Many cultures around the world cultivate native, shade-loving plants beneath the forest canopy. Recently, more farmers in the United States have been getting excited about the potential of forest farming to diversify their crops while preserving natural environments. A forest farming workshop on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1, is geared to farmers of all levels who are interested in growing in the shade.
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.
The next best thing to going to the Mountain State Fair, which runs through Sunday, Sept. 17, is checking out our gallery of photos from the fair’s opening weekend.
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.”
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features Sow True Seeds downtown move plus a new studio album by Eleventy Seven.
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.
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.
In this two-part series, Xpress invites you on a guided a trip down the river as we examine the work of various communities to write the next chapter in the French Broad’s history, beginning with Transylvania and Henderson counties.
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.
While pretty much everyone agrees kudzu is a big problem across the South, there seem to be as many philosophies for dealing with it as there are leaves on the vines. At Chimney Rock State Park’s Krazy with Kudzu event on Aug. 12, park visitors can learn about a variety of approaches to living with — or destroying — the pervasive plant.
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.
Rooftops offer businesses the opportunity to turn under-utilized space into blooming (and buzzing) food-production spots.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features a garden program at Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women and entrepreneur Andrea Olson’s latest invention: The Baby Potty.
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.