Upcoming agricultural workshops to focus on farming, sustainability, meat, herbs

By Scott Nicholson

nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

An upcoming conference deals with putting more local greenery on school lunch trays.

The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture will be holding a Farm to School workshop in Boone on Tuesday, Sept. 19, geared toward growers, parents and school nutritionists.

Chelly Richards, BRWIA’s program director, said the workshop had four facets: launching vegetable gardens at local schools; taking kids on farm visits; giving cooking classes; and serving local foods in school cafeterias.

Richards said ASAP has been developing the program around Asheville and is expanding it across the western region of the state.

Since child nutritionists employed by the school systems make many of the food purchasing decisions, they are a key target of the program, she said. However, parents and growers are essential ingredients, too.

Richards said widespread public interest would help bring local produce into schools.

She said there are several obstacles for local growers to overcome in order to reach the school markets. Food certifications are required, and then there are the logistics of delivering fresh produce.

Food also needs to be prepackaged and prepared to simplify the process in school cafeterias, Richards said.

Susan Trivette, who began last month as Watauga County’s new school nutritionist, said the school system typically seeks bids only from the largest food suppliers and selects one to deliver food in bulk.

“The supplier has to be licensed and liable for the sale of food,” Trivette said. “It’s easier to buy in bulk. When we have commodities, such as through the USDA, the delivery comes from a central location.”

Trivette said IFH food distributors supplies most of the school food, with other contracts through Pet, Merita  and Coca-Cola.

“The food goes through the system so fast, our (cafeteria) managers would spend all day checking in groceries,” Trivette said.

Trivette acknowledged some school systems were seeking and using local produce, and she’s looking forward to learning more about the program. However, she said local competition would create another potentially sticky situation in selecting the providers.

Nutrition content is becoming increasingly important in school lunches, Trivette said. Analysis of menus has led to more use of whole wheats, low-fat options, and more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Carbohydrates and sugars will also be monitored and more foods,  such as potatoes and chicken nuggets, will be baked instead fried in oil.

Richards said nutritional content is one area where local crops have an advantage, as some studies suggest commercial agricultural products have declining nutritional levels when compared to small-scale agriculture.

“What most impresses me is the nutritional information,” Richards said. “We’d like to see this program grow in the schools.”

The workshop will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Agricultural Conference Center, located at the Watauga County Extension office.

All community members interested in exploring the potential for Farm to School programs in the High Country are welcome, especially farmers interested in this potential market.

Registration is free and refreshments will be provided. For more information and to register,  contact BRWIA at 828-963-7315 or by e-mail, at brwia@yahoo.com.

Upcoming agricultural events

• MountainKeepers’   Environmental Summit — MountainKeepers will hold its third Environmental Summit, Sustainability in the High Country, on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Raley Hall on the ASU campus.

The purpose of the summit is to learn about and discuss efforts in the High Country related to sustainability, so that people can improve and expand activities that promote a positive economic, social and environmental future for the mountain region.

Speakers include local practitioners in sustainable agriculture, energy, water and other topics.

The cost is $10 to cover continental breakfast, snacks and conference materials.

 For more information, e-mail MountainKeepers at keepers@mountainkeepers.org.

• Home and Backyard Composting Workshop — A workshop focucing on home and backyard composting will be offered  by the N.C. Cooperative Extension and the town of Boone on Monday, Sept. 25, form 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Road, Boone

“You may already know that many of your kitchen scraps and other food wastes can be safely recycled by composting, but perhaps you are unsure about how to start composting on your own,” said a spokesperson for the workshop. “If you have questions about how to compost food and yard wastes, what items can be composted, and what types of containers and systems are available, then please join Area Extension Agent Richard Boylan for an afternoon workshop on the biology and techniques of composting.”

Step-by-step guidelines will be presented on how to turn  organic wastes into a useful and beneficial soil amendment.

Town of Boone recycling coordinator Suma Bolick will also be present to highlight the compost bins offered by the town of Boone to town residents.

The workshop is free and open to the public. No preregistration is required, but persons can get more information by calling Bolick at (828) 262-4560 or Richard Boylan at (828) 264-3061.

• Two-Day Butchery Workshop — A two-day butchery workshop will be offered with Rudi Weid, a New York-based meat butcher and culinary instructor

The workshop is aimed at  area livestock farmers, butchers, chefs  and  agriculture and culinary students.

Participants will learn how to cut meat in a way that enhances its appeal for retail and restaurant sales.

It will be  held Monday, Sept. 25, and Tuesday, Sept, 26 from 8 a.m.  to 2 p.m. each day

Monday’s session covers beef; Tuesday’s session covers pork and lamb.

The workshop will be held at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, in  the Magnolia building.

Directions are available at the following: www.abtech.edu/maps/asheville.asp

The workshop fee is $20, which covers both days and includes lunch on both days.

The Monday lunch will be sponsored by N.C. Choices/NCSU; Tuesday’s  lunch will be sponsored and prepared by Earth Fare.

Persons should register by Sept. 18.  Attendance is limited to 50 people each day.

The workshop is sponsored by North Carolina A&T University, and presented by Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Spring House Meats, The Market Place Restaurant, and The Organic Growers School.

Additional sponsorship is  from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Earth Fare, Heifer Project International, N.C. Choices and N.C. State University.

The workshop will also cover which cuts of meat offer opportunities to sell  value and flavor for good profits.

In addition, it will cover what cuts of meat are appropriate to which methods of cooking.

In addition, there will be a free post-workshop farm tour on Monday Sept. 25,  from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The tour will be at the  Hickory Nut Gap Farm/Spring House Meats. Free. Those taking part must provide their own transportation. No sign up  is necessary. Directions are at  th springhousemeats.com

For more information about the workshop, contact Amy Ager at farm@springhousemeats.com or  phone (828)628-1027; or Mark Rosensteinat tmp@main.nc.us or call (828)252-4162

A registration form and further information is available at organicgrowersschool.org/pdf/ButcheryWkshp.pdf

A Medicinal Herb Workshop — A Medicinal Herb workshop will be h eld Tuesday, Oct. 3,  from 11:30 a.m. to  5 p.m.

Participants can preregister for a free lunch by Sept. 26, or they can bring their own brown bag lunch.   To reserve alunch, or for any other questions,  call Libby Hinsley at 828-684-3562, extension 157, or e-mail libby_hinsley@ncsu.edu.

Fifth generation farmer, Bruce Miller, will host this hands-on medicinal herb workshop at his farm, Miller Century Farm.

There will be  a woodland herb planting demonstration led by Dr. Jeanine Davis of North Carolina State University and Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens in Burnsville.

Mountain Gardens is a botanical garden featuring the largest collection of native Appalachian and Chinese medicinal herbs in the Eastern U.S.

Participants will also learn how to cultivate medicinal herbs, such as bloodroot, black cohosh and goldenseal, and explore marketing opportunities for native woodland plants.

There will also be a  herb dryer demonstration,  led by Dr. Davis, co-author of “Growing & Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal & Other Woodland Medicinals.”

Directions to the farm: From Boone take U.S. 421 south to U.S. 221 to West Jefferson. Make a left onto N.C. 194, going through downtown West Jefferson and continuing toward Warrensville. In Warrensville, turn right in order to stay on N.C. 194 toward Lansing. Continue on N.C. 194 to Lansing. Go straight through Lansing’s (only) traffic light, and make a left onto Little Horse Creek Road. Take the next left onto Long Branch Road then at the three-way intersection keep right to Monroe Miller Road. Make a left after the second mobile home up the driveway to the end of the road —  324 Miller Drive. Look for signs.

Visit  ncspecialtycrops.org/medherbs/ for more information and maps.

CFSA Sustainable Agriculture Conference  —  The Sustainable Agriculture Conference (SAC) is CFSA’s primary educational and inspirational event and will be held this year on Oct. 27 and 29.

Over the past 21 years, the SAC has emerged as a catalyst for change in developing a local and organic food community through providing valuable resources for new and practicing organic and sustainable farmers, researchers, consumers, educators, gardeners, extension agents and local food advocates, said a spokesperson for the conference.

This community springs forth from the lively exchange of information and experiences between conference participants and sustainable agriculture experts from across the country and especially the Southeast, he said.

The New River Headwaters Alternative Agricultural Program is working with ASU and others locally to coordinate carpooling. Persons who are interested can contact Richard Boylan at richard_boylan@ncsu.edu

Every year CFSA chooses a theme intended to provide a focus for the conference and define where it is in its journey of creating a sustainable agriculture system for the Carolinas.

This year’s theme, “Gathering the Ingredients for a Sustainable Food System,” focuses  attention on the many ingredients that go into the recipe of a food system that is good for  families,  farmers and the environment; — soil, water, seed, farmers, infrastructure, and consumers. 

“We’ve reached a new plateau where the organic movement has moved from a niche market to a mainstream industry,” the spokespeson said.  “Food awareness among consumers has skyrocketed and is reflected in both increases in local farmers’  markets and CSAs, as well as Wal-Mart announcing a major focus on organics. 

“Global warming and peak oil are forcing our society to address a food system based on energy derived from petroleum.  We’ve built a solid foundation or mixing bowl for our vision of a sustainable food system and it is now time to gather the ingredients, mix them together, and share in the communal meal we all desire and deserve.”

For registration information, visit the Web at carolinafarmstewards.org