privileged to have the opportunity to work with farmers, businesses and my neighbors, continuing to build a food system that is equitable, just and sustainable.

I inherited my passion for local food from my parents. My parents instilled in me, from an early age, the importance of community scale agriculture and being a good steward of the land.

Throughout my childhood, and to this day, they have had extensive home gardens, so I grew up on hyper-local food during short Minnesota summers. It wasn't until I went away to college that I realized not everyone grew up with the privilege of eating carrots they'd pulled out of the ground for dinner.

I've had the good fortune to live in a lot of places with rich food and farm traditions in my life, and see community-scale agriculture as the foundation for strong, resilient communities.

BRWIA is unique because it's a small, scrappy organization that is making an out-sized impact in this community.

The innovative market channels that have been born out of BRWIA, like the High Country Food Hub, are so unique and an example that is currently being replicated around the state and nation. I'm so thankful to be part of an organization that plays such an important role in the community, and in the long battle to build a food system that works for everyone.

Working for BRWIA is incredibly rewarding. I enjoy that I have the opportunity every day to build and support new market channels, like the High Country Food Hub, to better support High Country farmers and consumers. We're creating new economies here, and that's so exciting.

As an organization, BRWIA needs to continue thinking about how to truly make local food accessible. It's abundantly available, but we still need to work on deconstructing the barriers that keep many in our community from accessing local, nutritious food. The Double Up Food Bucks program, which matches SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamps) dollars spent at farmers' markets and the Food Hub, is an innovative program that will only become more important in the coming months.

On the flip side, BRWIA needs to continue working on how to not only support local farmers, but also how to make farming a more accessible and sustainable profession for future generations. Farmers are the backbone of our society, our country and our food system, and deserve a viable livelihood.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a lot of the shortcomings and cruel realities of our industrial food system, and also shone a light on a lot of work that BRWIA and other local organizations have been doing for years to support farmers and the High Country community.

This is the time to make sure that work continues, because it's more important now than ever before.

Shannon Carroll

I'm a BRWIA team member who worked mostly in the Food Hub up until the beginning of 2020 when we restructured our staff with the addition of several awesome team members! I now serve as BRWIA's Finance Coordinator.

I have been fortunate to experience first-hand the relationships, collaborations and connections developed over the last few years that have contributed to the growth and success of the Food Hub and other BRWIA programs.

As a staff member and a weekly customer on the Food Hub's online market since it opened in April 2017, I've been able to get to know the producers and enjoy their products while watching them evolve and change their business models and production plans given opportunities to market and sell more of their products in new and different ways to a wider segment of our community.

As I've worked alongside interns and AmeriCorps VISTA service members, my hope for the future of a more just, resilient and regenerative local food system has been strengthened and renewed as I've watched these passionate young folks learn, grow and contribute to this important work in so many creative ways.

It has been a joy getting to know the customers who shop at the Food Hub regularly while fostering their connection with the producers and an appreciation of their products.

My current responsibilities as a BRWIA team member may be more focused on the numbers and financial recordkeeping, but it's definitely the people and relationships that have made this time in my life such a wonderful and rewarding experience. I can't imagine not continuing to be a part of this important work and hope you will consider making a contribution in honor of your Mom or another special woman in your life so we can continue this work to feed our community in collaborative, just and sustainable ways.

Rebecca Brown

I am a student at Appalachian State University, majoring in Sustainable Development with a concentration in Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture.

I connect with local food by supporting BRWIA and the Food Hub, as well as F.A.R.M. Cafe. I really connect with local food when it involves sharing, exchanging, or cooking meals with friends and family. Other ways that I connect with local food are by attending community events and workshops that talk about local food. My major also provides me with a lot of conversations that are focused on local food systems.

I connect with BRWIA and the Food Hub because of their goals to support local farmers and educate the High Country community about local food. The staff at BRWIA are an amazing group of people that are so passionate and dedicated in what they do.

For me, being able to be an intern and work with a group of people such as this is very rewarding and inspired me to continue helping BRWIA grow and expand.

As individuals I think building a more resilient local food system starts by exposing ourselves into the local food system. In Watauga County exposure could mean having a meal at F.A.R.M. Cafe, going to the farmers’ market, or attending a community event that is focused on local food systems. For individuals if we simply ask ourselves "where does my food come (originate) from," this could lead to a discussion about local food. It could also mean interning, volunteering, or finding a job or internship position to work within the local food system.

Within the Watauga County and Boone community there are a lot of opportunities to support our local food system, such as supporting BRWIA and the Food Hub and F.A.R.M. Cafe. We also have four farmers’ markets that supply people with local food year around!

As a community, I think that having events that educate people on local food can be very beneficial in building a more just and resilient local food system. Events that involve food, I believe, can be very successful especially if the event is free or at a low cost because everyone can attend. In building a more just and resilient local food system education, community involvement, and support, is significant. I think education and exposure can lead people into wanting to support local food systems, therefore increasing the system's resiliency.

For the future, I think that developing a Co-op with other local businesses in Watauga County could be really impactful because this could provide more opportunities, such as events, for people within the community to become educated and further involved in supporting local food systems. The ability to learn and experience the strong local food system in the High Country has helped me realize I want to work for Cooperative Extension, which will allow me to assist local farmers.

Carol Coulter

Carol Coulter of Heritage Homestead Goat Dairy speaks with Dave Walker (BRWIA) about our High Country local food system and why resilient and just food systems matter.

Anne Pression

I own Healing Springs Farm located in Ashe County. I am a relatively new farmer having started in 2014. I raise Belted Galloway cattle, pastured pigs and pastured chickens. I also have egg laying chickens and make jams & jellies along with artisan soaps and lotions.

I am a huge supporter of the High Country Food Hub and its efforts in connecting local farmers with customers who want to eat fresh, real food directly from the farm! The whole premise of how the Food Hub works is a fabulous modern take on farm to table :)

To build a more resilient and just food system, I think that we need to continue to connect farmers with the end consumer. We need to allow customers to learn more about farmers and connect with how and why we grow / raise the food that we raise. We need to help the customer understand why we believe in what we are doing, so that they can continue to support us as a healthy way to shop farm to table.

Janett Castillo

I am a mother, wife, and small-scale producer. In my growing practices, I often look for ways to imitate natural systems and in doing so admire forests. Our Appalachian forests are beautiful examples of diverse, regenerative ecologies.

Much like a forest community with extensive mycorrhizal connections, our local food system could thrive if we nurture connections between producers and consumers. By doing so, we (and future generations) can benefit from a resilient and regenerative community where neighbors help each other in good times and bad.

Jessica Lidh

I'm just a local mom of four who grew up in the suburbs of Washington DC, where my only understanding of a food economy came from grocery chains. Both my parents had demanding jobs and demanding hours, so we never had family dinners. Meals in my house usually came pre-packaged and microwave-ready.

Five years ago, I moved from those same suburbs to the High Country, where I first read, "The Peace of Wild Things," a poem by Wendell Berry. That poem changed my life, as it led me to read more Wendell Berry, which led me to read Michael Pollan, which led me to read Bill McKibben, which led me to read Mary Oliver, which led me to read Barbara Kingsolver, and so on. And then I discovered the High Country Food Hub, after Susan Owen (from Lily Patch Farm) told me to try it. "I'm not really tech savvy," I confessed to her. "Neither am I," she replied, "so if I can figure it out, you can too." I haven't stopped supporting the Food Hub since.

We are so lucky to live in an area of the country with such a large local food system! I love to cook—it is a meditative respite from the craziness (and noise) of raising four young children. It's something that brings me a lot of joy.

This year, my goal has been to do a better job of shopping seasonally and locally. I plan meals around what's available on the Food Hub each week, I visit the farmers’ markets on the weekends (when I can), and our family participates in a community supported agriculture weekly subscription.

Whenever I need an ingredient, I always first ask myself, "How can I source this product locally?" I even drove an hour and a half the other week to buy a bushel of apples from an orchard in Hendersonville because my kids can't get enough of them. It ended up being cheaper than buying the apples from the grocery store, and I got to meet the farmer who grew the food I was buying.

This type of intimate interaction simply cannot be replicated from a big box grocery chain. Through learning more about local food systems, I've started growing and preserving my own food. The kids help where they can, but I suspect they will only become more involved as they get older. This is my gift and legacy to them. I hope.

Sometimes I think that everyone just needs to change their way of thinking and spending, and the world will fall into place. When I started this local-food journey, I was a bit cocky in thinking things could change quickly because the answers are simple, but now, five years into it, I realize that the projected concerns Wendell Berry had about industrial agriculture in the 70s are the realized concerns of today. Nothing has really changed except there are fewer farmers today than there were in 50 years ago.

The answers are already laid out for us, but the learning curve to achieve them is steep. So the best I can do these days is speak frequently about the choices I make and why. I subscribe to Berry's idea to "Think Little;" I do this by supporting the farmers in my community, by growing and preserving what I eat, and by choosing the ethical and sustainable choice rather than the most-convenient one.

Some days I do these things really well, other days I can only do the best I can do for that day.

On the days where the problems brought on by corporate and industrial ag seem insurmountable, I look for hope where it exists: the number of young farmers is increasing, social media is connecting food consumers and farming families, Food Hub sales are booming, and people—young people, especially—are starting to pay attention (and their dollars) to where their food comes from.

At first, most of us can only make little changes. But those little changes beget more little changes. And our choices start to inspire friends and families to make little changes, and then, suddenly, we start to see big change across our communities. It's the same in nature. No one can grow a huge, prolific garden in their first year of gardening. You start with one zucchini plant, and the next year move to one raised bed, and then, by your fifth year, you're converting more and more of your yard to food production and relying less and less on industrial agriculture. Your household gets healthier as your garden gets healthier, and your community gets healthier as a result. Life imitates nature in all things.

The following recipe is a great example of a seasonal dish featuring ingredients you can get right now from the Food Hub (or farmers' market).

A quick note: I used a combination of radishes and hakurei turnips and roasted them before adding them to the sauté pan. I prefer a thicker-cut veggie, and I love the caramelization that takes place when roasting. I doubled the root veggies, and next time, I'll also double the spinach because I can't get enough spinach. Ever. I made this all in one pan (other than the pasta pot) so cleanup was easy.

1 pound pappardelle or fettuccine (preferably egg-based)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
2 tbsp oil from jar of olive-oil-packed sundried tomatoes
10 radishes or hakurei turnips, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sundried tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup whipping (35%) cream or coconut milk
1/4 c. grated Parmesan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pappardelle, return the water to a boil, and cook the pasta until it is almost al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and sundried-tomato oil. Stir in the radishes and cook, stirring occasionally until very lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sundried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, chili flakes, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the cream, 1/2-cup of the cheese, the spinach, the drained pasta, and 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss well and continue to cook until the pasta is al dente and the spinach is wilted, adding more pasta cooking water as needed if the pasta is too dry. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

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