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Buy Haywood - News

Haywood County Farm Products for the Holidays

(Waynesville, NC – November 23, 2009) – The Buy Haywood Market Development Project has added three more Christmas tree operations and one wreath-maker to its holiday line-up of basic and value-added Haywood County farm products.

“We had a great response to our holiday promotions last year,” said George Ivey, coordinator of the Buy Haywood program. “With more farmers participating this year, consumers have even more ways to get ready for the holidays right here in Haywood County.”

This year’s holiday promotions include everything from Christmas trees and poinsettias to smoked tomato jam and tomato sauces. A full listing of these products and retail purchase information is available at www.buyhaywood.com/holiday.html.
“Whether you need a Christmas tree or a unique present to put under that tree, Haywood County has a lot of great options,” said Ivey. “Just as important, when you purchase these items, you are supporting local businesses, local farms, and local jobs.”

The Buy Haywood project supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation.

Local Restaurants Support Haywood County Farmers

Waynesville, NC – September 16, 2009 – Local chefs are proving to be some of the best supporters of Haywood County farmers.

“The Buy Haywood project is having a great year, from new produce sales at Ingles grocery stores to a new map and brochure to encourage people to visit farm stands and farmer’s markets,” said George Ivey, coordinator of Buy Haywood, which helps develop stronger markets for Haywood County farm products. “We thought it would be logical to focus next on restaurants, and we’ve been very pleased to learn that many chefs are already on board.”

Those chefs are buying everything from seasonal items like peppers and tomatoes to year-round items like rainbow trout, with some buying directly from farmers at local tailgate markets and others relying on farm stands like Duckett’s Produce.

The Haywood Regional Medical Center Cafeteria is one of many local restaurants that utilize Christopher Farms of Waynesville for deliveries of a wide variety of fresh, local produce. Chef Phil Mohr is very pleased with the results. “It’s a great way to support the local economy, and it just tastes better.”

Buying local is also important to Denny Trantham, Chef de Cuisine for the Blue Ridge Dining Room at Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa in Asheville. A Haywood County native, Trantham buys from farms throughout Western North Carolina, including trout and salad greens grown by several Haywood County farmers. “Buying fresh food from local sources is all part of our continuing effort to support sustainability,” said Trantham. “Plus, we love the opportunity to showcase these great local products to all our visitors from near and far.”

Several Haywood County chefs also utilize tomatoes and other local produce to make their own value-added products, including Hudson’s Smoked Tomato Jam, available through Sunburst Trout Farm; Maria Pressley’s salsa, available at Maria’s Mexican Pueblo; and a trio of tomato sauces made by Chef Ricardo Fernandez at Lomo Grill.

“We are very thankful that these chefs are offering local farm products to their customers, and in the process helping to support family farms,” Ivey added.

The Buy Haywood project has started compiling a list of local restaurants offering Haywood County farm products. The list is available online at www.buyhaywood.com/try.html.

“We want to make it as easy as possible for people to identify and support the restaurants that support our local farmers,” said Ivey. “If there are other people out there who offer or want to offer Haywood County farm products in their restaurants, we want them to call us so we can help them connect with farmers, consumers, or both.”

The Buy Haywood Project supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation. Additional support has been provided by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project.

New Map Leads the Way to Haywood County Farms

Waynesville, NC – June 22, 2009 – Local residents and tourists have a new resource to help them support the farms and farmers of Haywood County. A new brochure and map lists more than 30 locations to buy local produce, plants, trout, and more. The featured sites include farm stands, tailgate markets, nurseries, and others. The brochure also lists farm-related events, such as the Canton Mater Fest. “Whether you are looking for fresh vegetables, a Christmas tree, or a day of fun for the whole family, this brochure will help you find your way,” said George Ivey, who coordinates the Buy Haywood project, which helps to promote local farm products.

The brochure is available at the Haywood County Visitor Centers in Balsam and Canton, the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, and the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Office. You can also view and print a copy online at www.buyhaywood.com/farmmap.

The brochure is a joint effort of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and Buy Haywood. Additional contributors include the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Ingles Markets Offering Haywood County Produce

(Waynesville, NC – June 15, 2009) – It started quietly enough, but it’s big news for Haywood County farmers. Thanks to Ingles Markets, shoppers can once again buy Haywood County produce in Haywood County grocery stores.

Ingles’ stores in Waynesville, Hazelwood, and Canton began selling strawberries from Kaleb Rathbone’s Fines Creek farm in May. Now Ingles is stocking romaine lettuce, grown by Bethel farmer Skipper Russell, at stores in Haywood and Buncombe Counties. Plans are in the works for additional sales of other Haywood County farm products later in the year, said George Ivey, coordinator of the Buy Haywood Market Development Project, which works to promote Haywood County farm products. “We’re very excited to see Ingles show such strong support for locally grown produce.”

Thanks to the growing “buy local” movement, grocers are placing more and more emphasis on fresh, local produce. “Ingles has shown real leadership in featuring local farm products,” said Charlie Jackson of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. “They have really made a commitment to support a greater number of farmers throughout our region.”

“The local produce is delivered straight to our stores, often the same day it’s picked,” said Jeff Henderson, manager of the Ingles store on Russ Avenue in Waynesville. “We’re delighted to be able to feature such high quality produce and to support our local farming community, too.”

These sales to Ingles are in part due to the farmers’ participation in WNC Agricultural Options, a North Carolina Cooperative Extension program that provides awards to farmers who demonstrate alternative farm income to transitioning tobacco growers. The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission funds the program, in partnership with RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund.

Both Rathbone and Russell have received WNC AgOptions awards, including funding for an irrigation system for Rathbone’s strawberry farm and a refrigerated truck to haul and deliver Russell’s lettuce. The refrigeration ensures that the lettuce doesn't wilt while traveling to the stores. “The grant has made what I’m doing possible,” Russell said. “It opened up new marketing possibilities for all of us by enhancing food safety and shelf life.”

Buy Haywood supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation. (www.buyhaywood.com)
The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project works to keep farmers farming and to reconnect people with their food. (www.asapconnections.org)

WNC Agricultural Options builds sustainable farming communities in our mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers who are diversifying and expanding their operations. (www.wncagoptions.org)

New Map to Show the Way to Haywood County Farms

Waynesville, NC – April 13, 2009 – This summer, with the help of a new local farm map and guide, Haywood County residents and visitors alike will be able to more easily find local sources for fresh fruits and vegetables, trout, nursery plants, Christmas trees, and other great locally-grown farm products. Farms should act soon if they wish to be part of this new map and guide.

The farm map is a project launched by Haywood County farmers with the assistance of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), Buy Haywood, and NC Cooperative Extension. The organizations already have several lists of local farms, but they are seeking others that might wish to participate. The listing is free of charge.

To appear on the map, farms must have regular or seasonal hours during which they welcome visitors to their farm. Operators of roadside stands or farm stores can also appear on the map, but must sell at least some product that they grow themselves. The map will also promote Haywood County’s three farmers’ tailgate markets and will describe Haywood’s rich agricultural heritage.

“It has become ever more difficult for mountain farms to survive selling products to faraway customers,” says Peter Marks of ASAP. “Growers like Danny Barrett of The Ten Acre Garden and Sally Eason of Sunburst Trout are making bold investments in Haywood’s agricultural future by finding new ways to sell direct to local customers.”

Barrett’s roadside stand and u-pick vegetable farm, and Sunburst’s many creative products made from local trout and tomatoes and sold to chefs, visitors, and grocers, are just two of the more than 30 farms that will appear on the map. The map will be distributed to highway welcome centers, retail businesses, tourist information racks, and by the farmers themselves. More than 5,000 copies will be printed.

Anyone wanting to list their farm on the Haywood County Farm Map should contact George Ivey with Buy Haywood, georgeivey@earthlink.net or 712-6474, before Thursday, April 23.

The Haywood County Farm Map project receives support from the Golden Leaf Foundation, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and the Haywood County Economic Development Commission.

Buy Haywood Announces Value-Added Products NowAvailable for Retail Sale

Waynesville, NC – November 10, 2008 – Just in time for the holidays! The Buy Haywood Market Development Project is excited to announce that the winning recipes from their value-added product search are now available for retail sale.
This past June, a panel of expert judges chose three winning recipes for their value-added product contest; all winning recipes utilized Haywood County tomatoes.

Charles Hudson, Research and Development Chef for Sunburst Trout Company in Canton, NC, took first place with a smoked tomato jam, and Chef Ricardo Fernandez, owner of the Lomo Grill in downtown Waynesville, NC, took second and third with a Mediterranean pasta sauce and a hot and spicy “Mucho Macho” sauce.

The smoked tomato jam is available for retail at the Asheville City Market every Saturday, now through December 20, and is also available via their web site at: http://www.sunbursttrout.com/. The product retails for $6.00.
Chef Hudson explains that the smoked tomato jam is best used on biscuits, bagels or even for baked brie. It can also be used as an ingredient in salad dressings, marinades and cheese spreads.

Meanwhile, Earth Fare stores, a chain of 13 stores with corporate headquarters in Asheville, recently agreed to carry Chef Ricardo’s Appalachian Tomato Sauce in four of their stores: East Asheville, NC; West Asheville, NC; Johnson City, TN; and Knoxville, TN.

The Appalachian Tomato Sauces are also available at Lomo Grill in Waynesville; Greenlife Grocery Store in Asheville; The Grove Corner Market in Asheville; and at the WNC Farmer’s Market (Mountains Sunshine Farms). The sauces retail for $10.00.
Chef Ricardo’s Appalachian Tomato Sauces are made with all locally-grown ingredients featuring sustainable agriculture practices, gourmet recipes and appeal, and all natural ingredients.

Both chefs also recently produced Carolina Kitchen segments that aired on WLOS-TV Channel 13. The smoked tomato jam was used as a complement to baked brie; in a salad dressing of wilted greens topped with smoked trout; and in a tortilla-trout wrap where it was utilized as a spread. The tomato sauces were highlighted for use in a dish with fresh red snapper; a layered eggplant recipe; and shrimp Provencal. To view the videos and recipes using the award-winning products, visit: http://www.wlos.com/newsroom/carolina_kitchen/index.shtml.

Since June, the winners, with the assistance of the Buy Haywood marketing partners, have been working to introduce, to market, package, and sell these new and exciting products. These project partners include the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, the Haywood Community College Small Business Center, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, and Blue Ridge Food Ventures.

The Buy Haywood Project supports farmers in Haywood County in Western North Carolina by promoting high-quality farm products to community-minded consumers. The project is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission, and it receives support from the Golden LEAF Foundation. For more information about the Buy Haywood program, visit: www.buyhaywood.com

Buy Haywood - Archived News

Major Retail Grocer Links Up With Haywood County, NC Farmers

Waynesville, NC – August 12, 2008 – Whole Foods Market, the world’s leading natural and organic foods supermarket, is selling Haywood County farm products at its North Carolina stores in Winston-Salem and the Research Triangle area. Farm products to be featured include: tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

The partnership has developed quickly, from a suggestion and a phone number from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to a meeting and farm tour in the Bethel area of Haywood County to detailed discussions at a recent Whole Foods Market summit in Raleigh.

“At each Whole Foods Market store, we emphasize buying high quality products from local and regional farms, and that’s what makes the Buy Haywood program such a good fit for us,” said Brent Demarest, Regional Produce Purchasing Team Leader for Whole Foods Market. “We see great potential here to grow together.”

The Buy Haywood marketing efforts are really beginning to pay off.

“This is very exciting news for our participating farmers,” said Bryan Sullivan, Marketing Specialist for the Buy Haywood program. “We’re thrilled to link up with such a strong leader in the retail marketplace.”

Founded in 1980, Whole Foods Market now has more than 270 stores in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Their market focus includes an emphasis on providing customers with the highest quality natural and organic products available.

For more information, visit: Buy Haywood at: http://www.buyhaywood.com and Whole Foods Market at: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/.

Buy Haywood Project Announces Product Search Contest Winners

Waynesville, NC – June 30, 2008 – The Buy Haywood Market Development Project is excited to announce that their panel of expert judges has chosen the winners for their value-added product contest. All winning recipes will utilize Haywood County tomatoes.

Chef Charles Hudson of Sunburst Trout Company in Canton, NC, took first place with a smoked tomato jam, and Chef Ricardo Fernandez, owner of the Lomo Grill in downtown Waynesville, NC, took second and third with a Mediterranean pasta sauce and also a hot and spicy “Mucho Macho” sauce, respectively. The contest was very competitive, with many viable recipes.

When evaluating the smoked tomato jam, one judge wrote, “I’ve never had anything like it; the texture is very good.”

Chef Fernandez also received accolades for his winning sauces. One judge loved the combination of olives and capers in the Mediterranean sauce, and another indicated that the Mucho Macho was “just right.”

All the judges agreed that these top three entries, in addition to being delicious, also included the most professional marketing plans to aid in getting the product on store shelves.

The panel of judges was comprised of a team of marketing and food experts and included: Jill Frazer of Blue Ridge Food Ventures; Bill Yarborough of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture; Jean Burton with North Carolina Cooperative Extension; Mike Ferguson, Market Manager for the WNC Farmers’ Market; Tres Hundertmark, Executive Chef at the Lobster Trap in Asheville, NC; CeCe Hipps of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce; and Mark Clasby, Executive Director for the Haywood County Economic Development Commission.

Charles Hudson, Research and Development Chef for Sunburst Trout Company said, “We are very excited about this.” Hudson explains that the smoked tomato jam will be best used on biscuits, bagels or even baked brie. It can also be used as an ingredient in salad dressings, marinades and cheese spreads. “The product is versatile and will hopefully become a staple in homes as well as commercial kitchens,” Hudson says.

Chef Fernandez is equally enthusiastic and touts his award-winning products as “authentic Appalachian tomato sauces.”

“These products include locally-grown ingredients featuring sustainable agriculture practices, gourmet recipes and appeal, and all natural ingredients,” Fernandez says.

The product search winners will receive support from project marketing partners, including assistance with product development, business planning, marketing, and promotion.

"Buy Haywood" Video Wins Best of the Mountains' Multi-media Communication Award

Waynesville, NC – April 28, 2008 – The tomatoes of Haywood County are off to a roaring start for the summer of 2008, and it all started with a short video produced locally by Stellar Media. First, Haywood County tomatoes traveled the Internet via this web-based video; then a writer watched the video and wrote about the Buy Haywood project in an agricultural magazine distributed to over one million readers in Europe. Now, that same video has won the multi-media category award for the “Best of the Mountains,” a contest hosted by the Public Relations Association of Western North Carolina (PRAWNC).

The “Best of the Mountains” recognizes excellence in public relations and marketing communications in Western North Carolina. Awards are presented to regional communication professionals who are recognized for outstanding marketing and public relations techniques and designs.

“This project was fantastic! It’s an excellent example of the incredible talent that our region has to offer,” Amy Smialowicz, PRAWNC President, said.

The voices for the video are also local, with Kristin Yarborough and Mark Terry narrating the 84-second video. A shorter, 30-second version has also been produced with possible television use in mind. The video can be seen online at www.buyhaywood.com/video.html.

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Buy Haywood Project Announces New Product Search Contest

Waynesville, NC – April 2008 – Do you have a recipe that you think deserves national recognition? If so, the Buy Haywood Market Development Project has put out a call for entries for value-added products that will utilize Haywood county tomatoes.

“It’s kind of like ‘American Idol’ for a food product that utilizes these wonderful tomatoes,” said George Ivey, coordinator of the Buy Haywood project. “We are opening the product search contest to anyone who is seriously interested in working towards putting a new or existing value-added item on grocery store shelves.”

Interested participants will be asked to submit a short application form, a basic business plan, recipe, and prototype of the product (no more than 12 ounces) for judge review and tasting. The deadline for all entries is Monday, June 16. For a complete list of rules and information, please visit http://www.buyhaywood.com/valueadded.html.

The winners of the product search – an overall winner and two runner-ups – will receive support from project marketing partners to make the idea a reality, including assistance with product development, business planning, marketing, and promotion.

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“Buy Haywood” Adds Greenhouse and Nursery Products

Waynesville, NC – April 2008 - While the Buy Haywood Market Development Project is most closely associated with efforts to promote sales of Haywood County tomatoes and other produce, the project is widening its reach in 2008 to include greenhouse and nursery products.

“When these plants are grown in Haywood County, they support local farm jobs, the local economy, and farmland preservation,” said George Ivey, coordinator of the Buy Haywood project. “Products grown locally are also fresher than products shipped in from other states. That’s good news for consumers, too.”

One of the program’s participants, Rux Gardens, is a retail nursery that grows premium annuals, herbs, perennials, and shrubs. They decided to be part of the greenhouse and nursery promotions, because they want to integrate more into the community.

“We are proud to grow all of our own plants,” said Trish Rux, owner. “Not only do our customers get better quality when they buy local, but they are getting a product that is already acclimated to the area.

“When people buy local, they are also reducing their overall footprint, and saving money because there are no additional fuel charges associated with the cost of the plants,” said Rux. “It’s a win-win situation.”

For more information on participating greenhouses and nurseries, go online to http://www.buyhaywood.com/greenhouse.html

Tobacco to Tomatoes: Buy Haywood Project Introduced in Europe

Waynesville, NC – February 19, 2008 – Why are Europeans reading about Haywood County, NC?

Recently, a journalist, Benny Manocchia, learned about the Buy Haywood Market Development Project -- a project that seeks to improve awareness, interest, and sales of fruits, vegetables, and other farm products grown in Haywood County, NC. The project receives most of its direct financial support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, which provides grants to help tobacco farmers to transition to other crops. Manocchia quickly decided that it would make a great story for the publication, L’Informatore Argario, a European agricultural magazine.

“As a journalist, I have traveled through many states and countries and I love North Carolina and its people,” Manocchia said. “When I read the story about how tobacco funding is now being used to improve agriculture in North Carolina, I knew that it would be interesting for our European readers. It’s wonderful how a negative situation has been turned into a positive one.”

In Italy, L’Informatore Argario is distributed to 690,000 subscribers; it’s also distributed, in native languages in France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and England.

Mark Clasby, Executive Director of the Haywood County Economic Development Commission is very pleased with the international attention.

“We continue to focus on developing strong local and regional markets for our products, but we’re very encouraged that people around the world are taking notice.”

The Golden LEAF Foundation is also excited about the international press.

Valeria Lee, the foundation’s president, said “we are proud to support this project that generates new markets for Haywood County produce and, at the same time, benefits the agricultural community throughout the state.”

For more information about the project and to view a video about the importance of buying local and supporting sustainable agriculture, visit: www.BuyHawyood.org

Golden LEAF Foundation Renews Support for Buy Haywood

The Golden LEAF Foundation has approved a second grant of $60,000 to continue the Buy Haywood Market Development Project in 2008.

The funds will be utilized to support additional marketing and food safety training for local farmers and farm workers, to test the market potential of Haywood County branded products, and to increase sales of Haywood County products through local and regional retailers/grocers, wholesalers, restaurants, and consumers.

Building on efforts from 2007 to highlight Haywood County tomatoes, the Buy Haywood project will expand in 2008 to feature several additional Haywood County products, including green peppers, cucumbers, and nursery and greenhouse stock. The Buy Haywood project will also explore opportunities for developing value-added products that feature Haywood County produce.

For more information, please contact George Ivey, Buy Haywood Project Coordinator, (828) 712-6474.

Buy Haywood Recipe Competition Winners Chosen

On October 1, “Bultitos de Puerco” (Little Bundles of Pork) took the grand prize in the 2007 Buy Haywood Tomato Recipe Contest. The competition was limited to culinary arts professionals, and the big winners were local Haywood County restaurateurs.

The grand-prize-winning dish was presented by Maria Pressley of Maria’s Mexican Pueblo restaurant. Judges for the competition included several Haywood County business people and members of the Buy Haywood Project Team. The group felt the dish was unique and delicious.

“The combination of pork chops and rice, mixed together with Haywood County-grown potatoes, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, herbs, and eggs, made for a terrific dish. The presentation was outstanding, and everyone agreed this was the top dish of the evening,” said Marty Nicholson, a marketing consultant working on the Buy Haywood project.

For more information about Maria’s winning dish, please visit the Buy Haywood recipe page, or stop by Maria’s Mexican Pueblo restaurant at 67 Branner Avenue in downtown Waynesville, (phone 828-456-6413).

The top salad and appetizer items came from the Sunset Organization, which operates several restaurants in Haywood County, as well as a catering business. The salad consisted of a fresh Haywood County tomato, cut into four slices and covered with four different toppings (goat cheese, basil, pesto, and red onions) and drizzled with olive oil and fresh herbs. Their Crab-Stuffed Tomato won for best appetizer. That dish consisted of a large Haywood County tomato, stuffed with crab meat, topped with parmesan cheese, plated in a dish, and surrounded by Charleston-style grits over a tomato puree base. For more information on the Sunset Organization, check out their website: www.sunsetorganization.com/.

Buy Haywood is managed by the Haywood County Economic Development Commission
144 Industrial Park Drive - Waynesville, NC 28786 : (828)456-3737

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