GREENLIFE ASHEVILLE VISITS HICKORY NUT GAP FARM AND SUNBURST TROUT FARM

ASHEVILLE, NC - Here at Greenlife we are truly dedicated to offering our customers as many high quality local products as possible. Along with this dedication is the passion for sustainable practices in the methods of food production and we are lucky to be surrounded by a community of farmers who share this passion. We recently had the pleasure of visiting two of the staple local farms in WNC - Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, NC and Sunburst Trout Farm in Canton, NC.

Hickory Nut Gap Farm:

Located in Fairview, NC - just 15 minutes from Asheville - Hickory Nut Gap Farm is a 600 acre, family operated, farm producing grassfed beef, grassfed lamb, pastured pork, pastured chickens, free-range eggs, apples, and raising horses. Hickory Nut Gap Farm LLC, the farming operation, is owned by John and Annie Ager, and Jamie and Amy Ager. We offer the full selection of Hickory Nut Gap beef and pork products in the Butcher Shop. We also serve Hickory Nut Gap Pork in our deli, and as of this week our sliced Roast Beef is exclusively produced by Hickory Nut Gap. You will find Hickory Nut Gap eggs in our Dairy section whenever they are available. We commend the Agers and the staff at Hickory Nut Gap for their dedication to sustainable practices and their role as stewards of our precious land.

Jamie gave us a great tour of the farm last week! We got up close and personal with the pastured hogs, sheep, chickens and cattle, all the while being treated to Jamie's seemingly never-ending knowledge and understanding of biodiversity, herbivores, and their relationship to each other. It was a truly educational and inspiring experience-Thanks Jamie!



Sunburst Trout Farm:

Sunburst Trout farm is located at the foot of the Shining Rock Wilderness and the Pisgah National Forest in an area famously known as Cold Mountain. This family owned and operated farm has been in operation since 1948 when Dick Jennings decided to drop out of Yale University and move to his grandfathers land in WNC. The farm is now operated by Sally and Steve Eason (Sally is Dick's daughter) with the help of their sons, Wes and Ben and their wives Lila and Anna.

Lila gave us a royal tour of the entire facility last week. We arrived in time to see the processing of the whole trout into the boneless fillets you see in our fish case, the smoke house where the delicious jerky, smoked trout, cold smoked salmon-trout, smoked trout dip, and smoked tomato jam are made, and the raceways where the trout are grown. The folks at Sunburst are dedicated to being environmentally responsible and we feel lucky to have such a great resource right in our back yard!

AMERICAN CHEESE SOCIETY HONORS GREENLIFE GROCERY CHATTANOOGA’S CHEESE MONGOR WITH THE 2009 JOHN CROMPTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

CHATTANOOGA, TN - Chattanooga Greenlife Grocery’s cheese mongor, Joe Rudat, was recently honored by the American Cheese Association with the 2009 John Crompton Memorial Scholarship. As a selected recipient, Joe was able to attend the 2009 American Cheese Society Conference that was held August 5 – 8 in Austin, Texas. He also won a complimentary one-year membership to the American Cheese Association.

Eligible applicants were chosen from current members of the specialty food retail trade exhibiting enthusiasm and dedication to the cheese industry and a desire to further their education in the field. The purpose of these scholarships was to assist attendees who might otherwise not be able to travel to the American Cheese Society Annual Conference.
Joe wrote a two page essay about how he would benefit from the conference, what kind of experience he had in the cheese industry, what drew him to the cheese business, what he enjoyed most about his job and why his passionate relationship with cheese made him worthy of this scholarship. His essay was chosen from a pool of 14 applicants this year on the following criteria: quality of application, seriousness of continuing with cheese as a profession, clearly stated goals to be achieved by attending the conference.

These scholarship opportunities were created in honor of John Crompton who passed away in August 2006. All who knew John Crompton were aware of his passion, dedication and commitment to the cheese industry. John was a 25 year employee of Seacrest Foods and a specialty food industry veteran. He loved the business, the people, and the products; he had made them his life. John's boisterous personality and his instinct for the business left a deep impression on all those who knew him.

GREENLIFE CHATTANOOGA SUPPORTS TIME FOR LUNCH

CHATTANOOGA, TN - Greenlife Grocery and the Chattanooga chapter of Slow Food partnered on September 7th for the National Day of Action to tell Congress to provide America’s children with real food at school. More than 250 Eat-Ins in communities across the country were organized to draw attention to the need for real, healthy food for the more than 30 million children who participate in the National School Lunch Program.

The program is part of the Child Nutrition Act that Congress, which is the bill that governs the National School Lunch Program. It’s up for reauthorization in Congress this fall. By passing a Child Nutrition Act that works for children, our nation can take the first step towards a future where no child is denied his or her right to be healthy and where every child enjoys real food.

Dynamite Raosting Co. & WNCW

Asheville, NC - Spend any amount of time in Asheville and you will find that music is a huge part of the local culture. Planted right in the middle of this culture is WNCW, a public access radio station located on the campus of Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC. Legislation is in place that, if passed by the NC general assembly, will cut the budget dramatically for state college run community radio stations, of which WNCW is one. Since 1989 WNCW has served the region with an eclectic blend of music spreading over nearly all genres. Read WNCW's blog here for more info.

During the month of September we will be serving you Dynamite Roasting Co.'s "WNCW Mountain Morning Blend" on our coffee bar. Specially designed by the staff of WNCW, this 100% Certified Organic coffee blend from Dynamite Roasting Co. in Black Mountain., NC is the perfect way to kick off your Mountain Morning. Smooth and full-bodied, WNCW Blend is highlighted by notes of chocolate and fruit. It is well-balanced, complex and will keep you coming back for more, just like your favorite radio station.

Here's what Dynamite has to say about it:

At Dynamite Roasting Co. we feel very fortunate to be a part of the thriving creative culture of western North Carolina. The arts and music community continues to show us great love and support as we build our business and expand throughout the region .
We strive to produce the best artisan roasted, organic coffee you've ever tasted, and we strive to support the beautiful community that so graciously supports us.

One of the most visible entities and a cornerstone of the local creative world is our gem of a radio station WNCW 88.7 FM, a public radio station based in Spindale, NC. The mix of music and personality they provide is down-home, honest-to-goodness radio. It embodies entertainment and information delivered the way it should be.
We as western North Carolinians (and folks in surrounding states) are so incredibly fortunate to have this resource within ear-shot. It is up to us to provide the necessary support to keep the station up and running.

Driven by our desire to support the awesome "lil' station that could", we at Dynamite Roasting Co. are offering a custom blended coffee chosen by your favorite WNCW disc jockeys!
After a series of tastings, the WNCW staff came away with their own private label of Dynamite Roasting Co. Coffee! It is a scrumptious blend of high-grade, USDA organic, Fair Trade certified, Ethiopian, Mexican and Colombian coffees. It is complex, well-rounded, tasty and satisfying...just like WNCW!

We call it: WNCW 88.7 FM Mountain Morning Blend. (Although it's delicious any time of day!)
The "super-flavored, fund raiser" is available in our Dynamite cafe and at various restaurants and stores around the region. You can purchase it in locations such as Appalachian Vintner and Greenlife grocery. In fact, in addition to being available in bulk and one pound bags it is also on tap at the Greenlife cafe!

Ten percent of every sale goes directly to WNCW! Please help support the best public radio station in the world...the station that supports our community! Take home some Mountain Morning Blend by the pound or by the cup TODAY...and remember to spread the word!

Josh and Andy
Dynamite Roasting Co.

Through the simple act of drinking coffee you can help support your local public radio station as well as a great local coffee roaster while attaining the kick you need to start your day!

GREENLIFE GROCERY IN CHATTANOOGA IS BRINGING HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES TO SAINT PETER’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

CHATTANOOGA, TN - Greenlife Grocery has recently partnered with Saint Peter’s Episcopal School to cater their 2009 lunch program. Students at the school are on the cutting edge of what could be a whole new trend in school lunch: wholesome meals that include high-quality organic, natural and locally raised ingredients carried by Greenlife Grocery.

This program will provide a daily hot meal and two alternate choices to students and faculty. Charlie Loomis who is the Executive Chef at Greenlife Grocery and Ann Keener from Sequatchie Cove Farm are eager to share their expertise in using fresh, locally grown items to prepare healthy lunch options for St. Peter’s School students, ranging from preschool three-year olds through fifth grade.

Their inaugural monthly menu for September included healthy, child-friendly items such as penne pasta and turkey meatballs, Grilled chicken sandwiches, taco salad with guacamole, “mac and trees,” veggies and dip, sweet potato chips and many other items. Additionally, each day’s menu includes fresh fruit, with fruit (and vegetable) selections subject to season and availability. This allows students exposure to the harvest calendar and which produce is seasonally available. Each day, three alternatives (to the hot lunch) are available to students, including: a ham and cheese sandwich, turkey and cheese roll-up and veggie/hummus wrap. Organic Valley milk will also be an option for students.

The new lunch program is a part of St. Peter’s “Go Healthy, Go Green” commitment to begin new healthful, sustainable changes on campus that encompasses all aspects of the school. A committee has been formed to steer the school’s efforts in recycling and healthy lifestyles. The “Go Healthy, Go Green” committee is headed by third grade teacher Randi Schlosser and Director of Development Jaime Melton.

“We are so excited that Greenlife and St. Peter’s are working together to encourage our students to choose healthy foods that will fuel their minds and bodies” said Mrs. Schlosser. “We want our students to be able to think deeply about concepts and explore different avenues of learning. It is wonderful to know that they will be able to nourish their bodies with food that is truly healthy and free of harsh chemicals and hormones.”

She also added, “Children today need to be aware of how their everyday choices affect the world around them. Welcoming Greenlife will be the first step to helping the students at St. Peter’s become more aware of how they can make a positive difference. We couldn’t be happier that Greenlife is being so generous with taking the time to work so closely with our school! This really is an exciting change for St. Peter’s Episcopal School.”

The program will also encompass new earth friendly trays, reusable drink ware and water dispensers that will assist St. Peter’s efforts in creating as little waste as possible. Charlie Loomis, Executive Chef at Greenlife Grocery, will also help in creating a school garden. He also hopes to eventually compost food scraps from the meals served at St. Peter’s.

GREENLIFE VISITS SEQUATCHIE COVE FARM

CHATTANOOGA, TN - We pride ourselves on knowing where our produce and meats come from, and being able to share that with our customers is important to us. Recently, staff members of Greenlife Grocery visited Sequatchie Cove Farm. They are a sustainable farm of 300 acres nestled in the shadows of the Cumberland Plateau, located 35 minutes west of downtown Chattanooga. The farm is bordered by the Little Sequatchie River and is surrounded by thousands of acres of pristine Tennessee wilderness. The farm is run by Bill and Miriam Keener, their two children Ann and Kelsey, Miriam’s parents Jim and Emily Wright, Nathan and Padgett Arnold and an assortment seasonal helpers from our community and beyond.

WHAT DO THEY PRODUCE?

Sequatchie Cove Farm/Westmoreland Beef

In partnership with Westmoreland Farm, we raise beef on the pastures of east Tennessee. Our beef cows are able to roam freely, eating healthy grass and enjoying fresh air and sunshine.

Heritage Breed Milking Devons

We raise this rare breed of dairy cow on pasture throughout the entire year. The Devons are 100% grass fed, and produce high quality milk for cheesemaking. Look for Sequatchie Cove Farm cheese to be available in fall of 2009.

Dancing Fern Nursery Native Plants

Dancing Fern Nursery propagates all plants from seed or cuttings. No plants are ever dug from the wild. We specialize in Tennessee natives, including many species of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous perennials.

Forested Heritage Breed Pork

Our heritage breed pork is raised inthe woods surrounding our pastures. Free to roam and root around, our pigs live happily and naturally.

Pasture Raised Eggs

Our hens live and roam freely in our pastures, able to get plenty of grass and insects in their diet, which produces eggs with wonderfully bright orange yolks and amazing flavor.