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Apple Pie Parfaits
Ingredients: 4 apples peeled, cored, and diced ½ c water ½ t cinnamon ¼ t ginger 4 graham crackers whipped cream, vanilla yogurt or coconut whipped cream Directions: 1. In a medium saucepan, combine apples and water. 2. Cover and bring to a boil. 3. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. 4. Add cinnamon and ginger. Stir well. Continue to cook at a simmer for 10 minutes or until the apples are soft. 5. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit. Smash apple mixture with a potato masher until desired consistency. 6. In a clear cup, layer 4 T apple mixture, 4 T whipped cream, and top with graham cracker pieces.
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FEAST Resumes Middle School programming
Through partnerships with the IRL program of Asheville City Schools Foundation and the YMCA of WNC, the FEAST program is once again serving middle school students in after school programming after having to pause for several years due to staffing and funding shortages. No garden required, just interest from students and on site after school program coordinators. We now offer FEAST Club at Asheville Middle School In-Real-Life and YMCA Horizons after school programs at Enka Intermediate School. Students participate in cooking fresh produce and visiting Bountiful Cities’ gardens- this week the IRL Club visted Pearson Garden to harvest sweet potatoes that they will cook next week! Programs are influenced by student interest and experience. They gain an understanding of where food comes from, how to grow it themselves, and the importance of local food options for the health of a community. They also learn social-emotional skills such as respecting others, collaboration, communication and honest efforts. Not only are students learning these important life skills, they are also receiving mentorship and exposure to future careers in agriculture, culinary arts, and food systems. Keep an eye out as we continue to expand our reach to older students- we are hopeful that through an expanding partnership with the United Way we will be able to explore infusing FEAST into the school day at AMS, and we will be in the Eblen Intermediate YMCA Horizons program next semester. Sweet Potato Black Bean Coconut Soup –serves 4
It's time to start harvesting these delicious roots! There are a multitude of things to do with the sweet potato, and this combination is a great one. Black beans and coconut milk turn the humble root into a hearty quick supper that keeps well for lunch the next day. 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup diced onion 4 cloves garlic – crushed 6 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes (2 pounds) 4 cups water 1 can coconut milk 2 teaspoons chili garlic or Siracha sauce 1 ¼ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon lime juice (optional) 2 – 15 ounce cans black beans (or 3 cups cooked) 3 cups chopped greens (kale, spinach, bok choy, mustard or turnip) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pot. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat until soft – 5 -10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté one more minute. Add all of the remaining ingredients except beans and greens. Bring to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Use a stick blender or blender to puree soup. Add greens and beans and bring back to a simmer. Cook 3-5 minutes until greens are tender. Serve with cornbread, crackers, tortilla chips, or toast, and a hearty green salad for a main course dinner. Bountiful Cities Administrative Coordinator Position
ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27TH Please send cover letter (email format is fine) and resume to [email protected] Full Time: 30-40 hours per week Pay Range: $19.50-$21.00 per hour Bountiful Cities is an Asheville based long-term food security and food access nonprofit. Our urban agriculture and culinary programs build skills that last a lifetime while promoting social justice, community resilience, and food sovereignty. We envision thriving communities where everyone has access to abundant, fresh, locally grown food. We manage and steward food forests, public gardens, and all the public school gardens throughout the city. Job Title: Administrative Coordinator Reports to: Programs Development Director Position Summary The Administrative Coordinator role provides high-level administrative and organizational support to ensure the efficient operation for Bountiful Cities. This role involves coordinating schedules, managing communications including social media, preparing reports, supporting projects, and serving as a point of contact for internal and external stakeholders. The Administrative Coordinator is a proactive problem-solver who brings strong attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, while sustaining a collaborative and information-sharing mentality. Key Responsibilities
Qualifications
Preferred Experience
Work Environment & Benefits 35- 40 hours per week, primarily in office with hybrid flexibility Pay Scale: $19.50-$21.00 per hour Benefits: Holiday Pay for 11 Holidays throughout the year. Note: Bountiful Cities is hoping to expand our benefits offerings (dependent on funding) during the 2026 year. Please send cover letter (email format is fine) and resume to [email protected] Bountiful Cities adopted policies prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. We actively solicit participation from all ethnic and racial backgrounds. This job description is simply a description of the position and its normal duties. It is in no way intended to serve as any form of contract. FEAST IRL Educator Job DescriptionTo Apply send resume and cover letter to [email protected]
JOB TITLE: FEAST IRL Educator REPORTS TO: Youth Programs Director Jordan Dimond [email protected] PRIMARY LOCATION: In Real Life (IRL) - Asheville Middle School (AMS) SCHEDULE: Primarily in-person position, 5-7 hours per week with FEAST Club scheduled for 1 day per week M- Th from 3-6 pm during fall and spring sessions; schedule will be determined in collaboration with IRL staff. Hours would increase pending additional grant funding. GENERAL FUNCTION: The FEAST IRL Educator will develop and lead a FEAST farm to table club for 6-8 grade students in the IRL program of Asheville City Schools Foundation located at AMS. Pending funding, this position could shift to 10- 15 hour per week FEAST Youth Mentorship Coordinator PRINCIPLE ACTIVITIES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
COMPENSATION: Starting at $19.50/hour, 5- 7 hours per week with potential to increase hours based on funding or combining additional available positions COMMITMENT REQUIRED
Our Mission: Bountiful Cities is an Asheville based organization dedicated to teaching sustainable agriculture skills and sharing resources in urban environments to promote social justice and economic viability. We envision abundance and food sovereign communities. FEAST is a program of Bountiful Cities. FEAST stands for Fresh, Easy, Affordable, Sustainable, Tasty. The mission of the FEAST program is to empower youth and families to grow, prepare and enjoy fruits and vegetables through hands-on cooking and garden education. Meet Ali Mangkang our FEAST educator at Hall Fletcher Elementary
Ali brings a lifetime of diverse experiences to this role. A graduate of UNC-Asheville’s Literature and Creative Writing program, she began her career in Atlanta’s nonprofit sector, supporting organizations focused on global poverty, contemporary art, and bicycle advocacy. Since returning to Asheville in 2011, she has worked across nonprofit and private sectors, showcasing adaptability and a commitment to innovation. In 2020, Ali shifted her focus to gardening, working with residential clients to create vibrant, low maintenance spaces. She is currently pursuing academic credentials at Blue Ridge Community College, deepening her expertise in horticultural practices. Ali is passionate about small-scale, sustainable gardening and approaches her work with a dedication to self-expression, activity-based learning, and curiosity. Her favorite gardening activity is growing flowers and crops from seed. Ali's son was a student at Lucy Herring many years ago, so she is already familiar with FEAST from volunteering with her son's FEAST classes and in the LSH garden. We are excited to bring her onto the FEAST team! Micah Nielsen our new Pearson Garden Coordinator is a passionate gardener with roots in organic and regenerative practices, having grown up gardening with generations of family in Montana before relocating to Asheville seven years ago with her wife. Since then, her passion for gardening has extended to her woodworking business where she specializes in handmade garden tools and plant presses, and to the small, free plant stand they stock with starts and produce from our garden in the Five Points neighborhood. Previously, she served as the Program Director for Montana Women Vote and the Montana Human Rights Network (now Catalyst Montana), where she honed her skills in grassroots organizing and community engagement. Volunteering for Bountiful Cities at the Pearson Garden has continued to foster her commitment to community-centered long-term food security and she's excited to continue deepening relationships with and growing alongside the gardening community of Asheville. Gardner Singleton, our new Garden Network Coordinator has a diverse background in chemistry & applied mathematics, and as an entrepreneur in traditional Chinese medicine, Permaculture, and web media consulting for small businesses. He's always brought a 'whole systems' philosophy to his work. Now he merges these disciplines to create innovative solutions to drive social entrepreneurship and sustainable community development. As a long-time advocate for urban agriculture and resilient food systems, Gardner is excited to support Bountiful Cities’ mission to promote sustainable practices and empower local communities. Nicole Salvitti-Gucwa, our new FEAST educator was a teacher for 10 years in the NYC public schools. She received her undergraduate degree in Special Education from Penn State University. After graduating, Nicole worked as a middle school special education teacher who focused on English Language Arts in New York City. She received a Master of Education degree with a concentration in Critical Literacies from The City College of New York in Harlem where she completed her thesis focusing on the importance of leveraging students’ strengths while teaching. Nicole was also a track coach, yoga club instructor and organized a yearly camping trip for her students, being a part of a positive school community is very important to her! After leaving New York City, Nicole and her family lived in Portland, Oregon for five years where she learned through some successes and many failures how to grow and eat from her own garden. She loves living here in Asheville and getting outside with her family, especially in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains! She is very excited about bringing together her two most favorite things: public education and the magic of being outside digging in the dirt! Complied by David Warfel - [email protected] – IG @fireinthecreek Sources: Field and Forest, North Spore, Mushroom Mountain Ideal Logs for Growing Mushrooms • Cut from a healthy tree during dormancy (late Fall-winter) • Hardwoods such as Poplar, Oak, Beech, Sweetgum are usually preferred. NOT Pine • Do a Google search for “Mushroom Log Species Chart” to find the suitable match of mushroom and tree. North Spore, Field and Forest, and Mushroom Mountain are reputable sources. Storing Cut Logs • Logs should be kept indoors or in a shady place off the ground for at least two weeks after being cut. They can sit as long as 8 weeks or more if they pass the health check shown below. Inoculation • Spawn is substrate that already has mycelium growing on it, in the form of sawdust or plugs. • Mycelium is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae • Spawn needs about 4 weeks of daytime highs above 45°F for mycelium to grow. Log Health Check before Inoculation • Check 1: Moisture Content o Look for cracks at the ends of logs for signs of drying. If cracks reach the edges and are as thick as a coin you will need to soak for 24-48 hours. If they rise, let them surface dry and inoculate. If they sink, let them dry for 24 hours before inoculating. • Check 2: Sapwood Health o A healthy log will be relatively heavy with a continuous ring of light-colored, nutritious sapwood. Drilling into it, notice if the wood is darker, indicating dead or diseased wood. • Check 3: Bark Health o Small cracks emanating from the outer bark surface inward indicate uneven drying or curing and can serve as channels for contaminants. If the bark comes off easily it’s not healthy. Look for black spots that indicate disease. Log Storage after inoculation • Most problems in the fruiting cycle of mushroom cultivation are linked back to the initial spawn run phase, so it pays to give the inoculation and initial spawn run year lots of attention • Moisture is key. Pick a spot outside with shade and protection from wind. • Covering the log(s) with a tarp can also provide shade, protection, and trap moisture. • If it doesn’t rain in one week then give it a good soak. It is best to irrigate heavily and infrequently than lightly and frequently. However, do not attempt to soak logs for rehydration purposes after 4 months of spawn run have occurred. When will the mushrooms come out? • Shiitake sawdust spawn inoculated in late Fall should produce by next Fall. • Oyster sawdust spawn inoculated in late Fall should produce by late summer. • The thicker the log the longer it will take for mycelium to grow and mushrooms to come out. • After a few of months, you should start to see white mycelium growth at the ends of the log. Join us for Hugelkultur!
FREE Workshop Sunday November 17th 1-2:30pm Bountiful Cities Pearson GardenJoin instructor Kelly Sunshine for a class on creating Hugelkultur beds. There are sticks, leaves, logs and mulch left behind in the devastation created by Hurricane Helene and although the clean up is on-going we can use this waste as a resource to create regenerative garden beds. Photo source and more info. HERE Register in advance for FREE This workshop is presented in collaboration with the City of Asheville Why is Hyper-Local Food is Important NOW... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQaM5rU171Y What is Hyper-Local food? How is it different from Local food? What does it have to do with community resilience? Watch this short video to find out how you can get involved in Bountiful Cities resilience efforts and long term food security for our community. Donate to Support Bountiful Cities Resilience and Recovery Efforts Food Connection Squash and Apples! Thanks to our friends at Food Connection who passed on a large donation of fresh food to us last week! We have been able to supply local distribution centers where we consistently find that these apples and squash are the ONLY FRESH FOOD available. If you didn't already know... Bountiful Cities works to make fresh food more accessible to all people through urban agriculture. Thanks to all the volunteers who are supporting us in this distribution effort!! If you want to learn more about upcoming opportunities to volunteer sign up below! Curried Pumpkin Apple Soup If you are looking for something to do with your leftover Halloween decorations try this simple soup! Curried Pumpkin Apple Soup 1 quart water 1 1/2c. pumpkin puree 1/2 small onion – diced 2 cloves garlic –crushed 1 T. oil 1 apple – peeled and diced 1 T. fresh ginger –finely grated 2 t. curry powder 2 t. salt 1 t. paprika 1/8 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. apple juice 1 T sugar 1 can coconut milk -combine water and pumpkin and bring to a boil -add apples and cook until tender -saute onions and garlic in oil on low heat until tender -add onion and remaining ingredients to soup - if soup seems very thin add 1 more cup pumpkin puree -taste and adjust seasoning if needed Download and Print Recipe Volunteer with Bountiful Cities As we move forward with recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene there are many opportunities for folks to contribute to our long-term resilience and food security projects. Get on our list to receive regular updates about volunteer workdays and other ways to be involved by signing up HERE. Mushroom Log Inoculation - FREE Workshop
Wednesday October 23rd 3-4:30pm Bountiful Cities Pearson Garden This is an unprecedented time of loss for our community, we have lost so much including trees that were near and dear. Many of those trees can be valuable in other ways now that they are no longer standing. In this workshop learn how to use logs to make food, with a particular emphasis on using reclaimed wood downed during Hurricane Helene. Register in advance for FREE This workshop is presented in collaboration with the City of Asheville Our Staff - Resources and Resilience Farmer Kelly lives out in the Grovemont Neighborhood in Swannanoa and plugged into community efforts there once she was able to leave her home. Many families lost everything in this area and there are still people who are missing. After trees were cleared she went to the East End Valley Street Community to donate food, water, and goods. She has been volunteering with multiple mutual aid efforts in Swannanoa and gathering donations to fill supply gaps as they arise. Supply needs are constantly changing but one way to contribute that will not change is the need for monetary donations to those who lost homes, businesses, farms, jobs, and more. To learn more about these needs follow this link: Hurricane Helene Relief . Lastly Farmer Kelly is helping to coordinate with the Warren Wilson College Farm to help farmers receive hay and feed donations for their livestock! If you have round hay bales or farm animal feed that you would like to donate contact Kelly at [email protected] Hot Springs Elementary FEAST Instructor Natalie Hesed was on the ground supporting community during Hurricane Helene and this is her story... Hot Springs is a town that straddles both the French Broad River and Spring Creek. In hurricane Helene, both of these rose up to unthinkably high levels a and flooded many businesses and homes.... read more here. Donate to Support Bountiful Cities Resilience and Recovery Efforts - we need your help! We are proud to have the support of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina in the form of Emergency Disaster Relief. They will be providing partial funding of our work on resilience building education, immediate disaster relief, and fresh food distribution. Community Resources Govenor Cooper Increases UnempolymentGovernor Roy Cooper issued an emergency Executive Order authorizing the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, to increase the amount of weekly unemployment payments available to North Carolinians in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Read the details here: https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/16/governor-cooper-issues-executive-order-increasing-unemployment-payments-north-carolinians-wake#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThis%20Executive%20Order%20will D-Snap Benefit Application Open The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received approval to implement the first phase of the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). People are encouraged to apply by phone at the D-SNAP Virtual Call Center at 1-844-453-1117 or complete a pre-registration online using the ePASS Pre-Registration Tool, which will open on Oct. 15 for pre-registration and close on Oct. 22. Applicants will then receive a call to complete the registration with an interview over the phone. People can also apply at a D-SNAP location in their county. For a full list of places to apply and for more details, visit ncdhhs.gov/dsnap. Agricultural RecoveryHere is a link to information shared by our Urban Agricultural Extension Agent Michael Rayburn, compiled by FEMA specifically for growers: https://www.bountifulcities.org/latest-news/fema-information And here is information with soil management recommendations: https://www.bountifulcities.org/latest-news/hurricane-helen-urban-agriculture-info Supply Request Form From Nnweyna Smith: I have been working with Sekou Coleman of RSAA to coordinate getting supplies to the Legacy Neighborhood Coalitions through the newly established warehouse at Collaborativa La Milpa. Now tell us what you need. Please help us coordinate supplies and connect to everyone in our community, complete this document for your organization, group, church. etc.: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUgXIMK0up-SqadKc_nByN11kf8ggK3lErEZmK_kdUbH8djQ/viewform If you are having any issues with completing or accessing this document - call or text me at 828.785.2595 - I can assist you with this process. Also let me know if you want me to send you this link to your cell phone number for easier access. In service and gratitude, Nnweyna Nnweyna Smith She/Her Community Equity and Inclusion Analyst Equity and Human Rights Office ASAP Offers Farmers Disaster Assistance Here is a link to resources and grants compiled by ASAP to assist growers and farmers in their recovery efforts: https://asapconnections.org/farmer-resources/emergency-relief/ Elected Officials Update Here is a link to KEY updates and resources compiled by Asheville City and Buncombe County: https://files.constantcontact.com/d1576b0e901/a7c93ce1-2c80-434a-845b-ddae9aaa082a.pdf You can sign up to get these updates daily here Know a friend who needs to get this newsletter? Send them a link to sign up for Bountiful Cities Newsletter Donate to Bountiful Cities Donate using Paypal Donate using Venmo Hot Springs Elementary FEAST Instructor Natalie Hesed was on the ground supporting community during Hurricane Helene and this is her story... Hot Springs is a town that straddles both the French Broad River and Spring Creek. In hurricane Helene, both of these rose up to unthinkably high levels a and flooded many businesses and homes.
One of my passions in typical times is paddle boarding. I am very familiar with many miles of the French Broad. I watch River levels almost daily, both historic and predicted. I saw the levels that were predicted. I knew that we expected unimaginably high levels. What I learned is that I lacked the experience to be able to extrapolate that number into a picture that would truly show the devastation that would occur. Paired with the damming up of the Spring Creek bridge in town, which unexpectedly sent the entire flow of a flooded Spring Creek raging through downtown businesses and homes, we were all stunned. The most incredible part, however, was not the flooding but the response. Within three days our town had assembled an entire disaster response team completely composed of volunteering Hot Springs residents plus town officials and the fire and police departments. We had people going door to door, even in rural areas, to assess if homes were accessible and check in with residents. Owners of large equipment cleared roads and established temporary footbridges. Throughout the night, residents took shifts to guard our downtown area from looters so that police and fire workers could sleep. A temporary kitchen was set up that cooked 3 hot meals for hundreds each day, with delivery to elderly and those in need of their homes could be reached. A few of us huddled around the two starlinks in town in order to communicate with the ‘outside world.’ Many many of my friends, new friends, and fellow residents worked tirelessly to cover all angles of disaster response and I am incredibly proud of us all! The best way I could see for myself to contribute to the response was as a logistics assistant. I helped to facilitate communications between teams and create needed documents and forms. My favorite moments, though, were seeing our community children at the meal sites in town and playing with them for short moments. They would run around on their school front lawn, joking and playing. It almost seemed’ normal’, but just 100 feet away their ball field had turned into the emergency helicopter landing pad, their library into a disaster response command center, and their gym into “ Hot Springs’ largest free grocery store.” Children are beautifully resilient. This past week I went back to work at Woodson Branch, a K-8 school that was not severely affected by the flooding. They have opened up their registration to all area K-8 students and are currently operating as a safe and fun “camp” where kids can enjoy the forest, gardens, and time with peers. It’s brought a smile to my face to be back with kids making garden art, gathering bouquets to distribute in our affected towns, and crafting, reading, and laughing together! I look forward to returning to work with HSES students in the near future as well as the public schools reopen. The Gather and Garden team has been checking in on the school garden for me, as I haven’t had time to set foot in it just yet! It really is a community garden. They’ve sent community members there to harvest a few fresh items to supplement many canned and boxed products we are receiving. This flood has torn apart our homes and buildings and dismantled our roads and bridges. The flood has fractured the landscape of our towns and neighborhoods BUT ALSO The flood has assembled our innate human ability to work as a team and care for each other. The flood has united the landscape of our communities. Collectively we’ve formed new, strong, connections to those we may have otherwise never met. We are resilient and strong. It’s been a beautiful thing to watch and be a part of. |
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