Gardeners can shop for conifers, annuals, perennials, herbs and much more, and local farmer Annie Louise Perkinson will offer a talk about growing a cut-flower garden.
Chris Smith takes a stand for okra diversity
Last summer, Smith took his love for okra to new heights through his work with the Utopian Seed Project, a organization that aims to create diverse and integrated food systems. He catalogued more than 75 varieties of the vegetable, which he hopes will promote resilience against pests, disease and climate change while providing greater food security.
Sunil Patel pieces together an Asheville urban farm
“In designing food systems, the foods that need to be freshest when we eat them, the quick-turnaround crops, should be placed close to where we live,” Patel says. “I didn’t really think the farm would be as broad and idealistic as it turned out to be, but I’m pretty idealistic, so it has naturally turned into that.”
John Mahshie supports servicemembers through Veterans Healing Farm
“After they leave the farm, they can be part of a bee club, a medicinal herb meetup or [play with] other musicians,” says Mahshie about his multifaceted nonprofit. “They are healthy, healing ways for vets to connect with community.”
Buncombe County master gardeners offer telephone, in-person resources
Free programs from the Buncombe County Master Gardeners offer guidance in sustainable growing practices.
Carol Peppe Hewitt builds financial resilience with Slow Money NC
Since 2010, when Hewitt made the first loan to a friend who needed help expanding her small Greek restaurant, Slow Money NC has catalyzed over 300 loans totaling about $4 million to 125 small farmers and local food businesses.
Kids Seed Co. promotes generational sustainability
A few summers ago, Laszlo told his parents, Thomas Stern and Laura Gazzano, that he wanted to set up a stand to sell cucumbers in their driveway. Now 8 years old, Lazlo and his two younger sisters, Mina and Csilla, play a central role in the family business, an online seed store that launched on Thanksgiving 2017.
WNC farmers and beekeepers collaborate to support honeybee health
Beekeepers in the United States experienced an estimated 40 percent loss in their colonies between April 2017 and April 2018, and last year, North Carolina’s honeybee population experienced a 50 percent loss, no doubt impacting the state’s $84 billion agriculture industry.
Jon Nilsson promotes biochar as soil superstar
“With charged biochar, you’re building a better biome for the plant, permanently changing soil’s ability to hold nutrients, water and beneficial biology,” Nilsson says. “You can buy a carbon-sequestering tomato that was organically grown and also contributed to building the biome — it’s a path out of climate change.”
Local seed libraries give the gift of gardening
The Black Mountain Public Library and UNC Asheville offer programs that provide free seeds to the community.
WNC farmers look to new business models after last year’s flooding
In April, Cane Creek Valley Farm in Fletcher will open two of its organic fields to the community through a new garden-share program that’s aimed at bolstering the small, family-owned operation against the damaging effects of weather events.
Asheville GreenWorks hosts inaugural tree giveaway
Hundreds of native tree varieties, including pawpaws, maples, oaks, river birches, sourwoods and more, will be up for grabs at the March 30 event.
Hemp farmers and CBD businesses adjust to a shifting legal landscape
When Melissa Clark, owner of Hemp Magik, opened the doors to her Woodfin storefront on the morning of Feb. 14, she was hit with quite a shock: A search warrant from the Woodfin Police Department was sitting on her counter. Listed in it were four felony charges. “I was shaking,” says Clark. “I’ve never been […]
N.C. Ginseng Association expo digs into the plant’s profits and possibilities
The March 16 gathering at Warren Wilson College will offer informative panel discussions, competitions, tastings and more.
Organic Growers School Spring Conference moves to Mars Hill University
The Organic Growers School Spring Conference brings its roster of workshops, seed exchange, children’s programming and more to a new venue.
Foothills Food Hub will expand opportunities for WNC farmers
The McDowell County project will offer cold storage facilities, a wash station and a commercial kitchen for area growers.
Year in review: Noteworthy WNC farm and garden news
From hemp to herd shares, 2018 was a year of growth and change for WNC farmers and gardeners.
Seasonal greetings: Holiday shopping can be a gift to WNC farmers
Many area growers rely on holiday sales of their food products and handicrafts to help carry their businesses through the winter season.
From practical to crafty to offbeat, local retailers offer gift options in WNC
Give Amazon.com a rest — Western North Carolina is full of small, independent retailers, where the only thing cookie-cutter is the display of, well, cookie cutters.
Local garden supply stores keep Asheville growing
Grigg Sheffield, owner of L.O.T.U.S Urban Farm and Garden Supply, opened his shop 6 years ago and says that the biggest trend he sees is that the consumer base is more educated, curious and knowledgeable. “There’s a big move towards understanding what’s in your food and how it’s grown,” he says.
CBD business budding across WNC, nation
Are CBD businesses — which are exploding across WNC and elsewhere — laying down the tracks, preparing for an expansion into legal marijuana? The answer depends on whom you ask. Many local CBD entrepreneurs say they’ll continue their focus on the health benefits of CBD, regardless of whether medical or recreational marijuana are legalized in the state.