Fresh & Flavorful: Meal Prep Inspo

Meal Prep Inspiration

by Samantha Snyder

If you are looking to incorporate more fresh, nutritious local food into your diet, meal prep is the way to go. Keep it as simple as you want and find what you love - your body and your taste buds will thank you!

BEEF TIPS

Klymer Ridge Farm offers beef stew/tips, which would make a delicious slow cooker beef stew. If it’s just you (or you and your partner) at home, a recipe like this can double as dinner and meal prep. Section out the leftover stew for future meals - you can even freeze it. Looking to take your own lunches to work? Buy a soup thermos that will keep your stew steaming hot from the time you pack it in the morning until you’re ready to eat. Nothing’s more comforting than a hot, homemade meal at work!

TURKEY

Turkey is a lean and nutritious meat to incorporate into your diet. Even if you’re not a big turkey fan, see how you like it locally raised. Customers can taste the difference. Try Sunflower Hill Farm’s bone-in double turkey breast roasted with garlic and herbs. Serve as an entrée for supper, or shred the meat and refrigerate or freeze for future sandwiches or wraps. A turkey sandwich on Rabble and Rise whole grain sourdough would be divine!

GROUND BEEF

Versatile and easy to prepare, ground beef is another excellent protein for meal prep - and Rocky Forge’s ground wagyu is to die for! It would be delicious in freezer burritos - flavor-packed and pre-wrapped, ready for your next craving. Or, try Korean beef meal prep bowls for a completely different, equally tasty flavor profile.

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REMINDER: BLUE TOTES

Your orders are delivered in insulated blue totes - please bring these back (to any of the five pickup points, during any of their business hours). We re-use these bags in an effort to practice sustainability while keeping your food fresh!

The Piedmont Fresh shopping window is OPEN until Monday at 11:59 pm. Don’t forget to finalize your order when you finish filling your cart, and sign up for SMS alerts (on our home page) for reminders on when the cart opens and closes. 

Happy shopping!

Volunteering Opportunities in the Local Food System

Grow & Give Back

By: Samantha Synder

VOLUNTEERING OPPERTUNITIES

Looking to get involved in your community? Volunteering at farmers markets and the annual Farm Tour is an excellent way to meet like-minded people, get to know the area's farmers and makers, and help strengthen the local food system.

FARMERS MARKETS
During the May - October season, Lexington Farmers Market and Thomasville Farmers Market both regularly need volunteers - primarily for door counts and special event support. Contact info is available on their websites. It's the perfect way to spend a Saturday morning surrounded by local food enthusiasts!
 

DONATIONS
The funding we receive allows us to put nutritious food on the plates of those who need it most - from seniors to children, in every area of the community. In order to ensure that we can continue our work despite policy changes and federal funding uncertainty, we are asking for donations to provide us with stability. Options include a general donation to the network and a Double Bucks Donation - the latter of which will allow the Lexington Farmers Market, Thomasville Farmers Market, and Piedmont Fresh to double the value (up to $20) of SNAP EBT dollars.

With your help, we will continue striving to ensure affordable access to local food, encourage sustainable agriculture practices, support farmers, educate the community about local foods, engage with diverse stakeholders, and ultimately improve community health by fostering a thriving local food economy. We thank you for your support!

DAVIDSON COUNTY WINTER MARKET
The next Davidson County Winter Farmers Market takes place this Saturday, March 1st, from 12 to 3 pm at the Depot. Shop for locally raised meat, produce, breads and sweets, coffee, tea, hand-crafted artisan goods, dairy, eggs, and more! SNAP EBT accepted.

Scholarships and Internships

Juneberry Education Foundation Programs

Non-profit public charity Juneberry Education Foundation is offering a wealth of workshops and agricultural programs this year. Make sure to read through and consider what they have to offer, from their farming series "Listening to the Land," to high school and college internship opportunities, to their Piedmont Ag Scholar program. There is something for everyone!

March Events

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Eastern NC Farm Succession School

Thursday, March 6, 2025
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
N.C. Cooperative Extension - Lenoir County Center
1791 North Carolina 11
Kinston, NC, 28504

Transitions are vulnerable times for farms and failing to plan for farm transitions can leave farms at risk of forced sales due to family conflict or nursing home recovery costs. Join us for the NC Farm Succession School to learn more about common challenges that farmers and landowners face when transitioning the farm to the next generation — and strategies to overcome these. The workshop will provide information and resources that farmers and landowners can use to help navigate farm transitions.

Register here!

Vegetable Production and Pest Management - Small Farm Boot Camp

March 13, 2025
5:30 - 8:00 pm
301 East Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292
Admission: $15

Are you interested in growing vegetables for local markets? Or perhaps you already grow veggies, but could use some expert information and ideas for pest management? The fourth installment of Small Farm Bootcamp will cover vegetable production for small farmers, and then move into a discussion of managing pests on your farm.

Get tickets here!

Cultivating A Legacy with Jolene Brown

Thursday, March 20, 2025 8:30 AM  
Friday, March 21, 2025 12:00 PM
Rowan Community Center
1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard West
Salisbury, NC, 28147

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Rowan County

This conference offers valuable insights and guidance for families looking to navigate the complexities of business ownership, farm transitions, and long-term financial planning.

Get tickets

Western NC Farm Succession School

March 27, 2025
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
WNC Regional Livestock Center
474 Stock Drive
Canton, NC, 28716

NC State Extension

Transitions are vulnerable times for farms and failing to plan for farm transitions can leave farms at risk of forced sales due to family conflict or nursing home recovery costs. Join us for the NC Farm Succession School to learn more about common challenges that farmers and landowners face when transitioning the farm to the next generation — and strategies to overcome these. The workshop will provide information and resources that farmers and landowners can use to help navigate farm transitions.

Register here!

Season Extension - Small Farm Boot Camp

March 27, 2025
5:30 - 8:00 pm
301 East Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292
Admission: $15
 

Have you ever driven by a farm and seen a hoop house and wondered how they are used? Protected agriculture is the key to growing high quality produce year round - lettuce in the winter, greens in the spring, healthy tomatoes all summer, and root crops in the fall. Learn about the different ways to extend the growing season with high tunnels, greenhouses, and row covers.

Get tickets here!