Keep it fun while following social (physical) distancing recommendations! Join us in taking the #BackyardChallenge to celebrate #EarthMonth2020 in your own backyard. How have you been enjoying time outdoors? Check out the gallery below to see ways SAHC staff have been getting fresh air while sticking close to home. Share your own and tag us on social media. #BackyardChallenge #EarthMonth2020 #MyAppalachia #SAHC

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Greenways and walking trails remain open. Violations are considered punishable as a Class 2 misdemeanor.

• AFT’s Farmer Relief Fund will award farmers with cash grants of up to $1,000 each to help them weather the current storm of market disruptions caused by the coronavirus crisis.
• Initially, eligible applicants include any small and mid-size direct-market producers. These are defined as producers with annual gross revenue of between $10,000 and $1 million from sales at farmers markets and/or direct sales to restaurants, caterers, schools, stores, or makers who use farm products as inputs.
• The application (linked to below in both English and Spanish) is simple and easy to complete but includes sufficient detail to ensure AFT is awarding producers that have the greatest needs. Applicants will be asked to estimate their financial loss.
• AFT envisions an initial application round extending until April 23, with grants beginning to be made by May 1.
• https://farmland.org/farmer-relief-fund/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=637ece80-2dc9-49d1-9afb-6b97c772e470&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Apply%20Here&utm_campaign=March%202020%20Newsletter

Watch a jazz performance in the Windgate Foundation Atrium.

https://ashevillegrown.com/covid-19?utm_source=Farm+General+Interest&utm_campaign=ad50dba514-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_25_12_35&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c6a6d890c6-ad50dba514-34117913

We are all in this together! Asheville Grown has put together a fantastic list of resources to assist the public with issues arising from the COVID-19 outbreak. From filing for unemployment to volunteering at Manna Food Bank, this list is helpful to anyone who is in need of support, or who has extra time, energy and resources to support others.

Supporting local businesses and workers is one thing each of us can do right now. We’ve set up this page with resources, key information, creative initiatives and contacts.

Explore Asheville’s historical gems, flourishing neighborhoods, and latest attractions. Tourist, local, or new to town, this is a lively small group activity that anyone can enjoy. Lace up your walking shoes and get ready to experience the city like you never have before. Snap pics, race against the clock, and put your navigation skills to the test as you wander at your own pace. No reservations, no tour guides, and fun for all ages.

It is very important for donors to continue donating in the weeks and months ahead in order to maintain an adequate local blood supply. If you are feeling healthy and well, please make an appointment before donating so we can maintain the proper social distancing. The safety of our donors and staff is our top priority!

Blue Ridge Humane Society will remain closed to the public for the immediate future due to the ongoing developments of the spread of COVID-19 and at the recommendations of local and national experts. The closures will continued to be evaluated by BRHS staff to determine a safe return to public operation.

Adoptions are still ongoing by appointment only. Interested adopters can view available animals online and fill out the adoption application in order to set up a meeting. The Administrative Office and Blue Ridge Humane Society Thrift Store are closed entirely to the public at this time.

Blue Ridge Humane is still in need of help from our community however. Your support through fostering, donations, supplies, and adoptions means the world!

BRHS asks that the public monitor its website, www.blueridgehumane.org, and their social media channels for regular updates, as the reduction in services is subject to change based on guidance received from local and national public health officials.

With a potential decrease in staff due to risk of exposure, a probable increase in animals entering shelters, and reduction in income, Blue Ridge Humane asks for the community’s help in the following areas:

• Foster homes needed: We are seeking foster families who are willing to house animals during a time when our Adoption Center might not be fully staffed to do so. Please consider opening your heart and home to a homeless during this pandemic. We provide food, supplies, and medical care. You provide your lifesaving home and love. Social distancing doesn’t exist when you’re spending your time with a pet in need! Contact [email protected] for more information.

• Supplies needed: When shopping for supplies, consider adding an extra bag of pet food, a bottle of hand sanitizer, or a package of paper towels for our Adoption Center to your Amazon order. We need them daily to function and are feeling the effects of the surge in their demand. You purchase items from our Amazon Wish List or send a gift card!

• Adopt: Help us clear our Adoption Center. We currently have amazing pets in our care looking for a home. If you’ve considered adding a four-legged member to your family, now is a great time!

• Donate: As our revenue stream is limited during this time, consider a monetary donation to help ensure the continuation of animal care of Blue Ridge Humane now only now but in the future.

For more tips on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and preparing a care plan for your pet read our Emergency Plan Preparedness post or for a list of community resources in place to help pet owners during this time read Pet Resources Available.

If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.

–

Hey plant enthusiasts! Wishing all the best in the coming spring in the northern hemisphere or in the southern hemisphere for your fall! Of course we are living in an unprecedented time due to the current Covid 19 pandemic. i have wanted to start a blog for awhile.

Here in this class we have a chance to feed our passion for the natural world and plants in particular. This is also an opportunity to collaboratively add to our collective pool of botanical knowledge. This knowledge is a crucial piece to any future sustainability as well as a whole lot of fun when employed appropriately. Grateful you are choosing to spend some of your time with me!

Hi everyone! I hope that you are staying safe (and sane) in this unprecedented time? I’d like to offer a FREE online class, (absolutely no catch) on getting the most out of your camera.

Do you have a digital camera that you only use in Automatic mode and would like to get more out of it? Have you ever wondered what the different settings are and how they could help you when taking portraits or landscape photographs?

I’d like to set up a few beginner sessions to go over the basics. I will create 60-90 minute segments (via video link) and will look at:

– Aperture
– ISO
– Shutter Speed
– How different lenses impact your photo
– And many more topics

They’ll be in bite size chunks that are more manageable and give you an opportunity to review your notes prior to the next class. The class will be interactive at points too – it’s not just me talking to you via a pre-recorded message. Let’s have some fun together and have you using your camera more this spring/summer!

Respond below and let me know. Please RSVP within 24 hours of the start of each class.

Thanks!

Natasha

In this difficult time for all of us, the only thing BMC has to fight back with is our music. Please enjoy BMC Artistic Director Keith Lockhart leading the Brevard Music Center Orchestra in Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 (Movement IV: Molto allegro) at Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. For the remaining exuberant and introspective movements of the composer’s last symphony – and more BMC musical moments from past seasons – please visit youtube.com/brevardmusiccenter.

– Connect Beyond Festival 2020 organizers announced today that the festival, slated for April 3-5, 2020, is officially postponed. With recent developments surrounding COVID-19 nationally and in North Carolina, we cannot in good conscience move forward with the festival as scheduled. The safety of our guests and participants is our number one priority.

Connect Beyond Festival’s annual weekend-long event, as well as similar micro-events on both coasts, intends to return in 2020. For our fans, tickets will be refunded upon request by visiting our website page and filling out a quick form to initiate the process before Sunday, April 12, 2020. For guests interested in attending our rescheduled future event at a later date, all remaining ticket holders will be offered (1) additional ticket of equal value to their original purchase.

COVID-19 Relief Funds Available to Farmers starting April 3rd The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is part of the massive economic rescue package passed by Congress last week to address urgent needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Incorporated businesses, sole proprietors, single-member LLCs, self-employed individuals, and nonprofits are all eligible to apply for this relief. Apply Here

Organic Growers School

COVID-19 Updates for Business With the rapid update of information at the Federal, State, and local levels, we will be issuing these special edition updates each Thursday, in addition to our regular Tuesday, E-News. Visit our COVID-19 Updates Page March 26th Issue of COVID-19 Updates for Businesses

In this four-part class taught by M. Paige Taylor, explore composition and color using digital photography! Through a series of weekly assignments, hone your observation skills, apply framing and cropping with intention, and use color with purpose. APRIL 9, 16, 23, & 30—Thursdays, 6–8pm Registration deadline: April 8 $75 Museum Members, $85 non-members THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. SPACE IS LIMITED; TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE OR CALL 828.253.3227 X122. Matthew Pillsbury, Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, Paris, 2008, printed 2013, archival ink on paper, 39 ⅜ × 31 ½ inches, Collection of the Asheville Art Museum. Museum purchase with funds provided by the Nat C. Myers Photography Fund, 2012.44.99. © Matthew Pillsbury

EPA RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

EPA’s Coronavirus website provides key EPA resources and links to additional information about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Read the most up-to-date information about EPA actions, disinfectants, drinking water and waste water, and other resources.
https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus

Disinfectants that meet EPA’s criteria for use against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). When purchasing a disinfectant product, check if its EPA registration number is included on this list. If it is, you have a match and the product can be used against SARS-CoV-2.

• List of Disinfectants for use Against Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
• Frequently Asked Questions about Disinfectants for use Against Coronavirus
  https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/frequently-asked-questions-about-list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
• TWEET: EPA’s list of disinfectants for use against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is searchable, sortable, and contains more than 350 products.
  https://twitter.com/EPARegion8/status/1243307367229317120

Information on drinking water and wastewater. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) and drinking water and wastewater
  https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-drinking-water-and-wastewater
• Flush Only Toilet Paper!  Flushing only toilet paper helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems, and septic systems will continue working properly.
  https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-encourages-americans-only-flush-toilet-paper

Resources related to COVID-19 in other languages:

• Español: https://espanol.epa.gov/espanol/enfermedad-del-coronavirus-2019-covid-19
• Other languages: https://www.epa.gov/lep

As we enter into an even vaster understanding of just how interdependent we are and how fast something travels between us all, we can appreciate the power of our interconnectedness. This can be seen in the thousands of cases in which a virus has impacted so much of our lives from travel, business, wellness and gatherings.
Fantastic Fungi is all about our interconnectedness and the common issues that we face as a species. We know that our biggest defense from these viruses is our own sense of wellbeing, our own immunity and the ability to live from a place of health and wellness both individually and collectively.

Fantastic Fungi Day:
More Global Than Ever

Watch Fantastic Fungi… At Home!

The messages of this film could not be any timelier, from the need to reconnect and understand the intelligence of nature, to partnering with fungi and our natural world to shift our consciousness. How prepared are we to face the pressing issues we have in our world?

We are facing a serious challenge, yet like the mycelium network we are adaptable. As a response to the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus, we ask each community to take responsibility for establishing the best practice for them. We also know that we need to respond as mycelium and provide innovative ways of addressing these new challenges.

Join Us From The Safety of Wherever You Are.

In response to the Coronavirus we have decided to expand our reach and open the gates to the ever expanding movement of this film and provide an opportunity to people all around the world, no matter where you are located, to participate in Fantastic Fungi Day! Yes, we are creating an opportunity for everyone, wherever you are to view the film as well as tune into the post-screening Q&A. We have the ability to shift the way we are living in this world. Now is the time to tap into nature’s intelligence and come together as a worldwide audience seeking connection, hope and solutions.

With love and gratitude,
Louie, Paul and the FF Team

Pink Bunny in the Garden cast glass 7 x 8 x 13 in

Bender Gallery is pleased to announce Kindred, an exhibition for Seattle based mixed media artist Crista Matteson beginning on Friday April 3. Of course, we would have much preferred to have an in-person exhibition for Matteson at the gallery but we still feel very privileged to bring such beauty to our clients and followers at a time when we need it the most.

Matteson’s latest series Kindred stems from her observations and research into the connectedness of all living things as increased urbanization impacts the local ecosystem of her beloved Pacific Northwest. This theme of interconnectedness could not be more applicable to today, as a pandemic spreads the globe and people all over the world are going through the same experiences.

Last night, over 350 people joined our volunteer call “Activism in a Disrupted World”. That’s one of the biggest volunteer calls we have seen in a long time — showing how many of us need community and action right now.  We spoke about the challenge, opportunity, and choice we’re facing right now and what’s next for the Greenpeace volunteer community.  I know for me, between the sense of community I felt and the opportunity to take action — that was something I really needed last night.

These are unprecedented times. The legislation being passed right now and the effects COVID-19 will have on our communities will permanently change our world. It feels like there is so much happening that we can’t control — but we can still create change and protect so much of what’s important. In fact, it’s often in times of disruption that what was once impossible becomes possible. Now more than ever, we need to be coming together (virtually) and taking action.

That is why we are launching a series of Greenpeace Action Calls. We want to make sure you have what you need to continue your activism — even from home. So we’ll be holding volunteer calls, trainings, and actions every week for you to join. We’re starting with Take Action Tuesday — a place to come together, learn together, and take action together.

Sign up today and get updates on calls like Take Action Tuesday!

WHAT: Get updates on Greenpeace’s Volunteer Action Calls
WHEN: The first call is on Tuesday, March 31 — then other calls throughout the month of April
WHERE: Join from home — from your computer or phone!
HOW: Sign up for alerts and to see the call calendar!

Take Action Tuesdays is a virtual volunteer call where we will take action collectively (and remotely) while also connecting and supporting one another during this time. It is critical that we support one another and continue the fight for a more just and livable future. Next week we will hear from campaigners about where we are with Congress and the unprecedented legislation that is on the table. We’ll learn how to make an effective call to congress and then try it out together — and debrief how it went. If you are looking for ways to take action right now — or just to see a few more faces in your day — this is the call for you.

By signing up for these calls, you will be connected with a community committed to building each other up and taking action during this time. We’ll update you on when calls are happening and ways to continue to take action. RSVP for next week’s calls today.

Get Growing! Thankfully during this time of social distancing, we don’t need to distance from the garden or farm. Here are some resources to help: Gardening Basics Ask Ruth Gardening Blog Series Ask Tom Farming Blog Series Participate in our Online Spring Gardening Series Workshop More Resources for Growers & Consumers during Covid 19 Visit Our Covid 19 Resource Page

Henderson County Launches Live Streaming Updates for Residents Henderson County will host a live-streaming update for residents each Tuesday beginning April 7th for updates and information regarding COVID-19. The live stream will be featured on the County’s webpage (www.hendersoncountync.gov) and the video will be posted to the County’s FaceBook page and YouTube Channel for replay. Emailed questions will be addressed during the update as time allows. Questions can be submitted to [email protected] by Noon each Monday prior to the udates.

A Few Farm Store Updates…

• Moving forward, our hours will be Wednesday – Sunday, 1pm – 4pm.
• We will be accepting orders via online only. https://www.hickorynutgap.com/product-category/home-delivery/?utm_source=Farm+General+Interest&utm_campaign=ad50dba514-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_25_12_35&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c6a6d890c6-ad50dba514-34117913 We will not be accepting orders over the phone.
• Orders placed after 7am will be available for pickup the following business day.
• We are shipping orders and also offering drive-through pickup from the Farm Store.
• The deli and kitchen will be closed until further notice.