River Arts District Artists partners with MANNA FoodBank and Ingles for a canned food drive. Also, Highlands Food and Wine Festival celebrates its 10th year, Addison Farms Vineyard launches a wine club, the West Asheville Tailgate Market holds a Caribbean soul food supper and a new Mediterranean restaurant will open soon in the former Chorizo spot in the Grove Arcade.
Learn considerations and best practices for building and using a composting toilet at a Living Web Farms workshop on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The Grey Eagle hosts a taco competition, chef Katie Button celebrates the publication of her first cookbook, Siam Thai Restaurant opens in North Asheville, Living Web Farms offers a pair of workshops and Buxton Hall Barbecue brings back its femalecentric Velvet & Lace pop-up concept with the Harvest Moon cocktail series.
“It’s basic skills,” says Nan Chase. “Once you know how simple it is and how safe it is, people can feel encouraged to say, ‘Oh yeah, I can do some canning myself.’”
Interest in biodynamic growing practices is strong both locally and across the nation. In a two-day workshop July 9-10, Barefoot Farmer Jeff Poppen will share practical and spiritual wisdom drawn from 30 years of biodynamic agriculture experience on his Tennessee farm.
Asheville VegFest’s smorgasbord of food and drinks will be strictly vegan, though the event aims to be as light and fun as its kombucha beer; The Inn at Glen Alpine hosts its first Turkey Tail Wine Festival; Patryk Battle leads a no-till gardening class at Living Web Farms; and the River Arts District Farmers Market opens for business.
Upcoming mushroom log-inoculation workshops A mushroom log-inoculation workshop this month will offer participants the opportunity to learn how to grow mushrooms using proven methods. The outdoor workshop at Trout Lily Deli and Market in Fairview will also cover how to select prime growing locations, preferred equipment for mushroom growing and the best strains of mushrooms. […]
French food snob Pierre Geaux (an alter ego of local homesteading authority Bill Whipple) will host Organic Growers School’s upcoming farm-to-table benefit dinner, curated by Meredith Leigh. The event is at UNCA on Saturday, March 12.
Shortly after opening, West Asheville newcomer Arancini morphed from a fast-casual Italian eatery to a wine bar; Fifth Season Gardening Co.’s event schedule now includes Friday evening beer samplings plus monthly fundraisers for local nonprofits; Living Web Farms’ Patryk Battle teaches gardeners to increase tomato yields through grafting; and Isa’s Bistro offers a beer dinner and weekly discounted wines.
WNCW and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project have teamed up to launch a new radio series called Growing Local; Villagers hosts a class on fermenting garden products into alcoholic beverages; Living Web Farms offers a knife skills workshop; plus Asheville Restaurant Week and Asheville Wing War approach.
Hops & Vines is adding a new series to its class lineup. Meanwhile, Trout Lily of Fairview will host its sixth annual Bluegrass Oyster Fest; Ultimate Ice Cream partners with Youth Outright for the month of November; Living Web Farms teaches several donation-based food classes; and Edison Craft Ales + Kitchen adds local beers to its brunch menus.
Barbecue is in the spotlight at Tryon’s Blue Ridge BBQ and Music Festival, Happy Jack’s moves beyond breakfast, Postre Caramels launches in Asheville, Addison Farms Vineyard hosts a wine dinner under the stars and Living Web Farms offers a plant-based summer cooking workshop.
The long summer is behind us, but for many growers in Western North Carolina, the spring-summer growing season is only half the story. Commercial growers, donation gardens and garden-based education programs are all finding ways to make local food and food security a hallmark of WNC, year-round.
