Farm Tour Travels

Nothing says summer like a Sunday drive, or Saturday drive for that matter. Now add food, farms, and animals and you’ve got ASAP’s Farm Tour – a self-guided journey through the mountains to see Western North Carolina farms in action.

This weekend – June 24th and 25th – over 20 farms will invite visitors to explore their properties and see how the region’s food is grown and raised. From cheese to chickens, the tour has a little bit of everything, including pick-your-own berries, farm-fresh tomatoes, and baby animals.

Big Ivy Little Farm in Weaverville is new on the tour. They’ll share their permaculture philosophy and visitors can pet their dwarf goats. Veggies, hot sauce, and eggs will be for sale, and the farmers will talk about how to start your own small-scale gardening or farming operation.  

Peppers are front and center in this year’s tour. There are two new pepper farms on the tour – both at Smith Millworks in Asheville. See this inspiring cluster of greenhouses and find out how farmers are using small spaces to grow big flavor. And don’t forget returning favorite Smoking J’s Fiery Foods, Western North Carolina’s largest specialty chili pepper farm.

Want to learn how to grow the perfect tomato? Get some tips from Paul Shoemaker of Holly Spring Farm in Henderson County. He’s known for his heirloom tomatoes, and will share information about planting, pruning, and harvesting.

Read about all of the farms on the tour, and find tips for making the most of your Farm Tour road trip, at ASAP’s website.

Aired 6/18/17.

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