2024 Annual Report

Annual
Report
2024

HOPE
ASAP staff taking part in the NC Crunch in front of the office building.

Dear Friends,
It’s spring 2025. I’m sitting with feelings of hope and renewal that also
come with planting seeds. I am so proud to share this 2024 Annual
Report with you. With you as our champions, we achieved so much in
2024—despite the curveballs. These achievements instill an added
sense of hope for me this spring.
After Hurricane Helene swept through the Southern Appalachians,
ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) quickly responded.
The swiftness in which we were able to act is a testament to the
relationships and trust that your support affords us. When things felt
chaotic, we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. We reinstituted the
Immediate Needs Grants process for farmers that we had launched
during the pandemic to get cash distributed to our community and
connect them with critical resources. We collaborated with partners to
ensure farmers had a network of support that was responsive to their
quickly changing needs. The systems were already in place to make
this happen.
Our region’s road to recovery will be long. ASAP’s response will
continue to evolve throughout 2025 and the years to come, building
on our strengths and what we’ve learned through other crises.
We’ve relaunched Appalachian Farms Feeding Families, another of
our pandemic-era response programs supporting both farmers and
communities. We are leaning into the value of these dual-benefit
programs, which also include Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables
and Farm Fresh Produce Prescription. Our annual events, such as the
Business of Farming Conference in February, had relevant workshops
on farm resiliency and recovery. We are listening to and learning
from our communities through our Local Food Research Center.
The coming years will require us to deepen our partnerships and
sustain our commitment to keeping farmers farming.
The sustainability of our work is tied to many internal and external
factors. I am so pleased to announce that at the end of 2024, with
support of a low-interest loan from Dogwood Health Trust, ASAP
purchased the building where we house our offices. This purchase is
a huge milestone for us, and lends itself to long-term sustainability
for the organization. In 2025, we will also go through a strategic
planning process to reaffirm our core strengths, consider internal
and external factors, and decide where we want our programs to go
over the next three years. It’ll also offer an opportunity to explore
long-term uses for the building and how we can use this space to
support our community. A completed strategic plan will be another
milestone that I look forward to sharing with you.
Thank you for coming together to support our mission to help local
farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build
healthy communities through connections to local food. We are
forever grateful to you!
Together in service,
Molly Nicholie
Executive Director

TEACH
Flying Cloud Farm offered a Sprout Market at Oakley Elementary School.

Know Your Farmer
GROWING MINDS FARM TO SCHOOL
In 2024, ASAP’s Growing Minds team provided sustained Not every school had a Sprout Market or used garden
engagement and training at five Buncombe County beds like Claxton, but activities were tailored to the
elementary schools: Claxton, Johnston, Oakley, Pisgah, school’s assets and interests. In addition to taste tests,
and Weaverville Primary. This special project aimed to we gave out farmers market tokens at Pisgah and Johnston
so teachers could enjoy fresh produce. Weaverville
deepen schools’ commitment and capacity to incorporate
farm to school. Schools were paired with a nearby Primary teachers toured the nearby Weaverville Tailgate
farm. Our staff gave cafeteria taste tests throughout the Market and enjoyed a picnic with farm-fresh snacks.
year featuring produce from those farms, and facilitated
“ASAP taste tests have been a wonderful healthy treat
other activities for students and teachers. Kids began to
that our students look forward to (and ask for seconds),”
recognize the farmer, and educators developed relationships
that could be sustained in future years.
said Angela Trantham, principal of Johnston Elementary
School. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to
Taste Tests and Sprout Markets
ASAP staff modeled cafeteria tests tests at Claxton using
R Farm produce. Students tried berry-kale and strawberryspinach
salads and root vegetables with homemade ranch.
We also provided teacher training on school gardens,
classroom cooking, and farm experiences. To close out
the school year, we hosted a Sprout Market (mock farmers
market) with a farm stand from R Farm and cooking demo
by Shaniqua Simuel of Change Your Palate.
“The Sprout Market was a success!” said Hannah Jeske
of R Farm. “Everyone was in high spirits since summer
break was around the corner, and I had enough for all
the teachers to go home with two items. Flower bouquets
were the first to sell out; people love their flowers!”
Growing Minds also worked with teachers to integrate
activities into the curriculum. “We tried to grow the mushroom
log, [which] was very cool and engaging,” said Claxton
science teacher Amy Aiken. “I used our garden beds
[and] we successfully grew radishes! I had planned to do
more gardening, but the hurricane thwarted those plans.”
visit a local farm so our urban-dwelling students get an
opportunity to see where their food comes from.”
Sustaining the Work
Our goal is to build the capacity of each school community
to continue farm to school efforts on their own.
ASAP will continue work with all five schools in 2025 to
develop a team that can guide programming moving
forward. At Claxton, for instance, we’re working to align
the schoolwide literacy curriculum with farm to school
activities. Schools can also continue to use Growing
Minds resources, like lending kitchens. “Our fifth grade
math teacher used it several times with her after-school
math tutoring group,” Amy Aiken told us.
While educators across Western North Carolina can also
access Growing Minds seeds, books, mini-grants, lending
kitchens, curricula, and more, this special project demonstrates
the many ways farm to school can be woven
in—from cafeteria taste tests to science class, and from
afterschool programs to teacher appreciation. Find more
Growing Minds resources at growing-minds.org.
“Hopefully kids will
benefit from knowing
where their food is
coming from, from
real people in their
community, and be
interested in the local
food system and healthy
eating as they grow older.”
HANNAH JESKE
R FARM
Hannah Jeske, left, and Shaniqua Simuel at Claxton.

GROW
ASAP staff visiting Hedge Family Farm.

Resilience for the Long Term
NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS
Facing Additional Barriers
Over a third of the farms in ASAP’s network identify as
new and beginning—defined by the USDA as farming
for 10 years or less. Approximately 95 percent of these
farms operate on fewer than 35 acres, and all of them
are family-owned or operated. This group is more diverse
and socially disadvantaged than established farmers in
the region and they are more likely to face additional
barriers, including less access to generational wealth,
fewer connections to agricultural support agencies, and
experiencing structural inequities like sexism and racism.
In addition to training and one-on-one support, ASAP
facilitates cohorts of new and beginning farmer working
groups. Focusing on farmers with shared challenges,
these working groups help ASAP better understand and
support farms across the region. Farms in the working
group receive an elevated level of support, including
resources for marketing, connecting with market
outlets, business planning, legal and liability issues,
and adapting for climate change and natural disaster
preparedness—all challenges new farmers regularly
cite in ASAP’s annual survey of farms.
Peer-to-Peer Learning
In 2024, we recruited a diverse cohort of farmers who also
use a variety of climate resilient practices. We convened
the group twice to network and share with one another.
We also conducted one-on-one consultations with each
farm and connected farmers with project partners to support
their business, production, and legal needs. Each farm
also received a photo shoot to use in marketing efforts.
Olivia Ramos of Soil Shine Farm & Ferments in Yancey
County told us, “It is always helpful to network with
other farmers at a similar stage of development. I really
benefited from the working group’s in-person meeting
and reflection questions which helped me identify
strengths and weaknesses in our business.”
Mike Hedge, of Hedge Family Farm in Caldwell County
called out free admission to ASAP’s Business of Farming
Conference that was a perk of participation. “We learned
a lot, and it got us excited for the year! It was great meeting
other farmers and hearing from farmers who have
been doing this for much longer than us.”
Growing Farms—and Families
One commonality that bonded the cohort was figuring
out the balance between farm and family life, as a few
participants had just started growing their families. Mike
told us, “To us they are one. We get to farm full time, so
our son is with us harvesting, with us at farmers markets,
etc. Our family is the top priority, and we are super
grateful that our farm can be where he learns and plays!”
When we asked Olivia about finding that balance, she
remarked, “Family is always first, and I can’t lie that it’s
hard to focus on the business all the time when your kids
are very small. Planning strategic growth in these years
is critical so we can just focus on a few projects that are
timely and most valuable to our business.”
The final meeting at the end of 2024 had to be postponed
due to Hurricane Helene. Lessons learned from this cohort
will help guide ASAP staff as we work with more new
and beginning farmers in years to come.
“Our community is very
tight-knit, and got even
more so during the flood.
There are many people
who rely on us to help
them maintain their
health. We are proud to
play a role in the health of
our community.”
OLIVIA RAMOS
SOIL SHINE FARM & FERMENTS
Olivia and Rocky Ramos with their daughter.

CONNECT
Market day at Marion Tailgate Market.

Stong Markets,
Strong Communities
FARMERS MARKET SUPPORT
“Being able to buy our produce at the farmers market
with [SNAP] has 1. Given us an outing with our
kids and gets them excited about picking out healthy
food; 2. Has made us feel more connected with our
community; and 3. Has offered a sense of dignity
shopping with food stamps—there’s no judgment,
but encouragement to use food stamps locally.”
Every year, ASAP supports over 100 farmers markets—
including, in 2024, expanding support for Double SNAP for
Fruits and Vegetables to 28 sites. The program extends benefits
for low-income shoppers, and last year represented
more than $400,000 in sales, impacting 200 local farmers.
The sustainability of farmers markets is critical. They
are hubs of economic activity, where farmers can build a
loyal customer base. At the same time they are an access
point for community members seeking fresh, nutritious
foods. The positive impact to both the farmer and shopper
is a clear win-win. When speaking to farmers market
managers, you get a deeper sense of the meaning.
Black Mountain Tailgate Market
Jacqueline Smith at Black Mountain Tailgate Market
said SNAP sales doubled since starting the program last
year. In 2023, ASAP guided her through the process of
accepting SNAP, and then onboarded the market into
the Double SNAP program. In 2024, when the hurricane
impacted her community, Jacqueline was grateful to be
ready to accept Disaster SNAP at the market, supporting
regular shoppers who had now been through a natural
disaster. Not only were shoppers able to get free fruits
and vegetables through Double SNAP, they still had
a place to gather every week, and farmers still had a
place to sell their products. “The market counteracts the
disconnection we experienced when we couldn’t get out
of our driveways and talk on the phone,” said Jacqueline.
Marion Tailgate Market
Grace Fitzgerald at Marion Tailgate Market, operated by
Foothills Food Hub, said that outreach about Double SNAP
at schools and organizations has led to new families at
the market. It’s critical to meet folks where they are, Grace
said. People may not be initially motivated to shop at
market—but programs like Double SNAP, events, or family
activities can draw them in and make them regulars.
Transylvania Farmers Market
Transylvania is another market where ASAP expanded
Double SNAP in 2024. Manager JJ Carson points to successful
engagement activities this year, such as a cooking
demo series in partnership with Cooperative Extension
with samples and recipes for customers to take home.
“[Double SNAP] benefits our whole community, and
creates a place for people to come together,” she said.
Grace refers to ASAP as a “phone a friend” for market managers.
Every community is unique, and ASAP offers oneon-one
support. For Grace—whose challenge is getting
rural residents to come downtown on the weekend—that
means help with marketing efforts. ASAP supported JJ as a
new manager of an established market in 2024. Jacqueline
consulted with ASAP to obtain nonprofit status for the Black
Mountain market, and also used ASAP’s resources to add
more kids activities. “It connects everything,” she said.
“It can’t be understated
that, in between the
programs and the data
and the outputs and the
deliverables, are lots of
really precious moments
of having one another as
partners.”
GRACE FITZGERALD
MARKET MANAGER,
MARION TAILGATE MARKET
Grace Fitzgerald, second from right.

2024 Impact
Farmer Support
840+
150+
250+
450+
farms participated in the Appalachian
Grown certification and branding program.
farmers were assisted through
individualized marketing support, working
groups, and one-on-one assistance.
farmers attended trainings and workshops
hosted by ASAP.
retail locations, restaurants, and
institutions partnered with Appalachian
Grown farms in sourcing local.
Farmers Markets
115+
$225,000+
675+
markets received ASAP assistance, including
marketing, community engagement activities,
promotional materials, and planning support.
in Double SNAP for Fruits and Vegetables
incentives was distributed to community
members to spend on local food across
28 farmers markets, food hubs, and grocers.
households participated in the Farm
Fresh Produce Prescription program.
Over $215,00 went to program participants
to access fresh produce at 13 farmers markets.
Growing Minds Farm to School
Community Engagement
Nearly
2,500
community members were engaged
in-person through ASAP’s Farm Tour
and CSA Fair.
20,000+
200+
$26,000+
children from early care and education
through high school benefited from farm
to school activities and resources.
schools and community partners received
support to implement farm to school.
in mini grants distributed to 58 schools and
community partners.

Revenue
80%
RESTRICTED
FUNDS
Expenses
85%
PROGRAM
EXPENSES
2.5 MILLION+ ANNUAL REVENUE
20%
UNRESTRICTED
FUNDS
Restricted Funds
47% Government grants
41% Private foundations
12% Individual donations
Unrestricted Funds
67% Donations & sponsorships
33% Program income
2 MILLION+ ANNUAL EXPENSES
9%
OPERATIONAL
EXPENSES
6%
RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT
Program Expenses
88% Local Food Campaign
10% Growing Minds
2% Local Food Research Center
Leading the Way
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WENDY BRUGH
President
CARRIE KELLER
Vice-President
NILOFER COUTURE
Secretary
FRANCISCO CASTELBLANCO
Treasurer
Making It Happen
CURRENT ASAP STAFF
REI ARGEROPLOS
Farm Fresh for Health / Local Food
Campaign Program Coordinator
OAKLEY BREWER
Communications and
Engagement Coordinator
BRITT GARRETT
Finance Coordinator
SARAH HART
Communications and
Engagement Director
MAKENNA HILL
Operations and Market Manager
MELINDA LEQUIN
Finance Director
AMY MARION
Associate Director
MIKE MCCREARY
Farmers Market Program Director
MOLLY NICHOLIE
Executive Director
BILL DURR
ALISON FRANCIS
CRAIG MAUNEY
SHANIQUA SIMUEL
MARY WALSH
SUZI PALLADINO
Growing Minds Program Coordinator
JESSICA RUIZ
Community Research Coordinator
DANIELLE RAUCHEISEN
Growing Minds Program Director
KELSIE ROTHWELL
Local Food Campaign Program
Coordinator
NORA SCHEFF
Development Director
DAVID SMILEY
Local Food Campaign Program Director
CALEB THOMASON
Farm Fresh for Health Program Manager
DEBBI TIMSON
Growing Minds Program Coordinator

Help us continue our work
by making a donation.
ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
helps local farms thrive, links farmers to markets and supporters,
and builds healthy communities through connections to local food.
306 WEST HAYWOOD STREET, ASHEVILLE, NC 28801
asapconnections.org | 828-236-1282
Front and back cover and farm photos by Camilla Calnan Photography.