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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CFSA Announces 2011 Sustainable Agriculture Awards Durham, NC – The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) has named this year’s sustainable agriculture award recipients. The awards were announced November 12 and 13 at the 26th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Durham, NC, a gathering of over 1,250 sustainable farmers, agriculture advocates, foodies, educators, and experts. These institutions and individuals have made outstanding contributions to the sustainable food movement in North and South Carolina and have helped make the Carolinas one of the fastest growing sustainable agricultural sectors in the country. The award recipients are: Business of the Year, Eastern Carolina Organics (ECO), Pittsboro, NC (919-542-3264) - Born as a project of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association in 2004, ECO markets and distributes wholesale Carolina organic farm produce to retailers, restaurants and buying clubs. ECO is completely farmer owned; 80 percent of their sales go right back to the growers. ECO’s customers get fresh organic veggies and fruits, along with the knowledge that they're enabling farmers to protect their family land. ECO allows participating organic growers to profitably sell their products and supports efforts to improve production and packaging techniques. By pooling diverse harvests from several regions, they have been able to meet the demand for a steady stream of high quality, seasonal food choices throughout the year. ECO’s mission also includes community education about the importance of choosing local and organic produce and helping conventional growers enter the expanding organic market, including assistance in the transition to organic farming. ECO is honored for their commitment to helping sustainable family farms thrive in the Carolinas. Institution of the Year, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Mineral, VA (540-894-9480) - Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE) offers more than 700 varieties of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and cover crop seeds. They emphasize varieties that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and are specifically adapted to organic conditions. Part of the SESE’s mission is to promote seed saving and traditional plant breeding. According to SESE’s Ira Wallace, “We believe that preserving unusual heirloom varieties helps to preserve and promote that other endangered breed - the American small farm.” They are honored as institution of the year in recognition of their important work to provide a variety of seed saving equipment, as well as seed saving resources in their books and DVDs, to the agricultural community. Activist of the Year, Janette Wesley, Greenville, SC (janettewwesley@yahoo.com) - A Greenville, SC native, Janette Wesley serves as Convivium Leader of the Slow Food Upstate chapter. With Janette at the helm, this active chapter has accomplished much to, as Janette puts it, “create a space for the ‘feasting and living together’ of those seeking and providing sustenance that is ‘better, cleaner, and fairer’ in Greenville and the Upstate. The group founded one of the country’s first Earth Markets, or farmers' markets that have been established according to guidelines of the Slow Food philosophy of Good Clean and Fair. These community-run markets are important social meeting points, where local producers offer healthy, quality food directly to consumers at fair prices and guarantee environmentally sustainable methods. The chapter hosts dinners, events, and workshops throughout the year to support four community grants: Slow Food in School; Slow Food on Campus; The Ark of Taste and RAFT (Renewing America’s Food Traditions). Janette is being honored with this award for her tireless efforts to grow grassroots support for fair farm and food policies that affect the Upstate. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Agent of the Year, Paige Burns, Richmond County South Carolina Cooperative Extension Agent of the Year, Blake Lanford, Horry County ###
March 19, 2011 (Winston-Salem, March 19, 2011)---The Cobblestone Farmers Market (formerly Krankies Farmers Market) has recently hired Adrienne Outcalt as its new manager. Ms. Outcalt is a North Carolina native and a graduate of UNC Asheville where she majored in environmental management and policy. Originally from the Triangle, she is currently completing a certificate program in sustainable agriculture at Central Carolina Community College. May is packed with many exciting activities at the Cobblestone Farmers Market. In addition to cooking demonstrations, there will be hot lunches for sale every market day. Also the market is now accepting EBT/SNAP payments, with a matching benefit from the market. Here is the May line-up: May 10— May 17— May 24— May 31— ***************************************************** The Cobblestone Farmers Market is operated by Cultivate Piedmont, a program of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (www.carolinafarmstewards.org). The market is an all-local, producers-only venue that selects vendors on the basis of their healthy, sustainable, and humane practices. The market is held on the cobblestone area near the intersection of Third Street and Patterson Avenue in downtown Winston-Salem, every Tuesday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm from April 19 through November 29. Parking is free and abundant. Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cobblestone-Farmers-Market/175172035853383 Contact: Matthew Mayers (Winston-Salem)---The Cobblestone Farmers Market (formerly Krankies Farmers Market) will open for the season on April 19, 2011. The market will take place on the cobblestone area near Third Street and Patterson Avenue in downtown Winston-Salem, and will feature all-local, sustainably-produced foods, plus weekly events and expanded offerings. Improvements for the 2011 season include:
April Highlights: April 19—Opening Day features cooking greens, plus a tasting and demonstration by Screaming Rooster chef Kevin Fisher, classical guitarist Ryan Layton, an information table featuring Food and Water Watch, and lunch available from Triad Community Kitchen. April 26—The featured product is starter plants. Join Old Salem guides for a walking tour of the historic graveyards of Salem, departing from the market at 11:00 and returning about 12:00. Krankies Coffee will hold a coffee tasting at the market; Meridian Restaurant will give a cooking demonstration with samples; and musicians Payton Harkins and Noel Livengood will provide ambience. Lunch is sponsored by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, with chef Greg Waddell working the grill. The Cobblestone Farmers Market is operated by Cultivate Piedmont, a program of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (www.carolinafarmstewards.org). The market is an all-local, producers-only venue that selects vendors on the basis of their healthy, sustainable, and humane practices. The market is held on the cobblestone area near the intersection of Third Street and Patterson Avenue in downtown Winston-Salem, every Tuesday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm from April 19 through November 29. Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cobblestone-Farmers-Market/175172035853383
Legislature to Gut Crucial Rural Economic Development Funds Raleigh, NC - Today the NC House is expected to pass SB 13, the “Balanced Budget Act of 2011.” The bill takes money from the current year’s balanced budget in order to offset the looming budget hole faced by the NC Legislature for 2011-12, authorizing the Governor to make $400M in cuts. Ironically, the bill will drain another $87M away from a handful of the state’s trust funds aimed at economic development. “Our message to the General Assembly is this: don’t cut funds that are creating jobs and strengthening our state’s economy” says Roland McReynolds, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association executive director. What is at stake in rural North Carolina: the continued investment in projects that foster innovation and create jobs while building local food systems. Some examples of the types of successful projects that would not exist without this funding are:
Eastern Carolina Organics is a private, manager- and grower-owned distributor in Chatham County that connects North Carolina's organic farmers with the restaurants and grocers who want to buy from them. It all got started with a $48,000 grant from the Tobacco Trust Fund in 2004. "Without the Tobacco Trust Fund, none of this would exist," says Sandi Kronick, ECO's CEO. In 2010, ECO sold over $2 million in products to local customers and buyers throughout the East Coast and in Canada, sending $1.6 million back to NC organic family farms in just one year. For instance, in 2010 alone, RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund received 403 applications requesting over $4.5 million. Of those, RAFI-USA was able to fund 120 new projects with $1.2 million in grants from the Tobacco Trust Fund. That investment along with the cost share from participating farmers totaled $5.9 million in new investment, created $5.25 million in new annual income for farmers and created and retained 1091 jobs as a result. 12,600 other farmers benefited from the funded projects, and approximately 330 unfunded farmers replicated a funded project. The proposal would drain the unused balance of key trust funds used for job development in rural North Carolina: The Agricultural Development & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund and the Tobacco Trust Fund. It would also divert $67 million in tobacco settlement funds from the Golden LEAF Foundation to be used by legislators in the state’s General Fund. The Golden Leaf Foundation, the Tobacco Trust Fund, and the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund have been actively investing in local food to help farmers and rural communities maintain and regain vitality. Between 2000 and 2009, these trust funds have invested $36.6 million into local, regional, and statewide value-added agriculture enterprises and programs. These awards have also been leveraged to attract federal and private funding to support these and other projects.
For more specifics about the projects listed above, contact: Piedmont: Foothills: ### CFSA is a member of the Sustainable Food NC coalition, which is a coalition of organizations committed to advocating for state-level policies that foster sustainable and organic food production, enhance local economic development, support community health and increase access to local food throughout North Carolina. For more information, contact Shivaugn Rayl, Coalition Coordinator, at 919.576.9173.
Feb. 1, 2011 The foundation grant will cover the first year’s salary for a program manager for Cultivate Piedmont, which, in addition to the Cobblestone market, will oversee education and outreach programs, including cooking classes offered throughout the community to focus attention on healthy eating by the seasons, school outreach, and support of fresh local produce availability among underserved communities.
Jan. 10, 2010 Dec. 14, 2010 Winston-Salem, NC - Building on the success of Krankies Farmers’ Market in downtown Winston-Salem, the market’s organizers have joined with the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) to form Cultivate Piedmont to enhance the market and broaden its outreach programs. Partners in Cultivate Piedmont include the Triad Buying Co-op, Piedmont Triad Research Park, Triad Community Kitchen, Krankies Coffee, Slow Food Piedmont, Womble Carlyle Sanders Rice and numerous other community partners. The regional committee will work to promote sustainable food systems in the Piedmont region through a range of education and outreach programs, and the continued operation of a high-standards, producers-only farmers’ market in Winston-Salem. “The partnership with CFSA gives us the leverage to be able to do so many more things in the community than just run the farmers’ market,” noted Matthew Mayers, a Steering Committee member and former Market Manager. “We’ll be able to work on the big issues of sustainable local food production. The alliance will let the market serve as a hub for several important outreach and education activities, which will support all segments of our community.” “CFSA has long had an interest in expanding our presence in the Triad area and Cultivate Piedmont will be a perfect vehicle for this effort,” noted Roland McReynolds, CFSA Executive Director. “Our very successful Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Winston-Salem held earlier this month demonstrated that the local food movement in the Triad is really taking off.” For the past two years, Krankies Farmers’ Market volunteers organized and ran a thriving producers-only farmers market with a loyal following in downtown Winston-Salem. In the 2010 season, approximately 40 volunteers supported the weekly market from April through November with as many as 25 vendors and hundreds of shoppers each week. In 2011, the market will move to a new location near Patterson Avenue and 3rd Street and will be renamed the Cobblestone Farmers’ Market at Krankies.
Dec. 4, 2010 Winston-Salem, NC – The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA) has named this year’s sustainable agriculture award recipients. The awards were announced December 3 and 4 at the 25th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Winston-Salem, NC, a gathering of over 800 sustainable farmers, ag. advocates, educators, and experts. These institutions and individuals have made outstanding contributions to the sustainable food movement in North and South Carolina and have helped make the Carolinas one of the fastest growing sustainable agricultural sectors in the country. The award recipients are: Business of the Year, Weeping Radish Farm Brewery, Jarvisburg, NC. Located on 24 acres in Jarvisburg, NC, this eastern North Carolina enterprise is anything but your average brewery. Of course the beer is superb, painstakingly crafted from the finest ingredients according to the highest German standards; but preserving the craft of traditional brewing is only a part of the Weeping Radish mission. Envisioned as “the ultimate project featuring all the elements of sustainable farming, educating the urban population, and integrating it with the now famous Terra Madre concept,” Weeping Radish Farm Brewery has become a model for sustainable food ventures everywhere. Owner Uli Bennewitz’s commitment to “good, clean, and fair food” is evident throughout the property, from the Master Butcher’s shop, which features the finest in-house charcuterie made from all locally sourced meats, to the restaurant, which showcases vegetables, herbs, and eggs from its very own 14-acre farm. Educational tours and festivals throughout the year complete the package, promoting a sense of community as well as ecological responsibility. Institution of the Year, Cabarrus County, NC. With “a vision of Cabarrus as a county in which our children learn, our citizens participate, our dreams matter, [and] our families and neighbors thrive,” the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners and John Day, Cabarrus County Manager, have worked hard to make their community a truly sustainable one. In addition to implementing a variety of policies designed to curb water and energy usage as well as air quality issues, the Board and Mr. Day have also made a marked commitment to developing a local, sustainable food system. Hit hard in recent years by the prevalence of diet-related illness, sprawling development , and the loss of historically profitable manufacturing facilities, Cabarrus County has fought back by reaching within, introducing its first ever farm incubator program and Food Policy Council earlier this year. The incubator program will train new sustainable farmers to help increase the supply of fresh, healthy food while also keeping land in agricultural production. The Food Policy Council, lead by local farmer and author Aaron Newton, will educate the citizens of Cabarrus County about the link between food, health, and natural resource preservation. Finally, the leadership of Debbie Bost, Cabarrus County Extension Director, has been truly exemplary and is making a big difference for Cabarrus County’s citizens. Activist of the Year, Harry and Elaine Hamil, Black Mountain, NC. Harry Hamil and his wife, Elaine, have worked over 15 years to help rebuild the local, healthy food economy in Black Mountain, NC. They have operated the year-round Black Mountain Farmers’ Market since 2003 and coordinated the area’s first farmers' tailgate market, remaining active in its management until 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Hamil worked 35 years in the highly regulated insurance market, analyzing and complying with local, state, and federal statutes. This experience came in handy, however, as big agribusiness launched its drive to impose industrial-scale food safety on every small farm and food-maker in the country. Beginning in July of 2009, Mr. Hamil waged a tireless campaign to expose the harm that federal food safety proposals would do to small local food producers, including the Senate’s Food Safety Modernization Act, S.510, its companion bill in the House of Representatives, HR 2749, and the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. “His thorough research and his knowledge of the business side of local food made him an outspoken and insightful counterpoint to the misinformation published by so-called food safety advocates,” said Roland McReynolds, CFSA Executive Director. He organized protests, brought politicians to meet producers first hand, and went head-to-head with FDA bureaucrats. Farmers of the Year, Steve and Lee Tate, Goat Lady Dairy, Climax, NC. When the Tates began Goat Lady Dairy back in 1995, their mission was clear: to nurture “the direct relationship between urban consumers, local farmers and the land.” This dedication to environmental stewardship and the creation of a sustainable local food economy has certainly served them well; their cheese-making operation is now thriving, and they have expanded the business into 2010 with their first ever CSA. Designed to not only provide community members with the freshest, healthiest produce and dairy products, the Goat Lady CSA will also serve as an educational opportunity for workers and guests alike to learn about organic production and seasonal eating. It will also serve as a mentoring program for interns and beginning farmers.
Media Inquiries: Please contact CFSA's Communications Coordinator, Amy Armbruster or call the CFSA office at (919)542-2402. |