Throughout the summer of 2022, ASAP will present a series of on-farm symposiums for healthcare professionals in Western North Carolina to highlight the principles of Farm Fresh for Health. Farm Fresh for Health addresses the real and perceived barriers that influence what we eat and determine health outcomes. ASAP and community partners are using strategies and initiatives built around:
- Produce Prescriptions
- Nutrition Security
- Workplace Wellness
- Wrap-Around Clinical Health Services
- Cooking Classes
- Farm to School
- Social Determinants of Health
Each symposium will introduce key strategies and highlight examples from ASAP and the community, including projects from ASAP’s Community in Action initiative. Attendees will take part in farm tours, hands-on activities, and facilitated discussion about how they can use Farm Fresh for Health tools in their own practices to improve health outcomes. A seasonally focused farm-to-table meal (lunch or dinner) will be provided by a local food partner. Space is limited at each symposium. A $20 registration fee offsets the cost of meals and materials.
DINNER
Catered by Singlewyde, wood-fired sourdough pizza with local ingredients.
TOPICS
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs as part of workplace wellness, creating social healthy food environments in the community (including recreational activities and community and school gardens), youth engagement, social determinants of health
PRESENTERS
Terry and Debbie Perry are both registered nurses and have worked in the healthcare field for more than 40 years. They started Perry’s Berry’s Vineyard & Winery in 2009 as a way to bring their family closer together. They love teaching other families about the health benefits of farming and blueberries through farm tours, classes, and classroom visits. With more than 3,500 blueberry bushes, the farm offers u-pick opportunities and supplies blueberries to local breweries, grocery stores, bakeries, ice cream shops, and their very own blueberry wine.
West Marion Community Forum is using a community-centered health approach to drive systemic changes and address childhood obesity and the underlying factors that contribute to this health disparity in McDowell County, NC. West Marion works with historically excluded residents in African-American, Latinx, and white communities and is focusing on food access, physical activity, transportation, and youth engagement.
Todd Boera is the head brewer at Fonta Flora Brewery, integrating the soul of agriculture with the artisanship of zymurgy. Fonta Flora utilizes local artists to help conceptualize the notion that fermentation is yet another medium for creating art. This uniquely artisan approach to beer yields a sustainable product filled with culture from our very own community.
Jennifer Trippe, director of ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School program, is a Registered Dietitian with nearly two decades of experience working to improve the health and well-being of the Western North Carolina community. She has worked at MANNA FoodBank, Food Connections, and as a WIC Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator.
Larissa Lopez is a program coordinator for ASAP’s Local Food Campaign. She is the lead on several of ASAP’s Farm Fresh for Health programs, including expanding workplace CSAs and wellness programs and the Farm Fresh Produce Prescription program.
Amy Marion is associate director of ASAP and helps to shape and implement the organization’s strategy, program development, and administration. Additionally, she leads the Local Food Research Center, which evaluates ASAP’s programs and assesses the impact of local food system development across the region.
