Third grade students from Gouge Elementary tentatively worked their way through a small hoop house, carefully weaving through tomato vines. “Is this one ripe?” a student asks, pointing at a pale red tomato. “Not yet, don’t pick it.” answers another. Not every child gets the chance to harvest tomatoes at school, but this is not your ordinary fieldtrip.

The goal of this fieldtrip is to reconnect student to fresh local foods and who is growing them. After exploring what is grown locally on Green Toe Ground farm, students then had a chance to cook what they saw growing and serve a healthy meal to their families. This is all a part of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s (ASAP) Growing Minds program. Part of the mission of this program is to reconnect students with their agricultural heritage, while introducing them to what foods are growing locally and who is growing it in their community.

“I want to be a chef. It is my dream” says Caleb as he slices tomatoes. Five types of local cherry tomatoes are piled in a basket. “This orange one tastes like candy!” exclaims Katie. Heather Calhoun, Child Nutrition Director for Mitchell County Schools joined the class in preparing fresh veggies for the meal. Mitchell County is one of only four school systems in western NC that are currently buying produce from local farmers to serve in their school cafeterias.

“If students have a chance to see fresh foods growing and then cook them, they are a lot more likely to eat them.” says the Emily Jackson, the Growing Minds Program Director. These Mitchell County students buzzed with excitement as they took this one step further, helping to prepare a meal for their families with a local chef.

“Isaiah, one of my pickiest eaters went back for thirds!” said Tamara Houchard, the teacher that worked with ASAP to make these events happen. With childhood obesity now labeled an “epidemic”, programs that promote healthy eating become more and more important.

Growing Minds is part of a nation wide farm to school movement, designed to support local agriculture while providing students with the freshest food possible. “Many of these students have grandparents that were farmers, but this generation is loosing the connection to where their food comes from.” says Molly Nicholie, who also works with the Growing Minds Program. “It has been wonderful watching these kids follow food from the farm to their plate.”

A non-profit that serves western NC and the southern Appalachians, ASAP strives to support local farmers by increasing awareness and demand for local farm products. Promoting locally grown food helps to sustain farms in our communities and identifies the freshest food possible for consumers. ASAP’s Growing Minds program is a component of their local food campaign, supporting healthy farms, healthy food and healthy kids.

For more information about ASAP’s Growing Minds Program please contact : Emily Jackson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text26889 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (828)236-1282