News & Press Releases Archives

Hickory Nut Gap Farmer Meeting Accelerates Drive Toward Regenerative Agriculture

HICKORY NUT GAP ANNUAL FARMER MEETING ACCELERATES DRIVE TOWARD REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE

The 100-Year-Old Farm Gathered with Farmers and Industry Speakers to Pave the Way for a Future of Regenerative Farming.

Asheville, NC, August 23, 2021 – On a sunny Friday in late July, Hickory Nut Gap gathered cattle and hog farmers from its growing network of producers along with industry experts and customers to plan for the upcoming year. The day-long discussion included conversations about grazing management for grass-fed beef and pasture raised pork, sustainable farming practices, customer feedback sessions, and advancements in regenerative agriculture.

Critical to the continued expansion of Hickory Nut Gap Meats’ regenerative farming practices was CEO Jamie Ager’s powerful presentation about what he calls “The Possible Burger.” Ager believes that healthy and distinctly flavorful beef and pork can co-exist in a world where animals are treated humanely and rural farming communities grow stronger. Where the soil improves with each season, and where the environment actually becomes more resilient by raising livestock on healthy pasture.

Ager pointed a finger at the new lab and factory-grown meat companies trying to convince us that this is impossible. And that raising high-quality, real meat on real pasture is beyond the carrying capacity of our planet.

“Companies like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat have positioned themselves as tech brands solving the environmental problems with meat production,” Ager stated. “But they offer only a skin-deep comparison to confinement livestock production. The binary conversation between confinement factory-farmed livestock and lab-grown meat is leaving out the solution with the greatest opportunity for planetary health: Livestock raised on regenerative farms using pasture-based systems.”

He reinforced the fact that lab-grown meats are unnaturally produced using methods that may rely on artificial ingredients and industrial farming practices.

Hickory Nut Gap has been working with the Savory Institute for over a year to establish Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) protocols that actually test and verify regenerative pastures. The Hickory Nut Gap network of farmers are part of a growing movement in livestock agriculture employing farming practices that regenerate soil, improve watershed quality, increase biodiversity, sequester carbon, provide healthy & humane living conditions for the animals, and strengthen rural farming communities.

To read Jamie Ager’s full article about The Possible Burger, please click here.

The farmers, customers, and other industry attendees applauded the Hickory Nut Gap Meats’ continued expansion of regenerative practices. And Hickory Nut Gap Meats recognized its top farmers across the Appalachian region and Carolinas with well-deserved Annual Farmer Awards.

Asher Wright, Hickory Nut Gap Farm Director, said “The 2021 Annual Farmers Meeting was a great experience for all who came, and I am tremendously grateful to our partner farmers who made the effort to leave their busy operations and join us for the event. It was a great day for our customers, farmers, and processors to discuss the important work that’s being done to advance regenerative agriculture throughout every sector of the business. As a company, we deeply value the opportunity to come together with everyone involved to learn, network, and be in community with each other. We all thrive from the ground up.”

It was a special day to gather with this community, share meals, discuss ideas, enjoy live music, and celebrate everyone’s hard work in the regenerative agriculture movement.

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap harvests and markets crave-ably delicious grassfed and pasture raised meats that are unsurpassed in quality and nutrition. We are partners with the land – committed to renewing our soil and pastures, improving the health and happiness of our animals, strengthening rural farming communities and helping create a cleaner environment.

Hickory Nut Gap. Flavor Raised™

For more information visit our website or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

August 24, 2021

Gordon Ramsay Falls in Love with Hickory Nut Gap Pastured Pork on New Season of Uncharted

News & Press Releases, Pastured Pork

Gordon Ramsay Learns About Hickory Nut Gap’s Regenerative Agriculture Mission and Tastes the Flavor Raised™ Difference

Asheville, NC, June 22, 2021 – Gordon Ramsay, British chef, restauranteur, television personality, and writer, visited Hickory Nut Gap Farm last fall to film an episode of his hit TV show, “Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted,” set to air on July 4, 2021, on National Geographic Television. On the grounds of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Chef Ramsay met up with Matt Helms from Asheville’s very own Chop Shop Butchery (one of Hickory Nut Gap’s retail partners) as he showed Chef Ramsay how to make livermush — a true Appalachian staple featuring Hickory Nut Gap pasture raised pork.

Chef Ramsay also paid a visit to the Hickory Nut Gap Heritage Breed hogs and learned about the remarkable difference in taste that comes from Hickory Nut Gap’s pasture raised pigs.

“Working with the Nat Geo team and Gordon Ramsay was a pleasure. A big shout out to our friends at the Chop Shop for helping to set this up. I’ve been a Gordon Ramsay fan for a long time, and it was super special to share the farm with him and show off the good work that our production team does day-to-day. It was actually my birthday the day we filmed and I can’t think of a better, more memorable present than to be a part of the show,” stated Asher Wright, Director of Agriculture Operations at Hickory Nut Gap, who accompanied Chef Ramsay on the farm tour.

It was an exciting opportunity for the Western North Carolina region to shine as Chef Ramsay accompanied other local chefs who took him on a culinary adventure through the Great Smoky Mountains. He learned about Appalachian and Great Smokey Mountain foods – including wild foraging, catching crawfish, Cherokee Native American culture and food heritage, and much more – before facing off against Asheville-based chef, William Dissen. Be sure to check out the Smokey Mountains Episode on July 4, 2021.

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap harvests and markets crave-ably delicious grassfed and pasture raised meats that are unsurpassed in quality and nutrition. We are partners with the land – committed to renewing our soil and pastures, improving the health and happiness of our animals, strengthening rural farming communities and helping create a cleaner environment.

Hickory Nut Gap. Flavor Raised™

For more information visit our website or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About National Geographic:

National Geographic Partners LLC (NGP), a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, is committed to bringing the world premium science, adventure and exploration content across an unrivaled portfolio of media assets. NGP combines the global National Geographic television channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Nat Geo PEOPLE) with National Geographic’s media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, licensing and e-commerce businesses. Furthering knowledge and understanding of our world has been the core purpose of National Geographic for 133 years, and now we are committed to going deeper, pushing boundaries, going further for our consumers … and reaching millions of people around the world in 172 countries and 43 languages every month as we do it. NGP returns 27 percent of our proceeds to the nonprofit National

Geographic Society to fund work in the areas of science, exploration, conservation and education. For more information visit natgeotv.com or nationalgeographic.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Featured photo by Justin Mandel from National Geographic.

July 22, 2021

Hickory Nut Gap Meats and Wicked Weed Brewing Announce Collaboration for Three New Retail Packaged Dinner Sausages

News & Press Releases, Pastured Pork

Two of Asheville’s Favorite Craft Brands Partner to Create a Delicious New Product and Give Back to the Community

Asheville, NC, May 27^th, 2021 – Hickory Nut Gap is excited to announce a unique collaboration with Wicked Weed Brewing to create three new mouthwatering dinner sausage flavors, all crafted using Hickory Nut Gap pasture raised pork and Wicked Weed Beer. This collaboration between two of Asheville’s top food and beverage brands has been in the works for over a year, and they’re excited to unveil these special sausage flavors just in time for grilling and beer drinking season in Appalachia.

To ensure the unique flavor profile for each new sausage was just right, Hickory Nut Gap and Wicked Weed Brewing also teamed up with a third local partner, Spicewalla, to create the perfect spice blend for each of these three distinctive flavors:

Jerk Style Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Fresh Pressed Wheat Ale, jerk seasoning, and habanero;
Bratwurst Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Pernicious India Pale Ale and cascade hops;
Appalachian Style Dinner Sausage made with Wicked Weed Appalachia Session IPA, sassafras, and sumac.

Jamie Ager, Fourth Generation Farmer at Hickory Nut Gap, states, “Hickory Nut Gap has been a part of the WNC and Appalachian communities for over 100 years. It makes me super excited to develop partnerships with like-minded brands who, like Hickory Nut Gap, also have a commitment to craft. Wicked Weed and Spicewalla are not only great companies with great products, but they are also friends in our community. Relationships are a core value at Hickory Nut Gap and this partnership is a testament to the amazing food scene here in Western North Carolina.”

Every detail of the collaboration is important, including the land these products are created on. The Appalachian Style sausage pays homage to the land now protected through conservation efforts of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. A portion of proceeds will be donated to support their efforts protecting the scenic views, mountains, rivers, and working farms that local businesses depend upon.

“This project is the culmination of years of collaboration coming together,” said Ryan Guthy, founder of Wicked Weed Brewing. “Working with both the Hickory Nut Gap and Spicewalla teams sparked a lot of imagination and innovation that allowed us to showcase part of what makes Western North Carolina so special – food, beer, and community. The opportunity to bring together local companies is something we’re honored to be a part of and can’t wait to introduce these sausages to the community we love, and just in time for summer!”

You can find these sausages for sale exclusively at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Store and on their website with a special option to have all three sausage flavors shipped directly to your door, Wicked Weed locations, Earth Fare at Westgate, Hendersonville Co-op, Johnson Family Farm Store, and more to come. Be on lookout for exclusive chef samplings and special menu pairings at Wicked Weed locations over the coming weeks.

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap harvests and markets crave-ably delicious grassfed and pasture raised meats that are unsurpassed in quality and nutrition. We are partners with the land – committed to renewing our soil and pastures, improving the health and happiness of our animals, strengthening rural farming communities and helping create a cleaner environment.

Hickory Nut Gap. Flavor Raised™

For more information visit our website or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Wicked Weed:

Wicked Weed Brewing is an award-winning brewery based in Asheville, North Carolina. Founded in December 2012, Wicked Weed currently operates a 50-barrel production brewery, a sour beer production facility and four retail locations; the original Brewpub in the heart of downtown Asheville, the southeast’s first mixed-culture dedicated taproom, the Funkatorium, and the Wicked Weed West taproom. Most recently, in 2019 Wicked Weed opened Cultura, a fine dining restaurant that was nominated in 2020 by the James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant. In 2021, Wicked Weed launched their newest endeavor, Vidl Winery, specializing in the production of natural wines. Learn more at:WickedWeedBrewing.com.

May 27, 2021

Every Day is Earth Day at Hickory Nut Gap

News & Press Releases, Environment, Education

The 100-Year-Old Farm and Meats Company is Committed to Partnerships that Help the World Thrive from the Ground Up

Asheville, NC, April 20th, 2021 – Each April, as springtime erupts across Hickory Nut Gap’s Appalachian and Carolina pastures, we are reminded that this 100-year-old farm treats every day as Earth Day. This year, Hickory Nut Gap is proud to announce new programs with partners who share our values and care for the environment.

Hickory Nut Gap’s “Flavor RaisedTM” approach starts with a focus on healthy land and builds an intentional partnership with nature to strengthen the entire farming ecosystem. The result is healthier soils, richer pastures, happier, more ethically raised animals, more successful farmers and rural economies, and a cleaner, more resilient environment. Hickory Nut Gap was built upon an understanding that we all thrive from the ground up. While “big agriculture” focuses on high-volume and low-prices at any cost — Hickory Nut Gap focuses on the land as the foundation of our brand and business.

Hickory Nut Gap is grateful to partner with other organizations that are also deeply rooted in environmental stewardship and who honor their regenerative farming practices.

The Savory Institute, an organization whose mission is to facilitate the large-scale regeneration of the world’s grasslands and the livelihoods of their inhabitants through holistic management, has been working with Hickory Nut Gap since 2020. Their collaboration will lead to Hickory Nut Gap’s Fairview, NC, farm becoming a Savory Hub by the end of 2021. Savory Hubs are holistic management training, learning, and demonstration sites to help organizations or individuals create local solutions to land degradation. This is an incredible addition to the region, as there is not currently a Savory Hub within 384 miles.

Another partnership that supports Hickory Nut Gap’s regenerative agriculture mission is Earth Fare, a health and wellness supermarket located in 8 states throughout the Southeast US. In honor of Earth Day, Earth Fare is exclusively featuring Hickory Nut Gap 100% grassfed meat at their 20 newly opened locations.

Justin Betson, Earth Fare’s Director of Meat & Seafood, states, “When food is raised and produced naturally, the way Mother Nature intended it to be, the quality and flavor speaks for itself… Earth Fare’s mission aligns perfectly with that of Hickory Nut Gap, and we are beyond thrilled to continue to grow together, as we have for the last 15 years.”

The Earth Fare Day event showcasing Hickory Nut Gap mouthwatering 100% Grassfed Beef will run the whole week of April 19-25 and will feature:

Ribeye
NY Strip
Ground Beef 80/20 Blend
Chuck Roast
Skirt Steak
Flank Steak
Flat Iron Steak

Jamie Ager, Fourth Generation Farmer at Hickory Nut Gap, states, “We have been working with nature using regenerative farming practices that produce better tasting, healthier meats for over 20 years. It’s exciting to partner with Earth Fare on Earth Day to promote meat production that is healthy for the environment, healthy for livestock, and healthier for people all while strengthening rural economies and preserving local agriculture heritage!”

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap harvests and markets crave-ably delicious grassfed and pasture raised meats that are unsurpassed in quality and nutrition. We are partners with the land – committed to renewing our soil and pastures, improving the health and happiness of our animals, strengthening rural farming communities and helping create a cleaner environment.

Hickory Nut Gap. Flavor Raised™

For more information visit our website or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.

April 22, 2021

Hickory Nut Gap Celebrates Asheville’s Food Waste Reduction Month by Practicing Food Waste Reduction Every Month

News & Press Releases, Education

Whole Animal Utilization, Regenerative Agriculture, and Common Sense Farming for Over 100 Years

Asheville, NC, April 14, 2021 – The city of Asheville has officially proclaimed April as Food Waste Reduction Month. Did you know that one-third of all food in the U.S. gets wasted annually? According to the nonprofit ReFed, that’s about $408 billion worth of food, grown on 18 percent of U.S. farmland with 4 trillion tons of water. At Hickory Nut Gap, we don’t take this lightly. Creating a sustainable food chain is the foundation of all our operations, and in honor of Food Waste Reduction Month, we want to speak up, raise awareness, and offer some tips.

According to Sarah Kaplan, writer for the Washington Post, “The carbon footprint of U.S. food waste is greater than that of the airline industry. Globally, wasted food accounts for about 8 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions… Meanwhile, a staggering 26 million American adults told the Census Bureau last fall that they hadn’t had enough to eat in the previous week.”

When battling food waste, Hickory Nut Gap believes supporting local farms and other local food businesses that are in line with the regenerative movement is an important place to start. This debate is bigger than just grassfed and pasture raised meats – it’s about learning how to prevent food waste and creating a more equitable food system for all.

At Hickory Nut Gap, our production practices focus on closing loops. Meaning, how can a waste product of one enterprise serve and benefit another? Here are just a few things we’ve been doing on our farms for over 20 years.

Utilization:

We’re a network of small family farmers, which means whole animal utilization is very important to us. We try to use every part of the animal, and when there is excess inventory, we donate it to MANNA Foodbank, the Rotary, and other local nonprofits so they can put it to optimal use serving the community. These organizations often take bones, offal, and other items that would become waste at the processor if we didn’t “rescue” them for other uses.

The farm also turns things like pork tails, skin and ears into dog treats, and we work with local companies that use our unconventional products and turn them into something completely different, like body care items and clothing. Stay tuned on this front – we’ve got some exciting news coming soon!

Composting & Redistribution:

Our farms also compost as much as possible, which in turn can be fed to egg laying chickens and breeding stock. Many of our partner farmers have vegetable crops that we also feed to our breeding stock when they have excess crops that aren’t fit to sell.

Eat less meat, eat better meat:

We raise our meat on the most nutritionally dense soil and high-energy pasture possible thanks to regenerative farming. It’s a beautiful cycle that gives back to the Earth, leaving land improved and rejuvenated for generations to come. In turn, our meats taste better than conventionally farmed meat, and are more nutritionally dense, too. 100% grassfed beef contains a higher proportion of Omega-3s and CLAs than grain finished beef along with higher proportions of Vitamin E and beta-carotene, a Vitamin A precursor. You don’t need copious amounts to enjoy the benefits, a recommended serving size of meat is only 5 1⁄2 ounces daily according to the USDA’s MyPlate Model.

We understand that not everyone is able to afford 100% grassfed and pasture raised meats when they shop, or maybe you choose not to eat meat at all. In any case, there are many ways to shift our behaviors, and in turn, help reduce food waste:

Support companies that are in line with the regenerative movement and who prioritize limiting food waste.

Love your freezer: Freeze fruits, veggies, bread, and meat that you know you won’t be able to eat in time.
Prepare and cook perishable items, then freeze them for use throughout the month. Ex: Bake and freeze chicken breasts or fry and freeze taco meat.
Plan ahead. Think about what you’re going to cook and how you’ll use it for leftovers.
Buy only what you need and will use. Buying in bulk only saves money if you are able to use the food before it spoils.
Compost food scraps rather than throw them away.
Nutritious, safe, untouched food can be donated to food banks to help those in need.
Learn the difference between “sell-by,” “use-by,” and expiration dates.

…. And so much more! Check out this extremely helpful list from the EPA.

Here are a few individuals and organizations that are passionate about reducing food waste that we like to follow:

Mother Makings (Maggie uses our 100% grassfed tallow for her skincare products!)
The Zero Waste Chef – step-by-step zero-waste living tips and recipes
ReFed – national nonprofit working to end food waste and loss across the U.S.
MANNA FoodBank – involving, educating, and uniting people in the work of ending hunger in WNC.
Bounty and Soul – nonprofit providing free produce markets and wellness education in Black Mountain.
WNC Food Waste – a community of volunteers working to reduce food waste in WNC
The Food Matters Project at NRDC – partners with cities to achieve meaningful reductions in food waste through comprehensive policies and programs.

We hope that this blog post inspires us all to rethink the way we buy food. Every small step that we take towards reducing food waste matters.

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap Meats is a leading producer of pasture-raised meats based out of a 100- year-old family farm in Western North Carolina. Hickory Nut Gap values and respects the complex relationships between humans and nature. By using regenerative agriculture and ethical animal welfare practices, Hickory Nut Gap produces extraordinary meats that are unsurpassed in flavor and healthiness – while making a net-positive impact on climate change and overall ecosystem health.

For more information visit HickoryNutGap.com or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.

April 15, 2021

Hickory Nut Gap Relaunches 100% Grassfed Beef Hot Dogs

News & Press Releases, Grassfed Beef

HICKORY NUT GAP RELAUNCHES GRASSFED BEEF HOT DOGS

WITH A NEW PROCESSOR, NEW PACKAGING AND EVEN BETTER TASTE.

ASHEVILLE, NC, February 7, 2021 —Over the past year, Hickory Nut Gap has been refining ours grassfed beef and seasoning blends to prepare for a relaunch of our Uncured Grassfed Beef Hot Dogs. The retail ready packaging will feature prominent Hickory Nut Gap branding to attract attention and give shoppers confidence they are getting the healthiest best tasting hot dogs on the shelf. Hickory Nut Gap Uncured Beef Hot Dogs will debut at Whole Foods markets, as well as at a growing list of grocery stores including the newly reopened EarthFare locations. Alberts Organics has been named as the distributor for other retailers.

Jamie Ager, a Fourth Generation Farmer, continues to expand Hickory Nut Gap’s production of packaged fresh meats for retailers in response to the changing dynamics of the grocery industry.

“We are super excited to be rolling out a fantastic new hot dog at Hickory Nut Gap! My family loves hot dogs and being able to support local farmers and offer the community a great product is what we are all about. Enjoy!“ stated Ager.

Not only will consumers discover the great new taste of Hickory Nut Gap’s uncured beef hot dogs, but they’ll be eating a healthier hot dog — one made from 100% grassfed/grass-finished cattle that are humanely raised on high-quality pasture without the use of antibiotics or added hormones. Minimally processed, no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, no added nitrates or nitrites, no gluten, no lactose, and no MSG. The result is a perfect combination of flavors and quality that will bring a smile to America’s hot dog lovers.

“Hot dogs made from grass-fed beef are typically lower in calories and fat, with more ‘good fats’ and omega-3s,” according to Beaumont Health System. “Cured hot dogs are preserved … artificial additives that may increase your risk of heart disease. Instead, uncured hot dogs are preserved using natural sources of nitrates, like celery juice.”

About Hickory Nut Gap: Hickory Nut Gap Meats is a leading producer of pasture-raised meats based out of a family farm in Western North Carolina. Hickory Nut Gap values and respects the complex relationships between humans and nature. By using regenerative agriculture and ethical animal welfare practices, Hickory Nut Gap produces extraordinary meats that are unsurpassed in flavor and healthiness – while making a net-positive impact on climate change and overall ecosystem health.

For more information visit HickoryNutGap.com or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.

April 11, 2021

Hickory Nut Gap Announces Membership in the North Carolina Farm to School Program

News & Press Releases, Events and Sales

School Children Across North Carolina Now Have Access to Grassfed and Pasture Raised Meats

ASHEVILLE, NC, April 1^st, 2021 — Hickory Nut Gap is excited to announce their partnership with the North Carolina Farm to School Program, a state-wide, voluntary program established in 1997 to provide NC schools with local, NC grown products. Hickory Nut Gap teamed up with the Farm to School Program amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020, as one of the first two suppliers of local grassfed and pasture raised meats. In just four short months during this difficult time, Hickory Nut Gap has been able to serve their 100% grassfed beef 80/20 blend in fan-favorite dishes like Salisbury steak and tacos to school districts across nine counties in North Carolina including Hyde, Pamlico, Perquimans, Randolph, Sampson, Avery, Buncombe, Clay, and Watauga.

As schools begin to re-open, Hickory Nut Gap will be showcased at the first annual Farm to School Week (April 19 – 23, 2021), a week where four counties in NC (Craven, Pamlico, Jones, Carteret) are serving almost exclusively local, NC products all week long in efforts to better educate their students about the benefits of eating local.

This partnership was a match made in heaven, as both organizations have a passion for educating children about the origins of their food and also strive to provide the most nutritious, locally-sourced food to their communities.

Heather Barnes, Marketing Specialist at the NCDA&CS, states, “The North Carolina Farm to School Program has been an option for school nutrition programs to source local foods for more than twenty years. We are excited about the opportunities that adding meat products brings to the program and how having a local connection benefits both the students and farmers in our state.”

The importance of higher quality school meals is real. In a New York Times article entitled, “Feeding Young Minds: The Importance of School Lunches,” by Jane E. Brody, “Students

at schools that contract with a healthy school lunch vendor score higher” on statewide achievement tests, Michael L. Anderson of the University of California, Berkeley, and

colleagues reported in April 2017. They showed a 4-percentile improvement in test scores above those achieved in schools with less healthy meals.

Hickory Nut Gap is committed to its partnership with the NC Farm to School Program. They are not only looking forward to serving more delicious and nutritious meat to children across NC, but also to educate young minds about the importance of topics like regenerative agriculture. Jamie Ager, Fourth Generation farmer at Hickory Nut Gap said, “As parents of children in the public school system, and as advocates for healthy rural communities, Hickory Nut Gap is excited to collaborate with NCDA&CS to bring local food to the children in our schools.”

About Hickory Nut Gap:

Hickory Nut Gap Meats is a leading producer of pasture-raised meats based out of a 100-year-old family farm in Western North Carolina. Hickory Nut Gap values and respects the complex relationships between humans and nature. By using regenerative agriculture and ethical animal welfare practices, Hickory Nut Gap produces extraordinary meats that are unsurpassed in flavor and healthiness – while making a net-positive impact on climate change and overall ecosystem health.

About NC Farm To School:

The North Carolina Farm to School Program was founded in 1997 to give public school nutrition programs an option to buy fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the state. The program, run by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is the only one of its kind in the nation. The program is offered 22 weeks during the school year and features a variety of fresh and value-added produce products and, since 2020, ground beef.

For more information visit HickoryNutGap.com or contact 828-628-1027 x305 / marketing@hickorynutgap.com. Find @hickorynutgapmeats on Facebook and @hickorynutgap on Instagram and LinkedIn.

April 11, 2021