How to decide on a community-supported agriculture farm to which to subscribe? Enter ASAP’s CSA Fair on Thursday, March 15, 3-6 p.m. at New Belgium Brewing Co. Fifteen farms will be there, each with weekly pickup locations in Buncombe County.
Author: Maggie Cramer
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Now is the time to plant bare-root trees and bushes
The Buncombe Soil & Water Conservation District’s spring plant sale March 1 and 2 offers gardeners an opportunity to purchase fruit trees and berry bushes at great prices — and at the ideal time to plant.
Organic Growers School diversifies in 25th year
For its 25th anniversary Spring Conference, Organic Growers School looks to bring in the wisdom of people of color to talk about race-related issues in farming and the food system.
Going batty: Get to know these misunderstood mammals
According to Katherine Caldwell, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in Asheville, it’s “almost incomprehensible,” the number of flying insects bats snap up on their nocturnal hunting expeditions. While their spooky reputation is slowly giving way to a more nuanced understanding of bats’ critical role in the ecosystem, we still have a lot to learn about these unusual mammals.
Is hydro the way to grow? Locals say yes
Hydroponics is taking off around the globe, the country and in Western North Carolina. But it’s not just backyard gardeners who want to reap hydroponics’ impressive list of benefits, which range from a rapid growth rate to less labor to water conservation to crop consistency.
Community Garden Network celebrates with tour, dinner
The Asheville Buncombe Community Garden Network will hold its first fundraiser, a garden tour and celebration, on Saturday, Sept. 16. Tour-goers will have the opportunity to visit four unique community gardens and take part in activities at each. A portion of proceeds will directly benefit the participating gardens.
West Asheville Garden Stroll showcases peaceful spaces
The ninth annual West Asheville Garden Stroll will lead visitors through 15 lovely green spaces on Sept. 9. This year’s theme highlights the idea of “sanctuary.”
Harvest Conference offers help in growing, self-reliance
The Organic Growers School’s Harvest Conference, held Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8 and 9, supports growers in processing the bounty of the autumn harvest and extending the growing season through the winter and early spring.
N.C. Farm School summit offers two days of education
A two-day conference Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14 and 15, in Mills River offers farmers an opportunity to take part in training on a wide range of topics. Sponsored by the N.C. Farm School, the conference takes place at a different location each year.
Inmates grow through gardening program
Sally Reeske has been teaching horticulture at the Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women, a minimum-custody prison, for the past two years. While the vocational course through A-B Tech offers inmates hands-on learning and training opportunities via an instructional plot, Reeske wondered if she could do even more for the incarcerated women and the community at […]
Aug. 15 breakfast to introduce farmers to thriving market
While Western North Carolina is already known for producing high-quality medicinal herbs, there’s still plenty of potential for growers to get in on the ground floor of a market that appears poised to expand. Farmers and others interested in opportunities in medicinal herbs can learn more at the Buncombe County Friends of Agriculture Breakfast on Aug. 15.
Gardening experts gather in Asheville for weekend of inspirational talks
This year’s Speaking of Gardening symposium will take place Aug. 11 and 12 at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway — a new location for the 19-year-old event that brings gardening experts and enthusiasts together for a weekend of inspiring lectures and other events.
Start from seedling
The N.C. Forest Service offers a range of tree seedlings from varieties that flourish in the state. Customers can place their orders online now for fall delivery at distribution centers or by mail.
Growing the next generation of farmers
The application period for the Farm Beginnings program of the Organic Growers School is open through Sept. 1. New farmers participating in the program receive more than 200 hours of training time. For the first time this year, the training will include at least 15 hours of one-on-one mentorship from an experienced farmer.
Bradley Johnston brings boutique dairy farming to Mills River
Mills River native Bradley Johnston has worked with cows all his life, but his newest venture — Mills River Creamery — is a departure from the high-volume wholesale dairy trade he used to practice. Johnston’s small herd of Jersey cows eat non-GMO feed and produce a type of milk that many find easier to digest than the usual supermarket fare.
BOOST in bloom
Four of Bullington Gardens’ many displays have a special significance this year: Each was designed by a team of Henderson County students as part of the BOOST job skills training program. Developed to give high school sophomores with special needs real-world work experience, the Hendersonville program blooms with the promise of future success.
Making garden magic with mosses
Moss gardeners have it made in the shade when they visit Mountain Moss Enterprises in Brevard, where local author and moss promoter Annie Martin offers education and sells mosses to plant in your own low-light spots. The shop, which is open Mondays through September, also offers Martin’s book, The Magical World of Moss Gardening.
Get down on the farm with ASAP’s annual tour
Pack up your car with friends and family this Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, and head out on Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s annual Farm Tour, an opportunity to get up close and personal with more than 20 WNC farms and the farmers growing your food and fiber.
Appreciating the pawpaw, our stinky native fruit
The native pawpaw tree plays an important role in this region’s ecology, attracting pollinators with its strong-smelling fruits, says Heather Rayburn, a staff member at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. Rayburn will lead a discussion on the pawpaw and other native plants at the garden’s monthly book club on June 21.
Project Genesis enters sixth year tracking honeybee cycles
Project Genesis is a pioneering longitudinal study that is mobilizing more than 150 volunteers to study and collect data on the health of 20 research bee hives in West Asheville. Project founder Carl Chesick hopes to gain insight into the factors that are endangering the survival of honeybee colonies.
Asheville’s secret gardens
The Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers offer up a chance to visit six private gardens via their biennial tour, the Hidden Gardens of Asheville. And the selection of secret gardens couldn’t be more varied, organizers share — all offering much more to see than just pretty perennials. The tour takes place on June 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.