Category Archives: Coastal Region-Sandhills

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

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

Farm Fresh NC on UNC-TV’s ‘Bookwatch’

D.G. Martin interviewed me in the summer for his author-focused show, “Bookwatch,” on UNC-TV. We had a wide-ranging talk about agritourism, farm-to-table restaurants, farmers markets, etc. It was a fun show, and I’m grateful for the opportunity! It first aired Sept. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Charlotte area, Coastal Region-Sandhills, Dining, Farmers' markets, Food, Mountains, Triad, Triangle, Wine | Leave a comment

Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream: a Carolina classic

In honor of National Ice Cream Month, I present to you a recipe from my book for the most Carolina-centric flavor possible — our  state vegetable, the one we produce the most of nationwide. That’s right, the sweet potato.  This is one … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Hoke County, Recipes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Wilmington wakes up to good food

The last time I was in Wilmington, dining options were mostly pretty standard fare. What a difference a few years make. The only restaurant I have from there in my book is Catch, but here are the ones I’d add … Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Dining, Farm Fresh book events, Farmers' markets, New Hanover County | Leave a comment

Where to find organic U-pick strawberries

2015 Update: In early 2015, I heard from a new certified organic U-pick, in Indian Trail, 30 minutes southeast of Charlotte. Wise Acres Organic Farm welcomes your business in spring of 2015!   2014 Update: Strawberries are late again this … Continue reading

Posted in Brunswick, Buncombe County, Food, Franklin County, Fruit, Orange County, U-pick farms, Wake County | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Farms, trees, and bees in Sampson County

Dogwoods are blooming all over here in North Carolina. I feel I never get my fill of them — until this year — when we devised a Dogwood Loop Tour by bicycle in very rural Sampson County (east of Fayetteville). Dogwoods, … Continue reading

Posted in Bees, Bicycling, Livestock, Sampson County | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Saturday’s stops: Southern Season, Barnes & Noble Burlington

Saturday is a big day for Farm Fresh! I’m excited to start the festivities at the renowned gourmet/cooking store A Southern Season in Chapel Hill. I’ll be there from 11:30 to 1:30. While I’ll be doing a basic “sit-and-sign,” the … Continue reading

Posted in Alamance County, Bertie County, Cooking, Farm Fresh book events, Farmers' markets, Orange County | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NC farms win Animal Welfare Approved grants

Congrats to the several North Carolina farms that won Good Husbandry grants from Animal Welfare Approved. The Alexandria, Va.-based group’s standards are the most rigorous and progressive animal care requirements in the nation, and the only ones to require that … Continue reading

Posted in Anson County, Beaufort County, Duplin County, Sampson County, Wake County | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Let’s make Best Dish NC the best ever

A little competition is healthy! So, if you have a favorite restaurant that uses local ingredients, please encourage the owner/chef to enter The Best Dish in North Carolina contest, which this year has expanded by adding regional categories. The contest, run … Continue reading

Posted in Charlotte area, Coastal Region-Sandhills, Dining, Food, Mountains, Triad, Triangle | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

If it’s November, it must be Sweet Potato Month

One winter, when I lived alone and could (and did) eat the same thing over and over, I was addicted to a very simple meal of sweet potatoes and green beans. I’d season them both with garlic and butter and … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Johnston County, Nash County, Wilson County | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pumpkins from the ground, not the paved lot

Around this time people ask me where in North Carolina they can pick pumpkins, as opposed to “picking up” the ones sitting in a lot that were trucked in from who knows where. This list is not complete, but here are … Continue reading

Posted in Cabarrus County, Durham County, Franklin County, Lee County, U-pick farms | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Stay, play, and learn on a farm near you

Want to spend a night, a weekend, or longer on a farm? My book will give you more than two dozen options in NC. In the meantime, you can read about five of them in the September issue of Southern … Continue reading

Posted in Buncombe County, Christmas trees, Family travel, Food, Haywood County, Madison County, Orange County, Perquimans County | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fall crops, agritourism star on small screen Sept. 3

This just in from the marketing division of the NC Department of Agriculture. I can’t attest to the quality of the show, because I haven’t previewed it, nor did I see the spring segment, but here’s the skinny: “The second episode … Continue reading

Posted in Chatham County, Christmas trees, Franklin County, Henderson County, Jackson County, Onslow County, Orange County | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Walk this way to way fresh seafood

Can you believe that even in coastal towns, most of the “fresh seafood” on restaurant menus isn’t even from this country, much less the county? Some 80 percent of seafood served in America is imported and much of it is … Continue reading

Posted in Coastal Region-Sandhills, Environmental, Food, Triangle | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Where to find Perfection

Who says you can’t find Perfection? Wessel and I have. It’s right here along NC Highway 55 in Craven County, North Carolina, only 55 miles from Atlantic Beach, on, you guessed it, the Atlantic Ocean. I first stumbled onto Perfection … Continue reading

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

Talking turkey (they can hear you)

I’ve seen plenty of wild turkeys in my day, but I’d never been around farm turkeys much until this year. Now that I’m visiting farms across North Carolina for my travel guide “Farm Fresh North Carolina,” I’ve visited several that … Continue reading

Posted in Brunswick, Poultry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment