Utopian Seed Project - Trial to Table Fall Celebration
2024-10-12 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | 699 Conaheeta St. in Konehete Park, Murphy, NC, 28906
Trial to Table – October 2024
Oct 12, 1 – 4 PM | The Mule, Devil’s Foot Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Representing Chefs:
Eric Morris | Sheri Castle | Tie Whittiker | Brian Crow
Our October Celebration will take place at The Mule, Devil Foot Brewing Company’s beautiful event space in Asheville, NC. We’ll be joined by Chefs Morris, Castle, Crow, and Whittiker, who will each offer two small plates (8 plates total, at least one plate from each chef will be vegetarian). We’ll also be celebrating Legume diversity, pea, beans and other family members! Chef Luis Martinez will be offering a Hibiscus Tepahce as a welcome drink, and The Mule has a fully stocked cash bar. Board member, Jay Bost, will be running a bean trial tasting table to show off some bean diversity. And will have a legume Demo Stations to help you translate these ingredients into your home kitchen!
Ticket price includes two small plates from each chef (8 plates total). We’ll also be running a Utopian Seed Project tasting table to show off some of these ingredients in their pure form. A note on pricing transparency: we want these events to be as accessible as possible and so have a flexible pricing policy, if you’re able to pay more than $50 then great, if you can’t then that’s great to.

Organic Crop Management Series. Session 4: Organic Weed Management
2024-10-15 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.
Effectively managing weeds can be the most labor-intensive task for ecological crop and vegetable production. This online workshop will cover common weed biology, ecology, and identification. You will also learn preventative, mechanical, and cultural practices you can implement on your farm to reduce weed pressure. Mary Carroll will share the weed management practices that they use to identify weeds and reduce weed pressure at Red Scout Farm.

DIPLOMADO DE AGRICULTURA ORGÁNICA Y REGENERATIVA
2024-10-19 | 699 Conaheeta St. in Konehete Park, Murphy, NC, 28906
PROGRAMA SEMILLAS DE CAMBIO: DIPLOMADO DE AGRICULTURA ORGÁNICA Y REGENERATIVA
¡Únete a nuestro curso presencial y en español dirigido a quienes quieran aprender sobre agricultura orgánica, producir alimentos, trabajar en una granja orgánica, crear un negocio agrícola, y/o ser líderes defensores de un sistema alimentario más justo y saludable
Inscripción GRATUITA – Cupos limitados
Clases los sábados por la mañana 1 vez al mes
INICIO: Sábado 19 de Octubre de 2024
LUGAR: Condado de Henderson, NC
DURACIÓN: 8 meses
(incluye visitas de campo y más de 50 horas de clase teórico prácticas)

PARA MAYOR INFORMACIÓN: Llame o envie un texto al (828)808-5583 o un correo a: tierrafertilcoophv@gmail.com
Estos talleres y cursos cuentan con el apoyo del Programa de Transición de Sociedad Orgánica (TOPP) del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA). TOPP es un programa de la Iniciativa de Transición a la Agricultura Orgánica del USDA y está administrado por el Programa Nacional Orgánico (NOP) del Servicio de Comercialización Agrícola (AMS) del USDA. Tambien cuenta con el apoyo del programa de ayuda BFRDP del USDA.

North Carolina Crunch
2024-10-23 | 699 Conaheeta St. in Konehete Park, Murphy, NC, 28906
North Carolina Crunch, co-sponsored by the NC Farm to Preschool Network, is a statewide event that celebrates North Carolina agriculture, National Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month, apples grown by local farmers, and healthy eating.
Join the state of North Carolina in celebrating Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month by crunching into a locally grown fruit or vegetable on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at noon or any time during the month of October that works for you. The NC Crunch is also a great opportunity to thank all those involved in feeding our communities. This event is about uniting together to celebrate North Carolina agriculture, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and healthy eating. Participants of all ages are invited to crunch with their schools, early care and education sites, organizations, families, or communities. Help us reach all 100 counties and 500,000 kids and adults with the NC Crunch!
The North Carolina Crunch promotes healthy eating and supports farm to school, farm to early care and education (ECE), and other local food initiatives throughout the state. It’s also a fun and educational way to connect food and agriculture to all kinds of classroom curricula – from science to art!
Learn more and register here.

Free Barn Dance & Volunteer Fair
2024-10-26 12:00 - 18:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Please join us at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Big Barn, hosted with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on Saturday October 26th for a free community event, a Barn Dance & Volunteer Fair! We NEED THIS. Take some time to relax and unwind from recovery efforts, AND help sustain and support WNC’s farmers, towns, hills and hollers for months to come.
The event is in the Big Barn from 12pm-6pm, and our Farm Store is open for business!
– Free Live music 1pm-5pm and dancing with local youth band the Lucky Buckeyes & our favorite square dance squallers, the Old Charlotte Highwaymen.
– Cretaceously craveable eats by Grush’s Cajun Dino Grill.
– Beer proceeds will go to ASAP Farmers’ Emergency Relief Fund.
– We will have a Funding Wall, full of posters with QR codes linking attendees directly to organizations, local businesses, families and friends who need our community’s financial help to stay afloat and rebuild.
– Local pumpkins, squash, apples, fresh pressed cider and seasonal offerings are back!
– Hay Rides & Pony rides 11am-4pm, proceeds benefit Project HNG!
Right now the big picture of what our region is facing is still being painted – community spirit is high, neighbors across the country are flying, driving, running, emailing and calling in with their time, talent and treasure. But the locals know, we’re in this for the long haul – we need volunteers to commit regularly for months to come. To dispense resources to the communities who can’t get to them, to flush toilets for citizens who don’t have the strength, to gut homes that just can’t house anyone right now. The messy, heart-rending business of rebuilding our lives in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
We will be hosting an ongoing Volunteer Fair for all of you wonderful non-profits, local farms and gardens, community-organized groups, local businesses-turned-emergency-community-hubs, and more. We hear you have the resources, you just need the helping hand. Please contact megan.auten@hickorynutgap.com to send a volunteer or staff member to table at this event. It’s a great chance to get attendees acquainted with who you are and how important your mission is, and get them to sign up right there and then for weeks and months to come.
HNG has WIFI thanks to a generously donated Starlink, so attendees can pull up their calendars as they walk from table to table. We will also provide paper calendars so they can pin their schedule to the wall or the fridge.
If you have a group you feel like could use some support, whether from donation or volunteer work, please contact megan.auten@hickorynutgap.com they will be added to our invite list and our Funding Wall – we hope to see you then, on Saturday 10/26 for a little fun, a little togetherness and a lot of hope.

Hickory Nut Gap's 6th Annual Sausage Festival
2024-11-09 11:00 - 16:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Hickory Nut Gap’s 6th Annual Sausage Festival is here, and we’re so excited to have our fall season’s crowning event back on the farm. Out in the Big Barn we celebrate everything sausage, kraut, brew and more with local music, vendors and fun festivities. Oktoberfest & Fall-themed costume is heartily encouraged!
Time: 11am-4pm
Location: Big Barn at the Farm! 57 Sugar Hollow Road, Fairview, NC
Price: 6 and under free, $12/ticket
What to Expect:
-Live Music by Marion’s own premier party polka band, Das OomPapas
-Fermentation Basics demo by Meg Chamberlain, the pickle princess of Fermenti Foods
-See how the sausage gets made, with live sausage-making demo by Butcher Brian
-Local vendors & craftsmen by Appalachian Makers Collective, just in time for holiday shopping…
-Our famous Adults-Only Musical Chairs Competition, grand prize is $150 HNG Meat Sampler
-Pass the pretzel game, kids small and tall welcome
Don’t miss the food & drink:
-Milk & Honey Food Truck serving Hickory Nut Gap meats
-Specialty deep-fried pretzels by Wicked Good Pretzels
-Sausage samples & sales in the Farm Store
-Local beers and NA beverages at the bar
-Local hard cider by Barn Door Cider works
Bring a little cash for our Relief Raffle to benefit the Fairview Fire Department’s recovery. At only $5/ticket, prizes include, but are not limited to:
-Sausage Sampler featuring HNG Sausage & Fermenti Kraut
-Local goody & hard cider basket, perfect for Holiday prep
-A coveted Pasture Raised Thanksgiving Turkey from right here on the farm
In addition, this will be our last weekend to enjoy Fall Festivities!
***Please leave your furry friends at home unless they are a registered service animal with documentation.

Mycoremediation Workshop and Shiitake log plugging
2024-11-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Turgua Brewing, 3131 Cane Creek Rd, Fairview, NC, 28730, United States
Join Myco Rhizing Mushroom’s Natalie Gerardot and Deep Woods Mushrooms Greg Carter for an afternoon of fungi! We will be discussing mycoremediation techniques post Helene to benefit farmers, gardeners and yard owners in the cleaning of contamination, rebuilding and repairing of soil, stream bank restoration, stump removal, waste clean up and waterway contamination mitigation. There will be lots of hands on opportunities to learn the techniques and if you bring an oak logs, you will leave with a shiitake logs and the knowledge to make more! This event is free, any donations going to Helene relief efforts locally.

WNC Farmer Resource Meeting: Tools for Rebuilding
2024-11-18 09:00 - 19:00 | N.C. Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center, 589 Raccoon Rd, Waynesville, NC, 28786, United States
Join us for a free farm-focused gathering to understand resources available post-Helene and work together to rebuild WNC Agriculture.

You will have the opportunity to hear directly from Ag partner agencies and supporting organizations about their resources, ask questions in real time related to livestock support and soil remediation, and provide feedback to agencies to best shape the future of agriculture in WNC.
Throughout the day, we’ll be offering 1-on-1 relief assistance sessions, breakout room discussions, relaxation activities, and we’ll end with a local farm-to-table dinner.
All farmers, regardless of Helene impacts, are welcome to join and learn about available resources, as well as contribute to recovery discussions. We have a limited number of gas cards available to further support farmer attendance.
This event is sponsored by Empowering Mountain Food Systems (EMFS), a project of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), and N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Register here.

Frequently asked questions

I can’t stay the whole time, but I want to come to dinner. Is it okay to leave and come back?

Absolutely! We know you are busy. Come when you can, leave when you have to and come back if you want to. Just let us know what meals you plan to share with us so we can inform our caterers.

Mycoremediation Workshop and Shiitake Log plugging
2024-11-21 13:00 | Looking Glass Creamery, 115 Harmon Dairy Ln, Columbus, 28722, United States
Join Natalie from Myco Rhizing Mushroom Farm and Greg from Deep Woods Mushrooms for an afternoon of fungi! We will be discussing and demonstrating low tech cultivation and remediation techniques using fungi to heal and rebuild our farms and gardens post Helene. Learn to clean waterways, remove contamination, build soil, repair stream banks and build resilience post flood. Bring an oak logs and leave with a shiitake logs! Free event with all donations going to local disaster relief.

Farmer to Farmer Webinar: Navigating Federal Farm Recovery Programs
2024-11-21 14:00 - 16:00 | 699 Conaheeta St. in Konehete Park, Murphy, NC, 28906
ASAP is facilitating a farmer learning cohort to focus on Helene recovery. This series of webinars will allow farmers to share experiences, learn from one another about navigating recovery resources, and document learnings for fellow farmers and future needs. The first webinar will focus on programs offered by Farm Services Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Topic: Farmer to Farmer Webinar: Navigating Federal Farm Recovery Programs Offered by FSA and NRCS
When: Thursday (11/21), 2:00-4:00 PM
Where: Virtual/webinar
Presenters: Mary Carroll Dodd of Red Scout Farm, Black Mountain, NC and Danielle Hutchison of TendWell Farm, Old Fort, NC

Cost: Free, registration is required, register here. Webinar link will be provided upon registration.
Appalachian Grown certified farms who register and attend will receive a $37.00 attendance stipend to cover their time invested in this offering.

**This webinar will provide an opportunity to both learn from and have an honest and open conversation with your fellow Appalachian Grown certified farms about what has and hasn’t quite worked for you within federal recovery resources. Real world examples of success in engaging these recovery programs, as well as challenges therein, will be shared by presenting farmers.**

Hickory Holiday Bash - Holiday Barn Market
2024-12-01 11:00 - 16:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Join us for our 3rd annual Hickory Holiday Bash! Appalachian Makers Collective presents a group of local vendors at Hickory Nut Gap’s barn – shop for the holidays!

Meet Santa Shop With Local Makers Pony + Hay Rides With Project Hickory Nut Gap Eat With Little Oven PizzaSnack With Appalachian Pop Co Enter Raffle Benefiting Helene Relief

Bake the Holidays Sweeter - Helene Benefit Baking Class
2024-12-04 17:30 - 19:30 | Mountain Harvest Kitchen, 106 Unicoi Village Place, Unicoi, TN, 37692
Learn how to decorate delicious cupcakes with a Hot Chocolate Cupcake and White Chocolate Peppermint theme. Class will cover techniques for creating beautiful designs and how to use white chocolate peppermint ganache. Perfect for the holiday season! This class will be taught by Cakes by Andrae, a 17 year old from Roan Mountain who lost his commercial kitchen due to Hurricane Helene. Proceeds will go to Andrae to help him rebuild! All participants will take home 6 White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes and 6 Hot Cocoa Cupcakes.

Community Scoops Day at The Hop Ice Cream
2024-12-12 11:30 - 21:00 | The Hop Ice Creamery, 167 Haywood Road, Asheville, 28806
On Thursday, December 12th, The Hop Ice Cream will host its first-ever Community Scoops Day at all locations, giving away over 1,100 scoops of ice cream to the Asheville community. This pay-it-forward initiative allows The Hop to keep spreading joy and connection during challenging times.
Community Scoops began as a way for people from all over to support both The Hop and the Asheville community in the wake of Hurricane Helene and beyond. Through the initiative, supporters purchased scoops of ice cream that will now be gifted to community members who could use a little extra sweetness in their lives.
“We were blown away by the generosity of our customers,” said Greg Garrison, co-owner of The Hop Ice Cream. “People from across the U.S. and even other countries came together to make this happen. It’s a testament to the kindness of people as well as the resilience of this community and the folks who love it.”
On December 12th, anyone in need of a sweet pick-me-up can visit one of The Hop’s locations to enjoy a free scoop of ice cream. Whether it’s a neighbor, friend, or someone you just met, The Hop invites everyone to help spread the word and share the love.
This day wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of so many individuals who believe in the power of small acts of kindness. It’s proof that even during trying times, the Asheville community remains strong, generous, and united.
Locations and Hours:
640 Merrimon Ave, Daily 1-9pm
721 Haywood Rd, Daily 1-9pm
56 Patton Ave (inside S&W Market), Sun, Mon, Wed, & Thurs 11:30am-5:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-8pm
114 Cherry St (Black Mountain), Wed through Sun 1-9pm

Winter Networking Event with Food Waste Solutions WNC
2024-12-12 17:00 - 19:00 | West End Bakery, 757 Haywood Rd, Asheville, NC, 28806, United States
Join us for Food Waste Solutions WNC’s Networking Gathering! Thursday December 12th at West End Bakery, 757 Haywood Rd in West Asheville from 5-7pm.
Our upcoming winter networking event is centered around discussion with local organizations who fed the community post Hurricane Helene.
Engage with others who are committed to food waste reduction in Western North Carolina and learn about WNC Food Waste Solutions new working groups, including information on joining our working group for the upcoming 2025 Food Waste Solutions Summit. The event is potluck style, so get creative and make a dish with what’s already in your fridge!
For more information, email hi@wncfoodwaste.org.

Helene Recovery Assistance Initiative: Contractor Informational Session
2025-01-03 12:00 - 13:00 | Online/Virtual
Who Should Attend The Informational Session?
Individual farmers who have familiarity with FSA, NRCS, and other USDA programs
Food system practitioners and nonprofit organizations who can assist farmers with FSA, NRCS, and USDA applications
The informational session will provide details on How the Recovery Assistance Initiative will work to provide technical assistance to 400 farmers in the impacted counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties, as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
This is an ideal opportunity for farmer-farmer support and mentorship.
Please join us to learn more! See event website here.

Community Scoops Day at The Hop
2025-01-16 11:30 - 21:00 | The Hop Ice Creamery, 167 Haywood Road, Asheville, 28806
On Thursday, January 16th, The Hop Ice Cream will host its first-ever Community Scoops Day at all locations, giving away over 1,100 scoops of ice cream to the Asheville community. This pay-it-forward initiative allows The Hop to keep spreading joy and connection during challenging times.
Community Scoops began as a way for people from all over to support both The Hop and the Asheville community in the wake of Hurricane Helene and beyond. Through the initiative, supporters purchased scoops of ice cream that will now be gifted to community members who could use a little extra sweetness in their lives.
On January 16th, anyone in need of a sweet pick-me-up can visit one of The Hop’s locations to enjoy a free scoop of ice cream. Whether it’s a neighbor, friend, or someone you just met, The Hop invites everyone to help spread the word and share the love.
This day wouldn’t be possible without the contributions of so many individuals who believe in the power of small acts of kindness. It’s proof that even during trying times, the Asheville community remains strong, generous, and united.
Locations and Hours:
640 Merrimon Ave, Daily 1-9pm
721 Haywood Rd, Daily 1-9pm
56 Patton Ave (inside S&W Market), Sun, Mon, Wed, & Thurs 11:30am-5:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-8pm
114 Cherry St (Black Mountain), Wed through Sun 1-9pm

FEMA's Agriculture Recovery Fair - McDowell County
2025-01-27 09:00 - 18:00 | McDowell Technical Community College – Universal Manufacturing Center, 634 College Drive, Marion, NC, 28752, United States
Find Support at FEMA’s Agriculture Recovery Fair 🌱
One-day Agriculture Recovery Centers are planned to help North Carolina farmers recover from Helene damage. The first locations are set for Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell and Watauga counties. Additional events are planned for Ashe, Avery, Burke, Mitchell and Yancey counties. All are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Join FEMA for the Agriculture Recovery Fair on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at McDowell Technical Community College in Marion.
This event, hosted by FEMA in partnership with state and federal agencies, provides essential resources and guidance to help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses recover.
✅ What to Expect:
-Learn about recovery assistance tailored to agricultural and rural needs.
-Meet with representatives from FEMA, USDA, NC Department of Agriculture, SBA, Farm Service Agency, and more.
-Get help navigating programs and services for your specific situation.
Who Should Attend?
Farmers, ranchers, nursery owners, vineyards, honeybee growers, fish producers, and anyone in agriculture seeking recovery options.
What to Bring:
-Proof of ownership
-Photos of damage or lost equipment
-Estimated replacement costs
📍 Location:
McDowell Technical Community College – Universal Manufacturing Center
634 College Drive, Marion, NC 28752

Listening Session for Farmers Market in Fletcher
2025-01-27 18:00 - 19:00 | Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Rd, Fletcher, NC, 28732-8240, United States
The Town of Fletcher in conjunction with the Henderson County Cooperative Extension Office and ASAP are holding a listening session to determine public interest and feedback on establishing a farmers market in Fletcher. Potential vendors and other interested parties are invited to attend this event and learn more about plans to establish a market in Fletcher.

FEMA's Agriculture Recovery Fair - Henderson County
2025-01-28 09:00 - 18:00 | Dana Community Center, 2879 Upward Rd, Flat Rock, NC, 28731, United States
Find Support at FEMA’s Agriculture Recovery Fair 🌱
One-day Agriculture Recovery Centers are planned to help North Carolina farmers recover from Helene damage. The first locations are set for Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell and Watauga counties. Additional events are planned for Ashe, Avery, Burke, Mitchell and Yancey counties. All are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Join FEMA for the Agriculture Recovery Fair on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Dana Community Center in Flat Rock.
This event, hosted by FEMA in partnership with state and federal agencies, provides essential resources and guidance to help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses recover.
✅ What to Expect:
-Learn about recovery assistance tailored to agricultural and rural needs.
-Meet with representatives from FEMA, USDA, NC Department of Agriculture, SBA, Farm Service Agency, and more.
-Get help navigating programs and services for your specific situation.
Who Should Attend?
Farmers, ranchers, nursery owners, vineyards, honeybee growers, fish producers, and anyone in agriculture seeking recovery options.
What to Bring:
-Proof of ownership
-Photos of damage or lost equipment
-Estimated replacement costs
📍 Location:
Dana Community Center
2879 Upward Rd, Flat Rock

FEMA's Agriculture Recovery Fair - Watauga County
2025-01-29 09:00 - 18:00 | Watauga Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Road, Boone, NC, 28607, United States
Find Support at FEMA’s Agriculture Recovery Fair 🌱
One-day Agriculture Recovery Centers are planned to help North Carolina farmers recover from Helene damage. The first locations are set for Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell and Watauga counties. Additional events are planned for Ashe, Avery, Burke, Mitchell and Yancey counties. All are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Join FEMA for the Agriculture Recovery Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Watauga Agricultural Conference Center in Boone.
This event, hosted by FEMA in partnership with state and federal agencies, provides essential resources and guidance to help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses recover.
✅ What to Expect:
-Learn about recovery assistance tailored to agricultural and rural needs.
-Meet with representatives from FEMA, USDA, NC Department of Agriculture, SBA, Farm Service Agency, and more.
-Get help navigating programs and services for your specific situation.
Who Should Attend?
Farmers, ranchers, nursery owners, vineyards, honeybee growers, fish producers, and anyone in agriculture seeking recovery options.
What to Bring:
-Proof of ownership
-Photos of damage or lost equipment
-Estimated replacement costs
📍 Location:
Watauga Agricultural Conference Center
252 Poplar Grove Road, Boone

Farmer Roundtable: Farm Re-invention Strategies and Market Resilience
2025-01-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Online/Virtual
WNC Farmer Roundtable:
Farm Re-invention Strategies and Market Resilience
Wednesday, January 29, 6-8pm
Online (Zoom)
Join Organic Growers School, Blue Ridge Women in Ag, Michael Rayburn (NC Extension), & Lenwood Edwards and Jay Dunbar (CFSA) to discuss ways to pivot post-storm and how it’s been going so far. Topics include:
-Examples of changing farm production strategies or exploring different enterprises
-Taking stock of the current landscape, leaning into strengths and resources
-Options to diversify markets, new market ideas and finding new opportunities together
-Getting 1:1 support for your farm to address specifics
There will be plenty of time for discussion and addressing bigger questions that come up. See you there!
This event is presented by Blue Ridge Women in Ag and Organic Growers School and is open to any WNC or Helene-affected farmer.
Questions? email OGS Programs Coordinator Megan Krintz at megan@organicgrowersschool.org.

FEMA's Agriculture Recovery Fair - Buncbome County
2025-01-30 09:00 - 18:00 | AB Tech Community College, 340 Victoria Rd, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Find Support at FEMA’s Agriculture Recovery Fair 🌱
One-day Agriculture Recovery Centers are planned to help North Carolina farmers recover from Helene damage. The first locations are set for Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell and Watauga counties. Additional events are planned for Ashe, Avery, Burke, Mitchell and Yancey counties. All are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Join FEMA for the Agriculture Recovery Fair on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at A-B Tech Community College in Asheville.
This event, hosted by FEMA in partnership with state and federal agencies, provides essential resources and guidance to help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural businesses recover.
✅ What to Expect:
-Learn about recovery assistance tailored to agricultural and rural needs.
-Meet with representatives from FEMA, USDA, NC Department of Agriculture, SBA, Farm Service Agency, and more.
-Get help navigating programs and services for your specific situation.
Who Should Attend?
Farmers, ranchers, nursery owners, vineyards, honeybee growers, fish producers, and anyone in agriculture seeking recovery options.
What to Bring:
-Proof of ownership
-Photos of damage or lost equipment
-Estimated replacement costs
📍 Location:
A-B Tech Community College – Ivy Building
9 Genevieve Circle, Asheville

Southside Community Farm - Free Fridge Info Session
2025-02-01 11:00 - 13:00 | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St, Asheville, NC, 28801, United States
Want to build community connections? Want to decrease food waste while supporting local food security? Want to learn about our BRAND NEW free fridge and fridge location? Come hang out with us Saturday, February 1 from 11-1 at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St, Asheville. Whether you’ve never heard about free community fridges before, have been wanting to get involved for a while, or already support this is a time to gather and learn together. Bring a friend!
Note: this will be an indoor event at the Grant Center, which is a wheelchair accessible space. Please wear a mask for everyone’s safety and accessibility.

SOWTH 2025
2025-02-04 09:00 - 2025-02-06 18:30 | Georgia World Congress Center, 285 Andrew Young International Blvd. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30313, United States
With the theme “Small Farms, Big Community,” this event will bring together over 1,000 farm and food system professionals and advocates from 13 Southern states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands to advance sustainable agriculture and strengthen the local food movement across the region.
With a focus on collaboration and innovation, SOWTH 2025 will offer participants tools, resources, and partnerships to tackle the challenges facing today’s Southern food systems.
The conference will feature specialized educational tracks, a distinguished keynote panel, and a delicious Farmers Feast. Among the education tracks is the opportunity to participate in peer-led farm tours, covering topics like cooperative farm ownership, scaling operations for wholesale markets, food safety, and post-harvest processes.
Key topics to be addressed include sustainability, racial equity, rural development, and community-based agricultural solutions.

Sausage Master Class
2025-02-09 18:00 - 20:30 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
Learn about how our hogs are pasture raised from our farm director Virginia Hamilton. She will discuss heritage breeds, health benefits of pasture raised pork and how various inputs on the production side that impact the quality of the meat.
This is a much smaller, hands-on class with Butcher Brian, meant for those who want to make sausage at home or on site from scratch. Our cutoff for this class is only 4 attendees! Each participant will break down their own pork shoulder for ingredients, take part in making both ground and linked pork sausage. From grinding to mixing, recipes and proportions, to casings, attendees will be learning how the sausage gets made!
Included in this class experience:
Enjoy a beautiful heavy spread of our in-house made Charcuterie & Sausages and your choice of local beverage pairing (2 per attendee, both NA & alcoholic options)
You’ll be breaking down a whole shoulder, the yield goes home with you- approximately 5 pounds of sausage, made by you
A brand-new boning knife
Notes for attendees:
Make sure to bring a cooler or insulated bag to take home your sausage in.
Aprons and cut gloves will be provided to use while in class.
Bring comfortable grippy shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Our Farm Store will be open for a private shopping experience if you want to stick around post-snack and pick up a few more essentials.
Date: Sunday February 9th
Time: 6pm-8:30pm
Price: $300

Snowmoon Stargazing for Valentine's Day
2025-02-14 19:30 - 21:00 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, 57 Sugar Hollow Road , Fairview , NC, 28730, United States
This Valentine’s Day, come to the farm for Waning Snowmoon Stargazing! Our friend, astronomer, author & natural storyteller Stephan Martin will show you the bright and splendid starscape of a crispy February evening in the mountains.
Venus, Mars, and Jupiter will be shining above as will the brightest stars in the night sky at the best time of year to see them. Steve will point out some of the most romantic things to see in the winter sky, including the Great Nebula of Orion, the Pleiades star cluster, and the location of the beautiful Heart Nebula. We’ll share stories of some of the winter constellations including Orion, Canis Major, and the famous star-crossed lovers of Perseus and Andromeda.
Show up early and hit the farm store to get snacked up! Hot cocoa, hot cider, hand warmers, wine by the glass or bottle and charcuterie for you and your beloved.
Dress warmly, snuggly big blankets for sitting on/wrapping up in are recommended, good shoes for all weather to walk the grounds to your final destination. Do you have a telescope, binoculars or spyglass? Bring it along!
Tickets $10
***This would not be an ideal outing for the very young or the very elderly, and we ask that you leave your 4-legged friends at home.

WNC Farm Needs & Recovery Priorities Feedback Session
2025-02-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Madison County Cooperative Extension, 258 Carolina Lane, Marshall , NC, 28753, United States
Calling all WNC farmers impacted by Helene in any way – Join OGS and CEFS for an in-depth discussion on needs and priorities for storm recovery. A short presentation of research conducted so far will kick us off, with ample time for conversation. Topics include: infrastructure needs, market access needs, economic support needs, the role of mutual aid networks, and more. Register in advance at website. $25 gas cards are available to farmers to aid in their ability to attend.

Winter Vegetable Conference in Asheville, NC
2025-02-19 08:30 - 2025-02-20 15:30 | Crowne Plaza Convention Center, One Resort Drive, Asheville, NC, 28806, United States
Mark your calendars for the annual Winter Vegetable Conference and NC Tomato Growers Meeting. It will be held at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Asheville. Last year we started a new track to focus on topics of interest to small and medium size farms, including organic agriculture, high-tunnels, new crops, and direct marketing. It was a huge success and will be part of the program again in 2025. Presenters this year include Black Trumpet Farm, Stump Farms, Carolina Flowers, Mountain Food Products, and more!

Growing Minds Farm to School Training
2025-02-19 15:30 - 16:45 | Online/Virtual
Join ASAP’s Growing Minds program for an introduction to Farm to School. In this virtual training you will learn about the different components of farm to school, hear how you can use our toolkits and resources to support your farm to school goals, glean insights from farm to school champions in our region, and brainstorm activities to get you started. All are welcome no matter what age you teach or what your experience with farm to school is!
If you attend the training and are an educator in North Carolina, we will send you a hard copy of our I Tried Local Toolkit for FREE, so make sure to note your school’s address in the registration form.

WNC Farmer Roundtable: Soil Rebuilding Strategies
2025-02-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Online/Virtual
Let’s talk soil! We will discuss ways to rebuild damaged soils, highlighting two methods that make use of woody debris on farms. Alex Grey will present the basics of biochar creation and use, and Chris Parker will present how mushrooms can be used in a variety of ways to improve soil tilth and microbiome balance, with broader discussion on soil rebuilding to follow.
