Feasting for FEAST fundraiser will help organizers educate more local youths on the wonders of fresh, homegrown veggies. Meanwhile, Hops & Vines is offering a cider making class, and Thirsty Monk, Table and Wicked Weed have planned specialty food and beer events.
Haywood County Master Gardeners establish Monarch Waystations for embattled butterfly
by Marcia Tate Master Gardeners in Haywood County are leading efforts to educate the public that monarchs butterflies are at high risk of being placed on the endangered species list. They are encouraging the public to plant milkweed in their gardens, as monarch caterpillars will only eat milkweed. Four of the Haywood gardeners created a […]
Chicken registration mandate isn’t going over easy
A recent requirement from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is being met with accusations of “fowl play” from some chickeners who say the registry is part of a larger effort to subvert agricultural autonomy and prop up a regulatory system that favors Big Ag.
Smart bets: Barn Raisin’ Concert
The concert to benefit the Appalachian Barn Alliance kicks off at the Ebbs Chapel Performing Arts Center in Mars Hill on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 3 p.m.
Documentary on Christopher Mello’s West Asheville garden to screen at Skyland Library
West Asheville gardener Christopher Mello and filmmaker Bill Torgerson will present their short documentary Yes You May: The Story of Christopher’s Garden at Skyland Library on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initiatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features the final build-out challenges of Sanctuary Brewing Co. and one mother’s attempt to help expedite the potty training process for kids across the globe.
Modernizing the market: New features and higher rent at the WNC Farmers Market
The agriculture department has released a master plan for the WNC Farmers Market calling for everything from LED fixtures and improved signage to a new brew pub, outdoor dining and increased rent for businesses leasing space from the state-run facility.
Small bites: Sourwood Festival
Black Mountain’s annual Sourwood Festival was named for the area’s high-quality honey, but in its 38th year, the weekend-long celebration also offers local arts and crafts, music, games and, of course, plenty of festival food.
Resilient farming systems: How local foodsheds can brace for climate change
What does a drought in California have to do with Western North Carolina? Local experts say that the situation holds lessons for food systems throughout the country, including how to become more resilient in the face of climate change.
New coordinator takes the helm at Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council
The Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council, a volunteer-driven organization since it began in 2011, recently hired Mary Ellen Lough as its first paid employee. In her new position as coordinator of the council’s various clusters, Lough hopes to increase the organization’s effectiveness at easing Buncombe County’s food-security issues.
Mother Earth Produce wins big in Tap The Future semifinals
Local farm-to-door produce delivery service Mother Earth Produce won big last night in the the Miller Lite Tap The Future small-business competition semifinals in Atlanta, taking first place among a pool of 30 contestants and bringing home a $20,000 award.
Building hope from the dirt: Asheville group seeks to create earthbag homes in Nepal
The massive earthquake that rattled Nepal in April left entire villages flattened and hundreds of thousand of people homeless. But here in Asheville, a team of natural builders believe they can help by teaching locals how to build superadobe domes.
Time for a bucolic bike ride: Cycle to Farm tour brings cyclists to the fields
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.
Salmon and sustainability: Chef William Dissen journeys to Alaska’s fisheries
Not only did Dissen amass tales of glacier hikes, bear sightings and filleting salmon minutes after the catch, but the chef also returned to the Market Place with a renewed dedication to inspire his team on the subject of product sourcing.
JCC to host ecology, food and permaculture panel, July 19
Asheville Jewish Community Center will host a panel discussion on Sunday, July 19, from 4-6:30 p.m. focused on helping help people connect with and better understand Jewish values that encourage environmental stewardship.
In photos: Root Bottom’s farm-to-table dinner
Madison County’s Root Bottom Farm welcomed guests to its first farm-to-table dinner on Saturday, July 11. The dinner — one of three that Root Bottom Farm will be offering this summer — combined produce from the farm with other locally sourced foods to create a unique seasonally menu for the evening’s 30 diners.
In photos: Firestorm Books & Coffee serves up some anarchy on Haywood Road
Firestorm Books & Coffee is back. And though the doors are currently open — the coffee flowing and the pages turning, the 7-year-old cooperative will host its official grand opening celebration on Sunday, July 12.
Part III: Chef William Dissen takes readers on a sustainable sourcing trip
Days ago, the chef arrived in Bristol Bay, Alaska and agreed to take Xpress’ entire readership along for a sockeye salmon sourcing adventure by sharing updates and photographs of his trip. Here is his final check-in.
Part II: Chef William Dissen takes readers on a sustainable sourcing trip
The Market Place chef William Dissen is traveling to Bristol Bay, Alaska, and he’s agreed to take Xpress’ entire readership along for the ride by sharing updates and photographs of “one of the most sustainable fisheries on the planet.”
Sierra Nevada unveils new outdoor spaces, amphitheater
The brewery is rolling out a four-pack of outdoor spaces for visitors to the Mills River Taproom: the Back Porch, Beer Garden, Estate Garden and perhaps most impressively, a 600-person amphitheater.
Quick Dish: Shady Place Farm across generations
Surrounded by Leicester’s stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shady Place’s cattle drink water from pure mountain springs and eat grass, hay, and corn produced on-site. The animals are raised by hand and treated like pets by the entire family, including the Morgans’ sons Nathanael and Eli.