ASAN's annual series of Regional Food & Farm Forums will convene farmers, gardeners, community leaders, and good food advocates to “cross-pollinate” and learn from one another, in four locations around the state (see below). ABOUT THE REGIONAL FORUMS: The Regional Forums are training and networking events that bring together small-scale and sustainable farmers, gardeners, community [...]
This is the full-length version of an article that appears in the Fall 2016 issue of the ASAN Update, our quarterly print newsletter. Question 1 appears exactly as it does in the newsletter. Question 2 appears in this blog post with additional details that were cut in the newsletter due to space constraints. This is [...]
Buy your tickets here! Facebook event here (invite your friends)! Graze: Birmingham is a farm-to-fork picnic in which attendees “graze” on a wide variety of dishes, each produced by a different local farmer + local restaurant pair. Add in some picnic blankets, live music, and delicious local beverages… and it’s a picnic you don’t want [...]
Employment opportunities in Alabama food (as of August 19, 2016): Bois D'Arc Farm (Marion, Perry County): Gardener/Horticulturist position for large certified organic farm (5,300+ acres), located near Greensboro about an hour south of Tuscaloosa, in a beautiful area of Alabama long famous for its soils. The farm is expanding its horticultural and gardening activities to [...]
The Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, is a grassroots network of farmers, gardeners, local-food-loving brown thumbs, and everyone in between – who together are building a better food system for Alabamians, by Alabamians. ASAN is holding a membership drive from June 16th-30th, at farmers markets around the state. If you already support local farmers at farmers [...]
One of the most common types of questions we get is along the lines of: "Where can I find {farm product} near where I live in {town} ?" It's exciting to hear these questions, because it means that customers are wanting local food! Between 2010 and 2013, ASAN produced several [...]
ASAN members Jesie and Matthew Lawrence, who own Marble Creek Farmstead in Sylacauga, have recently purchased a majority share in a USDA Inspected processing facility in Pell City. The facility is currently open and processing swine, beef, goat, and lamb, both under USDA inspection as well as under custom exemption. Matthew and Jesie, along with previous owner Bruce [...]
Employment opportunities in Alabama food (as of April 4, 2016): (UPDATED 4/22/16) FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION: Marble Creek Farmstead (Sylacauga, Talladega County): Marble Creek Farmstead is a family farm that raises pastured chickens, pork, beef, lamb, goat, duck, turkey, and rabbit. They have a large egg business, and raise about one acre of vegetables for market gardens. They sell [...]
ASAN owns several pieces of farm equipment uniquely suited to small-scale sustainable production. We acquired this equipment as part of a collaborative grant in 2008, with the intention that, after the grant project ended, the equipment would be rented out for farmers to use on their own farms. That has happened, though not at the [...]
Employment opportunities in Alabama food (as of February 1, 2016): FARMING: Marble Creek Farmstead (Sylacauga, Talladega County): ASAN farm member Marble Creek Farmstead, a sustainable family farm beginning its third year of operation, is hiring for a full time farm manager / grower position. This person will manage and grow the farm's fruit and vegetable garden, and [...]
