Author Archives: didaniel

The Last Barn Dance (and post?)

Greetings and Happy New Year. Perhaps it’s fitting that one of my final posts here will be about “The Last Barn Dance,” a lovely film in the making. Here’s the synopsis: “Randy Lewis knows that losing his dairy business would … Continue reading

Posted in Alamance County, Books, Media, Tennessee | Tagged | 1 Comment

PepperFest is back, and sweeter than ever

It’s time for another PepperFest — Oct. 5 from 3 to 7! It’s again at Meadow Park south of downtown Chapel Hill, the only place you’ll find top local chefs doing crazy things with Chatham County peppers. Your kids don’t like … Continue reading

Posted in Chatham County | Leave a comment

Slow Money NC stays on the fast track

My friends at Slow Money NC, leaders in the world of community finance, don’t stop. They’ve helped many a farmer and local-food purveyor and now are teaming up with Community Sourced Capital and Accelerating Appalachia to rally support for several entrepreneurs … Continue reading

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Learn to can it in Carrboro

Curious about canning? Learn all about it on Aug. 16 at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. Market-goers will learn how easy it is to preserve the best, fresh produce at International Can-It-Forward Day celebration, presented by Jarden Home Brands, makers of … Continue reading

Posted in Orange County | Leave a comment

Savor the South Weekend features cookbook authors

All you food and farm lovers, a fantastic getaway is planned — the Savor the South Weekend at O.Henry Hotel in Greensboro, Sept. 26-28, a celebration of the awesome cookbook/ingredient series from UNC Press. The editor and brilliant series originator … Continue reading

Posted in Guilford County | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Inaugural Triad Farm Tour is June 7 and 8

Here’s some exciting news! Our friends at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association have added a new farm tour to its growing list – this time in the Triad. The first annual Triad Farm Tour is June 7 and 8 from 2 … Continue reading

Posted in Alamance County, Forsyth County, Guilford County, Stokes County, Surry County, Yadkin County | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Popular Charlotte-area farm tour is May 17 and 18

The sixth annual Know Your Farms tour takes places in the greater Charlotte area the weekend of May 17 and 18, from noon to 6 p.m. It’s a great way to get out of the city, breath some country air, … Continue reading

Posted in Cabarrus County, Charlotte area, Cleveland County, Lincoln County, Mecklenburg County, Rowan County, Stanly County | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Don’t miss the awesome Piedmont Farm Tour

This weekend is one of my favorite events in the Triangle — the annual Piedmont Farm Tour, sponsored by the awesome Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA). Everything about this yearly happening is stupendous: you get to visit some 40 farms … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Cycle to Farm offers the best of both worlds

Velo Girl Rides, organizer of the Cycle to Farm tour of local farms by bicycle, added two more locations to bring cyclists to beautiful local farms to enjoy stunning scenery, eat locally-grown and raised food, and buy products at local … Continue reading

Posted in Buncombe County, Orange County | 2 Comments

‘Farm Fresh Georgia’ joins the family

I’m very excited to announce the arrival of “Farm Fresh Georgia,” another sister book, after Tennessee. This one has a North Carolina component — it was researched and written by Charlotte journalist and travel writer Jodi Helmer. Jodi is as … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Family travel, Farmers, Farmers' markets, History, Livestock, Lodging, Recipes, Road travel, U-pick farms, Wine | Leave a comment

Help RAFI help farmers with book project

RAFI (Rural Advancement Foundation International), based in Pittsboro, has an impressive project in the works. Growing Innovation will document 17 years of farmer innovation in North Carolina with an online library and printed book. These will be tools for farmers … Continue reading

Posted in Chatham County, Farmers, Food, Orange County | Leave a comment

Laurey Masterton: a pioneer who kept pushing

When it was time to choose a spot to have my western NC book-release party in 2011, I immediately said: Laurey’s in Asheville. The cafe, run by chef and owner Laurey Masterton, embodied everything I love about the local foods … Continue reading

Posted in Bees, Buncombe County, Cooking, Dining | Leave a comment

Eat greener, cleaner, and local in 2014

It’s a new year and time to consider a farm-fresh lifestyle, if you’re not already there. Here are a few suggestions for folks wanting to eat real food from real people: JOIN a CSA. A Community Supported Agriculture program is … Continue reading

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Everyone is clucking about local turkeys

I’ve seen plenty of wild turkeys in my day, but I’d never been around farm turkeys much until I wrote “Farm Fresh North Carolina.” When I was researching the book, in 2008, regular folks getting farm-raised turkeys for their Thanksgiving … Continue reading

Posted in Brunswick, Chatham County, Cooking, Durham County, Livestock, Meat, Orange County, South Carolina, Wake County | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pepper Festival returns with more pep than ever

Somehow, regretfully, I end up being out of town every year for one of my favorite events — the Pepper Festival in Chatham County, so please go for me! This year’s fest, on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 3 to 7 … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Chatham County, Environmental, Family travel, Farmers, Food, Orange County | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Flurry of farm-fresh fall festivities

Wow, there’s so much going on that I feel compelled to do a round-up. Typical fall in the Carolinas! The 8th annual and always entertaining Eastern Triangle Farm Tour is happening Sept. 21-22. Six new farms are included among the 27 … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Charlotte area, Durham County, Family travel, Farmers' markets, Food, Franklin County, Johnston County, Lincoln County, Mecklenburg County, Road travel, Stokes County, Wake County, Wine | Leave a comment

Some favorite U-pick farms for U

The U-pick season is shorter in the mountains and middle of the state. Here are a few of my favorite spots there, with their entries from my book. Check ’em out! (But of course call or check online before you … Continue reading

Posted in Ashe County, Food, Madison County, Rockingham County, U-pick farms | Leave a comment

Our NC peaches are peachy keen

Back in the day, North Carolina’s peach crop, concentrated mainly in the Sandhills area around Southern Pines and Pinehurst, used to be shipped up the East Coast. Those days are gone, but luckily for us, the peaches are not. By … Continue reading

Posted in Coastal Region-Sandhills, Farmers, Fruit, South Carolina | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Peregrine Farm founders spread the wealth

Alex and Betsy Hitt of Peregrine Farm get the star treatment they deserve in yesterday’s News & Observer. Writer Andrea Weigl wrote a great profile about the farmers in Graham. Part of the story is how they’ve mentored so many … Continue reading

Posted in Alamance County, Farmers | Tagged | Leave a comment

Dig deeper with Taste Carolina food-farm events

I got to hang out with some of my favorite food purveyors last night — Farmhand Foods, which distributes local, pasture-raised meats, and April McGreger of Farmer’s Daughter Brand, sweet-and-savory queen of all that is preserved or fermented. And I … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Durham County, Environmental, Farmers, Food, Livestock, Orange County, Recipes, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment