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Camilla Hays is a regular customer and occasional volunteer of the High Country Food Hub, a year-round online farmers market supplying fresh food and cosmetics, run by the Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture. Fresh food at the click of a button!
As a current student at Appalachian State University, Hays wants other students to recognize and appreciate everything the Food Hub offers. These women provide fresh produce, meat, dairy, bread, flowers, body care products, and more grocery items to numerous counties in the High Country region.
“The produce and grocery items that I have received from the Food Hub are substantially better than any I have gotten at local grocery stores,” said Hays. “I definitely prefer their produce to other grocery stores in Boone.”
The Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture believe in supporting farmers and local businesses, and with the vast abundance of farms in the high country, they were able to make the High Country Food Hub possible.
Taylor Campbell is manager of the High Country Food Hub, she has been for about three and a half years and works closely with BRWIA. Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture started around 2003, originally as a group of women who were interested in farming and homesteading. At that time, there were less opportunities for women to learn different aspects of farming. These women began meeting on each others’ farms and homesteads to skill share, anything from milking goats to Quickbooks- followed by a potluck.
Over time, the organization became an official non-profit, and began other agricultural based projects in the community. In 2016, one of the founding mothers, Carol Coulter, noticed that many meat producers were storing their products in multiple deep freezers on their farms. She worked with Heifer USA to obtain a grant for a walk-in freezer to help these farmers have a large space to store their product. She secured a space with Watauga County, and began renting freezer space to farmers. Once the freezers filled, she thought that it would be a good idea to create another market channel for farmers to sell their goods, and the High Country Food Hub was born.
The Food Hub allows for a simple transaction directly between farmers and local buyers from the Carolinas and surrounding southern states. This provides the consumer with fresher food and farmers with an abundance of customers so they can support themselves and their farms.
“In addition to the high quality of products, I think it’s so important to support the local economy. These folks are your neighbors, help keep this beautiful place from being overly developed, and care more about the environment than your average corporate farm.” said Campbell. “I really love the community. I get to work with really amazing people, a great community of producers, and it’s so great to chat with customers.”
Sam Springs is the local food as medicine coordinator for the Food Hub, she works in adjacence with the Blue Ridge Women In Agriculture. She believes there are multiple things to feel good about when shopping at the Food Hub.
“The products that Food Hub producers provide are miles better than anything you can find at a grocery store, for several reasons. Local produce is fresher, lasting much longer than store-bought products.” said Springs.
The lettuce you buy on the Food Hub was likely harvested only a day or two before you pick it up, compared to grocery store products which are harvested much earlier and shipped across the country.
“Meats and other animal products come from animals who are carefully and humanely raised, which is something folks can feel good about.” said Springs.
Shopping locally and buying your produce from farmers in the area, supports the local economy. Building a healthy, resilient, self-sufficient community begins with supporting your local economy. Supporting small businesses like the family farmers and artisans who sell on the Food Hub means that your money stays here in the High Country.
The Blue Ridge Women In Agriculture and the High Country Food Hub are great organizations for anyone in the surrounding Boone area to get involved in. Shopping from the Food Hub and supporting local farmers will not only help your community, but provide you with fresh nutrients your body needs.
“I love working with a group of strong, intelligent women who know how to make things happen. We are all so passionate about what we do, and we’re not afraid to try something new, be flexible, and have fun doing the work that we love.” said Springs.