Garden Journal

Label conscious: Margaret McGinnis and Tim Charles of Fork Mountain Farm, in Marshall, wrote Xpress to say, “We have decided to certify our produce through ‘Certified Naturally Grown’ (www.naturallygrown.org) rather than become certified organic through the federal government. For many small farmers the cost and time requirements of [organic certification] are unrealistic and unmanageable. The farmers who are Certified Naturally Grown adhere to the same requirements and principles as certified organic, but without the expense and overwhelming paper trail required by the government.”

Fresh kids: The Youth Fresh Food Initiative at Buncombe Community School will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale and Flea Market on Saturday, April 28, from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. Organically grown vegetable, herb and perennial transplants will be available. All proceeds support sustainable-agriculture education programs. Contact Casey McKissick at 216-2966 or casey.mckissick@bcsemail.org for info or to reserve a space. The school is located at 235 Old US 70 in Swannanoa.

Sale on: The French Broad River Garden Club will hold its annual fund-raising plant sale, this year featuring “Fabulous Ferns,” on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds from the sale support horticultural, environmental and conservation projects in the community. Many varieties of ferns will be offered along with members’ garden plants and hard-to-find herbs, plants, shrubs and trees. Lunch will be available. Gardening experts Fairman Jaynes, Allison Arnold, Mary Heirs and Tom Goforth will be on hand to answer all of your perplexing gardening questions. The event will be held at the club’s headquarters: Clem’s Cabin, 1000 Hendersonville Road in Asheville.

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About Cecil Bothwell
A writer for Mountain Xpress since three years before there WAS an MX--back in the days of GreenLine. Former managing editor of the paper, founding editor of the Warren Wilson College environmental journal, Heartstone, member of the national editorial board of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, publisher of Brave Ulysses Books, radio host of "Blows Against the Empire" on WPVM-LP 103.5 FM, co-author of the best selling guide Finding your way in Asheville. Lives with three cats, macs and cacti. His other car is a canoe. Paints, plays music and for the past five years has been researching and soon to publish a critical biography--Billy Graham: Prince of War:

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