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forest-to-table

Western North Carolina has a rich agricultural history. Not only have residents grown and harvested their food as part of our long standing farm-to-table movement, but they’ve also supplemented their meals with rich offerings from Mother Nature. From foraging for ginseng and ramps to picking berries and mushrooms, the bounty of the wild makes life more flavorful in Foodtopia. For years, locals have foraged for ginseng for medicinal treatments or dug for ramps, wild leeks, in the spring to season home-cooked meals. Berry picking and mushroom gathering round out the bounty of the wild in Foodtopia, making every meal a celebration of nature.

Plan your own forest-to-table adventure with these tips:

• Go foraging for food and enjoy the flavors of "find dining." Join local wild food expert, Alan Muskat, as he takes you off the "eaten path" with his No Taste Like Home series.
• Enjoy all the benefits of locally-grown food without any of the work! Visit our local farmers markets for fresh mushrooms, berries, ramps, and more.
• Celebrate the pungent flavor of wild leeks and mountain trout at the Ramp It Up! festival in Cherokee.
• Go blueberry picking on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Graveyard Fields, located at milepost 418, and Black Balsam, located at milepost 420, are prime locations.