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.
Farming dreams can start big and end in disappointment. With its Farm Beginnings program, the Organic Growers School gives new farmers the business and practical tools to maximize their chances of success. And for those who already have a farm, whether as a business or a hobby, the Mountain State Fair offers myriad opportunities to show off the products of their labors.
North Carolina is just one signature away from taking advantage of a 2014 Farm Bill provision that allows states to enact their own hemp-growing pilot programs.
Foodie festivals continue in WNC with Taste of Sylva’s downtown restaurant crawl. Meanwhile, Organic Growers School is poised to train a new crop of farmers; Ambrozia will host a wine dinner with Metro Wines’ Andy Hale; and Taste of Asheville tickets are now on sale.