Agroforestry Farm Tour: Forest Farming at Warren Wilson College
2024-09-11 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa, NC, 28778, United States
Join us for a tour of Warren Wilson College’s campus, where we will explore the Guaranteed From Seed Project and the college’s campus forestry practices.
The tour will feature a visit to a 3,000 square foot shade house where Dr. Dave Ellum and his students have developed innovative seed propagation methods for forest medicinal plants that are often overharvested from the wild. The “Guaranteed From Seed—Never Wild Harvested” project aims to educate the public on how a sustainable, seed-based nursery industry can support the conservation of wild populations of native forest botanicals.
Additionally, attendees will gain insights into the management practices employed on the college’s 600-acre campus forest, including a syruping operation and silvopasture.

U-Pick at KT's Orchard
2024-09-11 10:00 - 14:00 | KT’s Orchard and Apiary, 158 Pigeon Ford Rd., Canton, NC, 28716, United States
Come pick your own apples and experience the magic of picking your own fresh fruit right from the tree! Apple varieties include Ambrosia, Crimson Crisp, Gala, Gibson Gold and McIntosh just to name a few. We also have honey, jam, dried apples and lots more!

2025 WNC AgOptions Information Session
2024-09-11 18:00 - 19:30 | Cherokee County Center, 699 Conaheeta St., Murphy, NC, 28906, United States
You are invited to attend an informational meeting about the 2025 WNC AgOptions grant program for growers and producers. AgOptions staff will be present to discuss the program, go over the 2025 application timeline, and answer questions. Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 are available to farmers located within a 22-county area of Western North Carolina* in 2025. Please register at http://go.ncsu.edu/agoptions.

2025 WNC AgOptions Information Session
2024-09-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Swain County Cooperative Extension Center, 60 Almond School Rd, Bryson City, NC, 28713, United States
You are invited to attend an informational meeting about the 2025 WNC AgOptions grant program for growers and producers. AgOptions staff will be present to discuss the program, go over the 2025 application timeline, and answer questions. Grants of $5,000 and $10,000 are available to farmers located within a 22-county area of Western North Carolina* in 2025.

U-Pick at KT's Orchard
2024-09-13 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-14 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-15 13:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-16 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-18 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-20 10:00 - 14:00 | KT’s Orchard and Apiary, 158 Pigeon Ford Rd., Canton, NC, 28716, United States
Come pick your own apples and experience the magic of picking your own fresh fruit right from the tree! Apple varieties include Ambrosia, Crimson Crisp, Gala, McIntosh and Wine Crisp just to name a few. We also have honey, jam, dried apples and lots more!

Apples at Hickory Nut Gap Farm
2024-09-13 10:00 - 2024-11-02 18:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Wednesday through Sunday 10am to 6pm, we are offering bulk NC Apples from Lyda Farms by the bag! We will have pecks, half bushels and bushels for sale.
• We provide bags, if you don’t see them ask for them in the store!
• The apples are locally grown in Edneyville, NC and LOW SPRAY
• We will have varieties come and go with as the season wears on
• We will have apples September through end of October
• Fresh pressed & Frozen Apple Cider will also be available
Wednesday through Sunday 10am to 6pm, we are offering u-pick cider apples at Hickory Nut Gap Farm.
THE RULES:
• Bring your own 5 gallon bucket
• NO CLIMBING TREES – Please be gentle with them
• The grass in the orchard is long, dress appropriately
• You may bring an apple picker, or check one out at the register
• Apples are $10/5 gallon bucket
• Not all varieties are producing well this year, you’ll just have to go see what’s up there
——>See aerial map with varieties laid out as your guide! Screenshot or download image below.
• These apples are 100% untouched. No spray, no real management at all besides pruning. They’re as natural as can be! That also means they might have ugly skin or bugs. Perfect for cider, vinegar, apple butter, etc.

20 Years of Community Gardening Historical Tour
2024-09-14 10:00 - 11:30, 2024-09-21 10:00 - 11:30 | The Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, 99 White Pine Dr., Black Mountain, NC, 28801, United States
Join us to learn about our community’s beautiful history, as we celebrate 20 years of community building, growing, and teaching at the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden. Diana McCall, Garden Manager from 2007-2022, will share stories and wisdom while we walk through the space, appreciating the history and current success of the garden. Learn about the garden’s creation, the plants and people that give it life, and the long history of community engagement that makes this space possible. After the tour, light refreshments will be served. Gather with us on a Saturday morning in September from 10:00am – 11:30am on September 7th, 14th, or 21st.Your ticket reserves one spot for one tour. Please RSVP for one of the three dates.
Tickets are $20 per person. Ticket proceeds support the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden’s 20th Anniversary Fundraiser Event with the goal of raising $20,000 to fund our educational programming and start accumulating seed money to replace our old barn with a new facility. More information about the fundraiser can be found at https://bmtcommunitygardens.org/20th-anniversary-celebration/

Organic Growers School 2nd Annual Sow & Grow Fest
2024-09-14 12:00 - 17:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Join Organic Growers School for our 2nd annual Sow & Grow Fest, a family-friendly event celebrating Western North Carolina’s vibrant food and farming community!
Event Highlights:
🍽️ Community Potluck: 1-2 PM – Enjoy farm-fresh dishes prepared by our farm program students, alums, and partners. Bring your favorite dish to share and join the feast!
🎶 Live Music: Local musicians Laura Blackley and Ashley Chambliss will entertain you with their soulful sounds.
🌱 Seed & Plant Share: Meet fellow plant lovers and join interactive gardening demonstrations.
🍅 Tomato Tastings: Rank the tastiest tomatoes!
🍻 Local Vendors & Fun Activities: Explore craft beverages and fun family activities.
🎟️ Admission is Free! Registration is encouraged but optional. Potluck lunch tickets are available for a suggested donation of $20 per person. You can also choose to bring a dish to share.
🌟 Silent Auction: Starting in August and running through Sow & Grow Fest. Amazing items like East Fork Pottery, an Airbnb cabin getaway, an Asheville Artisan gift basket, and more will be up for grabs!
📢 Support the Grow for Good Fund: Your potluck ticket donation and silent auction bids support farmer training programs, scholarships, mentorships, and our savings incentive program.
Celebrate the rich bounty of our region with us! 🌾🥕

2025 WNC AgOptions Information Session
2024-09-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Haywood County Co-operative Extension, 589 Raccoon Rd, Waynesville, NC, 28786, United States

SC Tax Training for Small Scale Farmers and Ranchers
2024-09-18 10:00 - 15:30 | Dr. T.K. Gregg Community Center, 650 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC, 29303, United States
Training on: financial management, effective recordkeeping and best practices, business planning and enterprise budgeting, NCRS programs. Improve your financial stability and learn more about tax regulation and best management practices.
650 Howard Street Spartanburg, SC 29303
For more information contact: Tyrone Williams, Upstate Region Extension Ag Agent. twill108@scsu.edu
(864) 332-0910

2025 WNC AgOptions Information Session
2024-09-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Burke County Agricultural Center, 130 Ammons Drive, Morganton, NC, 28655, United States

Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze
2024-09-20 - 2024-09-22, 2024-09-27 - 2024-09-29 | Eliada Homes for Children, 2 Compton Dr, Asheville, NC, 28806, United States
By far Eliada’s biggest annual event of the year! In 2023 we welcomed over 13,000 attendees on campus to ring in the Fall season with an Asheville tradition – Eliada’s 6- Acre Corn Maze. We collaborate with schools and businesses to offer special opportunities for educational field trips and corporate parties. Families can find activities to fall in love with from a hayride to a fun experience on the jumping pillow, maze, games, and more!
Eliada’s mission is Helping Children Succeed. We provide a cradle-to-career continuum of services for over 400 children and youth annually. In partnership with families, we meet basic needs and provide positive child and youth development programming to all ages.
Event information
Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze
49 Compton Drive, Asheville, NC 28806
Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9/20/2024-10/27/2024
Fridays 3AM-7 PM, Saturdays 10AM-7PM, Sundays 10AM-6 PM
Email cornmaze@eliada.org for information on corporate nights, field trips, birthday parties, or general inquiries.

2nd Annual Putting Food By and Other Revolutionary Acts
2024-09-20 13:00 - 2024-09-22 16:00 | Spiral Mountain, 96 Randall Cove Rd, Leicester, NC, 28748, United States
Early bird registration for our 2nd Annual Event, Putting Food by and Other Revolutionary Acts is happening now until August 31st!
Learn about topics such as hot water bath canning, food preservation, herbal vinegars, cordials and elixirs, lacto-fermentation, Cherokee food, harvesting and drying herbs, food for your sun sign, dairy production: yogurt, ice cream, sour cream, cheese & butter, and other subjects.

Here’s our exciting schedule which may be subject to slight change:
Friday teachers:
Aimee Williams from Aimee the Astrologer teaching “Food for your Sun Sign”
Jessie Stewart from the Mother Holler and Mary Cutter teaching “Dairy Production: Yogurt, Ice Cream, Sour Cream, Cheese & Butter.”

Saturday teachers:
Ashley English from Small Measure teaching “Hot Water Bath Canning”
Melissa Fryar from French Broad Food Co-op teaching “Cordials and Elixirs”
Cindi Quay from Cindi’s Sacred Garden teaching “Harvesting and Drying Herbs”
Tyson Sampson from Bigwitch Botanicals teaching “Cherokee Foods”

Sunday teachers:
Lori Collins Jenkins from Sister of Mother Earth teaching “Fire Cider”
Sam Taylor from Firetree Organics teaching “Lacto-Fermentations”
Adam Bigelow from Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions leading a plant walk on “Appalachian Natives.”

Meals are included with both general admission and day passes:
Friday: Supper for weekend attendees
Saturday: Breakfast, lunch, and supper
Sunday: Breakfast and lunch
This is a ticketed event, but we will be offering scholarships and work trade arrangements.
Tickets are now available at this link:
tinyurl.com/puttingfoodby24

U-Pick at KT's Orchard
2024-09-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-09-22 12:00 - 17:00 | KT’s Orchard and Apiary, 158 Pigeon Ford Rd., Canton, NC, 28716, United States
Come pick your own apples and experience the magic of picking your own fresh fruit right from the tree! Apple varieties include Ambrosia, Crimson Crisp, Gala, McIntosh, Ricky Jones and Wine Crisp just to name a few. We also have honey, jam, dried apples and lots more!
***Special Event*** We are proud to be participating in ASAP’s Farm Tour this weekend on Saturday 9/21 and Sunday 9/22 from 12-5pm each day. Come see what farming is really all about. An Apple tasting demo will be held in the lower Orchard, our U-Pick will be opened, plus much more! Get your weekend pass and find more information at asapconnections.org/find-local-food/asaps-farm-tour/.

ASAP's Farm Tour
2024-09-21 12:00 - 2024-09-22 17:00 | NC
ASAP’s 2024 Farm Tour will take place Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22, from 12-5 p.m. both days.
ASAP’s annual Farm Tour is a chance to experience how food is grown and raised through guided tours, demonstrations, and tastings. The Farm Tour showcases the diversity of working farms in Western North Carolina, including vegetables, livestock, vineyards, orchards, flowers, fiber, and more! This is a family-friendly event and a great outing for visitors of all ages, abilities, and interests. All are welcome.

Barn Dance with Iliana Rose Cuban Jazz Trio
2024-09-21 18:00 - 21:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Iliana Rose and her Cuban Jazz Trio are back! Iliana is a piano prodigy with infectious energy and out of this world entertainment- the talented band will keep you moving, sweating, and circling back onto the floor for more! If you just want to sit back and absorb the experience, prepare for foot tapping and seat wiggling- it’s just that good.
HNG will be running a bar with local beers, NA beverage and snack cart.
Barn Door Ciderworks will provide some sweet and snappy sips of their legendary cider brewed right here in Fairview.
Root Down Farm food truck will be serving up some seriously lovely food featuring NC Farm fresh veggies and Hickory Nut Gap meats.
By purchasing your ticket online you will be on our Will Call list, admission will be checked in at the Cabana!
Date: Saturday, September 21st, 2024
Time: 6pm-9pm
Cost: $10/person
5 and under free!
*We love four-legged friends, but only two-legged creatures may attend this event.

Ani & Wanei Culture Fest
2024-09-22 12:00 - 16:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
The Ani & Wanei Cultural Festival celebrates the rich cultural milieu of Cherokee and Appalachian heritage in this humming mountain landscape.
On September 22nd from noon until 4:00 PM the traditions of Cherokee and Appalachian art, music, and dance will fill the Big Barn Venue at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm, in Fairview.
The Ani & Wanei Culture Fest brings two principal mountain cultures together in music, art, and food. There is fun and learning for the whole family!
Here, you can try out some Cherokee words, taste frybread tacos, or even participate in a traditional Cherokee Friendship dance. Relax and listen to Appalachian Bluegrass or the haunting sounds of a Native American flute. Browse the traditional wares of painter, potter, weaver, beader, jeweler, and carver.
Musicians will include: Jarrett Wildcat – Cherokee flautist and storyteller and Andrew Wakefield – Appalachian bluegrass guitarist. The Warriors of Anikituhwa will share dances. The Igali Puppets will teach Cherokee words and the Cherokee Royalty, including Miss Cherokee, will share thoughts on important issues that they contact. Artists will offer pottery, baskets, beading, jewelry, woodcarving, and paintings. There will be a Native American Food truck, face painting, and the specialty farm store will open its doors to all.
This celebration of culture stems from a new trailhead sign that will be unveiled at the event. The sign will soon grace the entry to the Strawberry Gap trail in Gerton. This trail, managed by Conserving Carolina, represents a unique paradigm for walking in the U.S. Like in European countries, private land there is available for public use. The trail is a metaphor for the intercultural connection depicted in the Ani & Wanei Cultural Fest.

Dr. John Wilson Community Garden 20th Anniversary Celebration
2024-09-22 17:00 - 20:00 | White Horse Black Mountain, 105c Montreat Road, Black Mountain, 28711
Join the passionate gardeners and volunteers of the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden on September 22nd from 5:00-8:00 p.m. for the garden’s 20th Anniversary Celebration! The evening will include an original play created and performed by community members; live music; a delicious dinner prepared by local restaurants and gardeners, and a cash bar. Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door. Student (college and grade school) tickets $25. Children 6 years and under are free. A silent auction will offer local adventures, activities, and services that will enrich your year spiritually, mentally, and physically, and you can test your luck on three unique raffle baskets.
The original play will be this event’s crown jewel. With the help of local community theater playwright and director Jerry Pope, the garden’s community has woven a tapestry of stories from a myriad of voices. The resulting compilation of memories is sure to make you laugh, cry, and reminisce! These stories touch the humanity in all of us and the endless connections that we have with the universe around us.
The goal for the 20th Anniversary Celebration is to raise $20,000! Proceeds from this event provide financial support for the garden’s interns so that they can focus on learning good growing techniques and in-turn share that knowledge with others and give back to the community. Proceeds also allow the garden to bring in excellent educators for workshops to educate the community about gardening, native and medicinal plants, and more. The rest of the revenue will be set aside as seed money for a new structure to replace the current barn. The community hopes that the new structure can include processing capabilities, educational space, cold storage, and an office for the full-time garden manager. Additional donations are enthusiastically welcomed to help realize this vision!
Providing food for hundreds of local families, the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden is a vital resource in helping reduce food insecurity in the Swannanoa Valley. Each year, residents and volunteers come together to grow fresh produce that is distributed to families in need. The garden relies heavily on the work of interns to assist in the growing process and to educate the public on sustainable growing techniques. This fundraiser serves as one of the best opportunities for the community to come together and learn about the purpose and benefits of the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden. This event is also one of the best ways to support the community garden and keep it up and running for years to come.
In addition to growing produce for the community and providing space for residents to garden, the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden tends dozens of fruit and nut trees, grows many native and medicinal plants, helps to maintain greenways, operates a composting station for the Town, and supports a full-time garden manager position.
The Dr. John Wilson Community Garden is located at 99 White Pine Drive in Black Mountain and is a program of Black Mountain Recreation and Parks. It is supported by the Friends of the Community Gardens.
For more information about this year’s event or to purchase tickets visit the event website at https://bmtcommunitygardens.org/20th-anniversary-celebration/. To get involved, please contact Lucille Nelson at lucille.nelson@tobm.org. For information about donations and sponsorships please reach out to info@bmtcommunitygardens.org

U-Pick at KT's Orchard
2024-09-23 10:00 - 14:00, 2024-09-25 10:00 - 14:00 | KT’s Orchard and Apiary, 158 Pigeon Ford Rd., Canton, NC, 28716, United States
Come pick your own apples and experience the magic of picking your own fresh fruit right from the tree! Apple varieties include Ambrosia, Crimson Crisp, Gala, McIntosh, Ricky Jones and Wine Crisp just to name a few. We also have honey, jam, dried apples and lots more!

Organic Crop Management Series. Session 1: Soil Management
2024-09-24 18:30 - 20:00 | Online/Virtual
Organic Crop Management is a FREE webinar series led by local farmers and agricultural resource specialists. Growers will gain the tools to manage soil health, weeds, pests and diseases for the whole farm. Participants will also gain insight into considerations for Organic Certification. Each session will center around direct experience in the field from organic growers of different scales.
Session 1- Organic Soil Management with De’Anthony Price (Southeast Organic Consultant – Rodale Institute)
This online workshop will give you an in-depth look at the principles and practices of soil health management and the challenges and opportunities of managing soil health. Participants will learn the natural and human factors that influence soil organic matter content and the ecological processes responsible for promoting soil health in agricultural operations.De’Anthony Price, Southeast Organic Consultant at the Rodale Institute will share the soil management practices that they use to help farmers promote soil health.

Pricing for Perennials Workshop
2024-09-25 09:30 - 11:30 | Mountain BizWorks, 153 S. Lexington Ave, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
From ornamentals and berries to fruit trees and medicinal herbs, perennial crops are an attractive way for farmers to diversify their offerings and shift their production schedules, but they’re not always a bed of rosaceae. Join us for a FREE farmer-to-farmer workshop next week to get financial and operational insights to help make perennial crops a successful part of your farm.
Register here.
More info:
This workshop will feature presentations from two leading local farms: The Farm Connection, an edible, medicinal, and native plant nursery and garden center in Marshall, NC; and J&M Farms, a family-owned mountain apple orchard in Hendersonville – who both recently graduated from Mountain BizWorks’ ScaleUp WNC program. The presentations will be followed by Q&A, a roundtable discussion, and FREE lunch.
This workshop is made possible through a collaboration with Mountain BizWorks and ASAP, and funded via a grant from the Southern Risk Management Education Center. Appalachian Grown certified farms who register and attend this workshop will receive a workshop stipend of $27.75 to help cover some of their off-farm time.
