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Monthly Farm to School News from Growing Minds
February 2026
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Celebrate Black History Month
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 For the 100th theme, the founders of Black History Month urge us to explore the impact and meaning of Black history and life commemorations in transforming the status of Black peoples in the modern world. You can read more here.
As I sat with this request, one question kept pulling at me. What can I do today? Right now? What is within my grasp? How can I honor Black lives in a meaningful way?
I decided I would celebrate, learn more, seek out, and support my local Black-owned businesses. That way I would be making a meaningful contribution to the future of Black lives. If you too live in and around the surrounding areas of Asheville, NC, here is a start. I also learned about Hood Huggers International, which is rebuilding Affrilachia through art, environment, and social enterprise. Find out how and what you can do here!
Not in the surrounding areas of Asheville and want to learn more about your neck of the woods? I don’t have the answers, but you can. Go, explore, and make a difference in your community. It matters!
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Update on the Appalachian Farms Feeding Families program: We've got both Early Care and Education sites as well as K-12 school districts benefiting from the program! Since the start of the program after Helene we've now paired 46 Early Care and Education (ECE) sites with 38 farmers as well as paired 7 school districts with 5 farms and 1 food hub (TRACTOR). Here's a few quotes we've recently gotten from some of the Early Care educators!
“Many parents were surprised their child would eat some of the vegetables and fruits we served at school, stating they wouldn't eat it at home. Some of it became favorites at home simply because they were encouraged to try it at school. All parents were so happy we served fresh fruits and vegetables from a local farmer. Parents were happy to take home any excess vegetables we were unable to serve.”
“The families LOVED hearing about the food we were cooking or tasting at school! They are always so shocked to hear what their kiddos are eating and trying at school (keeping kids a part of the process really helps encourage them to eat it)! The families also were SO excited to receive fresh produce from the farm! Many families shared their gratitude! We had SO many tomatoes from our partner Two Trees and the kids LOVED them! They were sweet like candy! One parent actually was SHOCKED to hear how much her almost three-year-old son LOVED the tomatoes! At school, we were snacking on tomatoes each day. She said at home he never wanted them and will say he does not like them. Well now he is a full on tomato LOVER!”
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ASAP’s 2026 Business of Farming Conference
Feb. 28, 2026 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at A-B Tech Conference Hall in Asheville, NC.
The annual Business of Farming Conference brings together professional farmers from across the Southeast region to network and share resources to grow their farm businesses. Farmers learn about marketing, business planning, and financial management from experts and innovative peers. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession. Learn more and register here!
Farm to Preschool: Feeding Your Community (NEW Session)
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Learn more about selling to preschools—a market opportunity that’s a win-win for you and your community! ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School team will share best practices from their work in local food procurement. Hear from preschool staff and farmers who have established successful partnerships. Presented by Danielle Raucheisen and Debbi Timson, ASAP; Jason Treadway, Verner Center for Early Learning; and Hannah Jeske, R Farm
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Winter is a great time to plan activities and begin promoting your school’s garden club. This month we highlight best practices from local garden club champion, Jamileh Mikati of Pisgah Elementary School, who built a thriving garden club program from the ground up. Follow along to learn how to set clear goals, keep members engaged, choose a focus, and plan your first activities.
What resources and support were most important in getting the club off the ground (space, funding, volunteers, admin approval)?
I would say administration is the most important thing because if we don't have the support of the principal, nothing happens. You need approval to start the club, to apply for grants, to represent the club and the school, etc...
What kinds of gardening activities do kids get the most excited about, and which ones tend to lose their interest?
Without any doubt the firsthand experiences are the ones that keep their attention and increase their curiosity. Also, having presenters from outside the school enriches the program we provide. 4-H has presented to our children programs about bees, butterflies, bugs, pumpkins, embryo/chicken hatching, etc...
How do you help kids of different ages feel included and successful in the garden?
We provide a multi-age club (second through fourth grades) and Sprout Gardens (kindergarten and first grade). So, when we divide the members into groups we ensure that each group has children from different age grade levels. The older ones help the younger ones and model for the younger kids how to use tools and how to garden.
What are some ways you connect the garden to things kids are already learning or naturally curious about?
Gardening provides rich educational experiences which inherently teach skills that we work on daily in the classroom: language development, team building, self confidence, sequencing, measuring, weighing, counting, sharing, exploring, observing, comparing, wondering, predicting, and most importantly connecting with nature and realizing that is a source not only to eat healthy but to relax and center self, etc. I can go on and on about this.
Growing Minds Has Free Seeds!
One of the ways that we support school gardens in ASAP's Appalachian Grown region is by providing them with free seeds—which we pay for through grants and donations. We’re fortunate to have a partnership with Sow True Seed, an Asheville-based company that is able to supply us not only with standard favorites like watermelon radishes but also traditional Appalachian varieties.
Are you an educator in Western North Carolina? Contact us to find out how you can get free seeds for your school garden. |
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FREE Field Trips for Eighth Grade Students
Field trips will run Feb 4 through May 15
The North Carolina Arboretum is again excited to offer free Freshwater Ecology Field Trip Programs for 8th-grade students attending Title I schools in Buncombe County. These hands-on experiences, aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, give students a meaningful opportunity to connect classroom concepts to real-world freshwater systems. All program fees will be fully waived for eligible schools. Teachers can apply by filling out this form.
2026 NC Child Hunger Leaders Conference
March 3, 2026
Join nutrition professionals, advocates, educators, and community partners from across North Carolina in Asheville, NC. Hosted by the Carolina Hunger Initiative, this inspiring one-day event brings together stakeholders committed to expanding access to nutritious food for children in schools and communities. Attendees will connect with peers, explore innovative strategies, hear success stories, and leave energized to strengthen efforts to end child hunger in North Carolina. Learn more at carolinahungerinitiative.org/invite.
Save The Date: ASAP’s Annual CSA Fair
March 12, 2026 3:30-6pm
This year’s CSA Fair will take place at the YWCA of Asheville, highlighting farms with a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) pickup location in Buncombe County. In addition to traditional produce CSAs, the fair will include farms with specialty CSA products, such as meat or flowers. The fair is a relaxed setting where attendees chat with farmers about their products, growing practices, payment structure, and more. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more here!
Growing Minds Farm to School Training
March 18, 2026 from 3:30-4:45 pm
This engaging virtual session will introduce you to the key components of farm to school, showcase our ready-to-use toolkits and resources, and highlight inspiring stories and insights from farm to school champions Western North Carolina. You’ll also have the opportunity to brainstorm creative, hands-on activities you can take back to your classroom or community. Partners and educators of all ages and experience levels are welcome—whether you’re new to farm to school or looking to deepen your impact! Register here to reserve your spot, and help us spread the word with this flier!
2026 Local Food Purchasing Workshop
March 19, 2026 1-2:30 pm
NC Farm to Preschool Network will share best practices and lessons learned from their work connecting Early Care and Education (ECE) sites and farms for local food procurement. Hear firsthand experiences from ECE staff and farmers who have established successful partnerships. Please register in advance for this workshop. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the workshop.
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Our office is located at 306 West Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801. We are open to the public Tuesday through Thursday from 9am to 5 pm. Call 828-236-1282 or email
Growing Minds is a program of 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.
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