From beans to squash, local experts talk about growing protein powerhouses in the home garden.
Workshop looks at building healthy soil with biochar
A class at Living Web Farms explores ways to inoculate carbonized charcoal with beneficial microbes and nutrients to yield a superior longterm fertilizer.
Mountain Transplants workshops offer gardening tips to WNC newcomers
From attracting pollinators to native landscaping, upcoming classes at the Henderson County Cooperative Extension Center will provide useful information for gardeners new to the mountains.
Asheville GreenWorks dishes the dirt on home composting
The monthly events, offered at various local locations, provide useful information on outdoor and indoor composting methods, including composting with earthworms.
Growing healthy food for kids at the Shiloh Community Garden
At the Shiloh Community Garden, generations gather to connect with one another and with the environment.
Bounty & Soul’s U Grow initiative blossoms into a community celebration
The inaugural U Grow Community Dig Day kicks off Western North Carolina’s growing season with a plant sale, free workshops and other activities.
Tailgate market season is here: Where to get the goods
(Go to the bottom of this article for a listing of local tailgate markets) Winter has finally loosened its grip on Western North Carolina, and that means tailgate market season is underway. While there is still some time before the full abundance of the growing season hits the markets, many farmers are already selling their […]
Asheville Spring Herb Festival returns with workshops, native plants
From Friday, May 4, to Sunday, May 6, the WNC Chapter of the North Carolina Herb Association hosts the 29th annual Asheville Spring Herb Festival at the Western North Carolina Farmers Market.
Mother Earth News Fair offers something for every stage of life
The Mother Earth News Fair returns to WNC Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29, bringing exhibitors, vendors and presenters to the area to help attendees learn techniques for living simpler, more meaningful lives.
Gardening club continues legacy of service, friendship
“There are 22 women’s garden clubs in Asheville; this is the only men’s garden club,” says member Gerry Hardesty. The Men’s Garden Club is carrying on a tradition of community service and education that spans nearly eight decades, and it welcomes new members.
Worms eat Stephanie Harper’s garbage
Stephanie Harper set up her vermicomposting bin for under $40, using supplies that are readily available locally. Her worms — which she says are “kind of like pets” — break down food waste, turning it into a rich fertilizer for the garden.
Megan Naylor farms with biodynamic principles in mind
As a biodynamic farmer, Megan Naylor of Barnardsville strives to create a closed-loop system that feeds her livestock, her family and the soil.
Alyssa Sacora cans food from her garden to carry on a tradition
Alyssa Sacora grows and cans much of her own food to increase the year-round quality of her diet and as an environmentally friendly strategy for long-term storage. She also does it as a way of carrying on a long-standing tradition in her family.
Woodson Branch School offers a nature-based education to youths
Nature-based schools are catching on around the country. The Woodson Branch Nature School, located in Hot Springs and Marshall, is a local manifestation of the trend, which emphasizes outdoor learning and unstructured outdoor play.
Danu Macon dreams of planting 1,000 fruit trees in WNC this year
Danu Macon plans to plant 1,000 fruit trees in Western North Carolina in 2018.
Workshops focus on caring for Asheville’s urban forests
Asheville GreenWorks, the Tree Commission and the city have joined forces to host a four-part workshop series on tree care this spring.
Local gardens collaborate to help neighbors in need
The Western N.C. Alliance of Gardens That Give is a collaborative effort among local gardens that grow food to reduce food insecurity in this region. The organization welcomes prospective new members to attend its next quarterly meeting, held Monday, April 16.
DeWayne Barton feeds both mouth and spirit at the Burton Street Peace Garden
The Burton Street Peace Garden started out as a community experiment, says founder DeWayne Barton. Today, the space serves a variety of needs and purposes, nourishing bodies and souls on what was once a trash-strewn vacant lot.
Beneficial insects fight recalcitrant garden pests
The fight to protect food crops against destructive insect pests has become more challenging in recent years, Mills River farming expert Patryk Battle reports. Battle and Boone-based insect scientist Richard McDonald will present a March 31 workshop on when and how organic growers should take drastic measures to deal with damaging insect and disease infestations.
Power to the people: Best of WNC 2018 voting begins
With a far out feeling, voting has begun for the beloved annual Best of WNC awards. Only you can decide who’ll be feelin’ it in the new summer of love, when winners are announced this August. You have until 11:59 p.m. on the night of Saturday, April 28 to complete your ballot and make sure your voice is heard. […]
WNC’s industrial hemp growers reflect on experimental first season
Last year, a handful of area farmers planted the first hemp crops to be grown legally in Western North Carolina in over 70 years. That first crop was plagued by delays introduced by regulators at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, who held up shipments of seeds and seedlings, leading to a late start. Growers expect a smoother process for the 2018 growing season.