Oskar Blues Brewery hosted its 2015 Burning Can ExtravaCANza Friday and Saturday, July 17-18, at its REEB Ranch just outside of Hendersonville. Despite some complications with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Department, a few thunderstorms and a blistering-hot afternoon sun, brewers, performers and attendees stuck it out and had a ball.
The event, now in its fourth year, will take place on Saturday, July 18, and is organized by Velo Girl Rides in partnership with Ingles Markets and Black Mountain Parks and Greenways. A portion of the proceeds from the tour will support the creation of more greenways.
As more and more people move to the Asheville area, the need for housing is facilitating larger-scale development in traditionally small, isolated and rural communities. But how to approach that development sustainably isn’t always easy to figure out or agree upon.
A new program from Organic Growers School, WNC FarmLink and Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy called Farm Pathways will combine peer support and land access with a structured curriculum centered around farm production and business.
Asheville Bee Charmer’s Pollination Celebration event, the Around the World Honey Tasting on Monday, June 15, is focused on honeycentric fun, education and raising money for Bee City USA.
Conservation groups like the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy need the support of residents and local businesses in order to achieve their work. Building on this co-dependence, the nonprofit will hold its annual “Land Trust Day” celebration Saturday, June 6.
In her landmark 1955 book, The French Broad, Asheville author Wilma Dykeman said the river was “above all, a region of life, with all the richness and paradox of life.” She described a watershed rich in flora and fauna, ranging from the “fertile fields and gentle fall” through Transylvania and Henderson counties to the sudden “plunge between steep mountains” around Asheville, “strewn with jagged boulders.”
The Spring Herb Festival returns to the Western North Carolina Farmers Market this weekend. The festival brings together over 60 growers and vendors offering locally grown herbs or herbal products including soaps, oils, extracts, tinctures and more.
The sun is shining on those who want more competition in the N.C. energy marketplace. A series of bills recently introduced into the state legislature aim to diversify the energy business through independent solar sources and provide incentive for energy efficiency through a tiered rate system.
From the Get It! Guide: Community tailgate markets are a labor of love that offer communities a place to gather while also providing access to fresh, local foods. If you’re thinking about organizing a market in your neighborhood, here’s some steps to consider.
Most area markets will be starting up in the next few weeks, though a few — including the Asheville City Market, the WNC Farmers Market and the Jackson County Farmers Market — are open year-round. With the help of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, Xpress is providing a roundup of regional markets, including markets accepting food assistance programs.
From the Get It! Guide: Julie Osburne traveled the country as a busker — exchanging goods and skills with those she met. That gave her the idea to found the sharing economy website, Exchange Tree.
Form the Get It! Guide: The Coalition of Latin American Organizations seeks to raise the voice of Western North Carolina’s immigrant communities.
From the Get It! Guide: Whichever way employers define “sustainable,” incorporating the effort into the workplace requires creative thought and effort.
From the Get It! Guide: The process of becoming an urban farmer offers a quick learning curve full of chances for success or for failure. Start your journey by learning how to navigate the restrictions, requirements and resources of an urban farmer.
From the Get It! Guide: For a business to succeed long term, it has to factor in supply and demand, market trends, technology and, according to one of Asheville’s newest ventures, climate change. The Collider calculates climate change data to present trend predictions as an asset for businesses new and old.
From the Get It! Guide: Alternative energy has long been considered a fringe service provider. But with efficient and affordable advances in technology, juicy state and federal tax incentives and the ability to keep both jobs and cash local, proponents say its time to consider alternative energy a serious plan for the future.
From the Get It! Guide: While the national attention and popularity of Asheville’s restaurants has meant economic prosperity for some, the Asheville Sustainble Restaurant Workers say it often comes at the cost of inequality, low pay and unfair working conditions for the approximately 11,600 restaurant employees in the city.
From the Get It! Guide: It was midwinter of 2012, and most Asheville residents hadn’t yet turned their thoughts to ripe tomatoes and summer squash. But Essie Silvers and a handful of her neighbors had a mission to bring a farmers market to their food-insecure East Asheville community.
Xpress sat down with Jane Hatley, western regional director of Self-Help Credit Union, who says Asheville’s local economy stands out as a positive, entrepreneurial role model for economic development.
The city’s local push has transformed from mere trend to full-fledged movement, a move that now seems natural, but how did local businesses get whipped into such a unified front?
