Press release follows:
ASHEVILLE, NC (February 2, 2009) – If you own a local family farm or a business that uses local agricultural products, get listed in the Local Food Guide. The guide, published by the nonprofit organization Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), is one the largest and most comprehensive guides of its kind anywhere in the United States. Listings are free for farms and tailgate markets, print copies are available for free around the region, and a searchable guide is online at www.buyappalachian.org.
ASAP’s Local Food Guide lists local farms, as well as many other businesses involving local food and farms in Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachians. These include farmers tailgate markets, wineries, grocers, restaurants, caterers and bakers, farm stores and stands, farms to visit, B&Bs and farm lodging, apple farms, u-pick farms, CSAs, and distributors.
The guide is in its eighth year of publication. Over 90,000 copies will be printed in 2009.
The Local Food Guide is a well recognized resource for residents and tourists. Some use the guide to find the tailgate markets, farm stands, and grocers offering local food closest to their homes. Some search the online guide at www.buyappalchian.org for specific seasonal ingredients. Others use it as an introduction to the area. “We had many people walk in our restaurant with the Local Food Guide in their hands,” said Julie Stehling, owner of Early Girl Eatery, a downtown Asheville restaurant that serves locally grown food. “If you want people to find your farm or business, the guide is the place to be,” adds Stehling.
The deadline for inclusion is March 1, 2009. If your business is already included in the current edition, update your listing for 2009. The new 2009 edition will be available in spring.
Create your listing at www.buyappalachian.org. If you do not have internet access and need to register by phone or request a paper application, call the ASAP office at 828-236-1282.
ASAP works to keep farmers farming and reconnect people with their food. This guide, says Charlie Jackson, Executive Director of ASAP, is a great representation of the wealth of agricultural resources the organization promotes. “ASAP’s Local Food Guide puts access to hundreds and hundreds of local sources of fresher, better tasting food in consumers’ hands.”
Funding for this project is provided by the Risk Management Agency (RMA).