Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Join host Keith Flynn to celebrate the publication of the 2022 Asheville Poetry Review and the winners of the William Matthews Poetry Prize.
1st place — Maura High
2nd place — Christina Hutchins
3rd place — Anna Lena Phillips Bell
This event is virtual. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Please click here to register. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.
If you decide to attend and to purchase books, we ask that you purchase from Malaprop’s. When you do this you make it possible for us to continue hosting author events and you keep more dollars in our community. You may also support our work by purchasing a gift card or making a donation of any amount below. Thank you!
Maura High was born in Wales and now lives in Carrboro, North Carolina, where she works as a freelance copy editor. Her poems have appeared in various print and online literary magazines, such as New England Review, North Carolina Literary Review, Panoply, Passager, Rhino, Southern Review, Tar River Poetry, and The Phare. She is author of The Garden of Persuasions (Jacar Press) and collaborated with the artist Lyric Kinard on Stone, Water, Time. Another collaboration, a chapbook titled The Abandoned Field, with the printmaker Jean LeCluyse, is under way. Many of her poems draw on what she learned while working with The Nature Conservancy, especially with their prescribed burn crews in the Sandhills and coastal plain of the state. Her website is at http://maurahigh.com.
Christina Hutchins’ second book, Tender the Maker, won the May Swenson Award of Utah State University Press. Her first collection was The Stranger Dissolves (Sixteen Rivers Press), a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award and the Audre Lorde/Publishers’ Triangle Award. A chapbook, Radiantly We Inhabit the Air, won the Robin Becker Prize for queer poetry. Poems have appeared in The Antioch Review, Denver Quarterly, The New Republic, Prairie Schooner, Salmagundi, The Southern Review, Women’s Review of Books and elsewhere. Awards include The Missouri Review Editors’ Prize, National Poetry Review’s Annie Finch Prize, a fellowship to St. Petersburg, Russia, and a recent summer living in Robert Frost’s home in Franconia, NH, as the Dartmouth Poet in Residence. She currently teaches privately and has previously worked as a Congregational minister and a biochemist.
Anna Lena Phillips Bell is the author of Ornament, winner of the Vassar Miller Poetry Prize, and the chapbook Smaller Songs, from St Brigid Press. New writing appears or is forthcoming in the Southern Review, Electric Literature, and Evergreen Review. Bell’s work has received support from the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Marble House Project. The winner of the 2021 Winter Anthology Contest, she teaches in the creative writing department at UNC Wilmington and is the editor of Ecotone. More at annalenaphillipsbell.net.
Keith Flynn (www.keithflynn.net) is the award-winning author of eight books, including six collections of poetry: most recently Colony Collapse Disorder (Wings Press, 2013) and The Skin of Meaning (Red Hen Press, 2020), and two collections of essays, entitled The Rhythm Method, Razzmatazz and Memory: How To Make Your Poetry Swing (Writer’s Digest Books, 2007), and Prosperity Gospel: Portraits of the Great Recession (RedHawk Publications, 2021). From 1984-1999, he was lyricist and lead singer for the nationally acclaimed rock band, The Crystal Zoo, which produced three albums: Swimming Through Lake Eerie (1992), Pouch (1996), and the spoken-word and music compilation, Nervous Splendor (2003). His latest album is Keith Flynn & The Holy Men, LIVE at Diana Wortham Theatre (2011). He is the Executive Director and producer of the TV and radio show, “LIVE at White Rock Hall,” (www.liveatwhiterockhall.com) and Animal Sounds Productions, both which create collaborations between writers and musicians in video and audio formats. His award-winning poetry and essays have appeared in many journals and anthologies around the world, including The American Literary Review, The Colorado Review, Poetry Wales, Five Points, Poetry East, The Southern Poetry Anthology, ThePoetics of American Song Lyrics, Writer’s Chronicle. The Cimarron Review, Rattle, Shenandoah, Word and Witness: 100 Years of NC Poetry, Crazyhorse, and many others. He has been awarded the Sandburg Prize for poetry, a 2013 NC Literary Fellowship, the ASCAP Emerging Songwriter Prize, the Paumanok Poetry Award and was twice named the Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for NC. Flynn is founder and managing editor of The Asheville Poetry Review, which began publishing in 1994.
The free, definitive resource for finding local food and farms also features farm stories and recipes.
The 2023 Local Food Guide, ASAP’s annual free publication for finding local food and farms, hits newsstands this week. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian Grown certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, travel destinations, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.
In addition to the listing content, the 2023 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Jake Puckett, of Crow Fly Farms in Marion, NC, details his passion for holistic animal management. Malcolm Banks, of Yellow Mountain Gardens in Franklin, NC, describes his mission to teach his neighbors—and the world—to grow their own food. Gwen and Jay Englebach, of Black Trumpet Farm in Leicester, NC, talk about building a business and customer relationships. Rounding out the issue are seasonal recipes from chefs at Cultura, Little Chango, The Montford, and Red Fiddle Vittles.
Find Local Food Guide copies at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, community centers, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. They are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area.
In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, locations, activities, and more.
The 2023 Local Food Guide is made possible in part with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service and Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Fund, as well as the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and Asheville Regional Airport.
Spring at Biltmore, one of the estate’s most glorious seasons, invites you to experience a spring break mountain escape with all the charm of a European retreat. Immerse yourself in thousands of colorful tulips as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Explore Italian Renaissance Alive and Ciao! From Italy. Savor our Winery’s award-winning vintages and, of course, the timeless elegance of Biltmore House.
- Daytime access to 8,000 acres of gardens and grounds, including:
- 75+ Acres of formal and informal gardens
- 20+ Miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tasting
- Complimentary Parking
Gardens & Grounds admission does NOT include Biltmore House entry.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.
Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.
Garden Helpline Hours
March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
October – (ends October 26th)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
Join us at Eliada Home’s campus for a small group guided walking Farm Tour. Tours last approximately 1 hour. Participants will learn about outdoor and greenhouse growing practices, aquaponics, hydroponics, market gardening, corn maze production, and about our equine therapy program.
Reservations required. There is no cost, but donations to the non-profit agency are greatly appreciated.
We recommend bringing the following: comfortable shoes for walking on pavement and grass, hat, sunglasses, and water. This tour is not handicap accessible and will require participants to climb stairs and walk on uneven ground.
The free, definitive resource for finding local food and farms also features farm stories and recipes.
The 2023 Local Food Guide, ASAP’s annual free publication for finding local food and farms, hits newsstands this week. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian Grown certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, travel destinations, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.
In addition to the listing content, the 2023 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Jake Puckett, of Crow Fly Farms in Marion, NC, details his passion for holistic animal management. Malcolm Banks, of Yellow Mountain Gardens in Franklin, NC, describes his mission to teach his neighbors—and the world—to grow their own food. Gwen and Jay Englebach, of Black Trumpet Farm in Leicester, NC, talk about building a business and customer relationships. Rounding out the issue are seasonal recipes from chefs at Cultura, Little Chango, The Montford, and Red Fiddle Vittles.
Find Local Food Guide copies at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, community centers, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. They are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area.
In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, locations, activities, and more.
The 2023 Local Food Guide is made possible in part with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service and Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Fund, as well as the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and Asheville Regional Airport.
Spring at Biltmore, one of the estate’s most glorious seasons, invites you to experience a spring break mountain escape with all the charm of a European retreat. Immerse yourself in thousands of colorful tulips as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Explore Italian Renaissance Alive and Ciao! From Italy. Savor our Winery’s award-winning vintages and, of course, the timeless elegance of Biltmore House.
- Daytime access to 8,000 acres of gardens and grounds, including:
- 75+ Acres of formal and informal gardens
- 20+ Miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tasting
- Complimentary Parking
Gardens & Grounds admission does NOT include Biltmore House entry.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.
Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.
Garden Helpline Hours
March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
October – (ends October 26th)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
3rd Annual Spring Fling with over 20 craft artists, live music & food truck. 22 Living Greenhouses full of exotic plants, annuals, perennials, veggie starts, bushes and trees. Our very own Appalachian Standard CBD products for purchase.
Raffle with proceeds benefiting Asheville’s very own Dementia Partners!
Celebrate Arbor Day with Asheville GreenWorks by helping us plant 100 trees in the Hardesty Lane Nursery!
Need to know
We will provide all gear and tools for the project. Bring water, sun protection, and wear pants and closed toed shoes. Parking is roadside at the nursery and a portable restroom will be available on site.
Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.
Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..
Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.
There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.
Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.
Know Before You Go
- Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
- Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
- Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
- Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
- COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
- At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.
Homegrown Dreams is an entry-level, exploratory workshop designed to help you incorporate small-scale, self-sufficiency and sustainability into all aspects of your life. Whether you own or rent a home, or live in a rural or urban setting, you can move towards more self-reliance NOW!
Wherever you are along the spectrum of self-reliance, join us for the exploratory workshop to:
- Enhance your confidence, skill, and excitement to create the lifestyle you imagine.
- Uncover your personal values, skills, and resources
- Chart a path to move forward over the next 1 to 5 years in your homestead plans.
-
Homegrown Dreams 2023 Panelists
Homegrown Dreams includes a panel of local homesteaders and a regional expert on soil, climate, rainfall, typography, vegetation, wind, and how that affects and determines life, farming, and building in our region.
George Brabant
George grew up on and in the St. Lawrence River, Thousand Islands, New York. He was immersed in nature from a young age, experiencing all four seasons and their rhythms. He moved to Lake Placid for a couple years and then to high in the Colorado Rocky mountains. After a decade and a half of skiing, kayaking, fishing, and hunting in the Rockies, George landed in Asheville NC, making a living as a remodel contractor. He discovered Permaculture as a result of losing his brother and reading the works he left behind. He started to question our way of living and how sustainable it is.Permaculture was explained to George as using nature as a guideline. The edge of the forest turns full and green every year with no help from humans. It happens from a symbiotic relationship between plants, animals, and fungi. He started running with this philosophy and turned our property into a Permaculture Food Forest. He bought chickens and ducks, removed all grass, and installed swales, ponds, and fruit trees. A year in, he sought help from more experienced minds and took a permaculture design course and became a certified instructor. Now they are giving classes, tours, and having other local permaculture and gardening instructors do tours of our farm as well. Their food forest is named Phat Ninja Farm.
Era Keys
Era is a queer, non-binary permaculture educator, consultant, and designer. They have experienced living and working in Permaculture since 2013. In the past 9 years, they have lived on and managed permaculture farms and permaculture design businesses, educated in North Florida, Puerto Rico and Oregon, and lived in an EcoVillage based in permaculture. They currently reside in Marshall, NC with their family where they are creating a permaculture homestead. Their ultimate goal is to produce high quality permaculture education and tools that are accessible and digestible for the everyday person, so that we may weather the ever-evolving challenges of today’s world.Homegrown Dreams Instructor
Brandon Greenstein
Brandon Greenstein is the Director of Sustainability Consulting for Organic Growers School, developing new initiatives to provide services to home-growers. His background is in renewable systems, earth works, energy, water, and permaculture. He provides consulting, design and technical services for the creation of integrated systems. Brandon has been homesteading, including off-grid living and food production, in the western NC mountains for 20 years.Organic Growers School also offers Farm Dreams, a day-long program similar to the Homegrown Dreams, but geared towards those wanting to be commercial farmers. The difference is that Farm Dreams is focused on an enterprise model, where income generation is a significant part of the equation.
Independence for us means locally-owned, human-curated, non-book-devaluing-data-mining-algorithm-driven-giant-corporation, community-minded, warm, friendly, smart and sassy, and downright FUN in the most bookish ways!
About Independent Bookstore Day
Independent Bookstore Day began in California in 2014 and became a national event the next year. A host of publishers and authors such as Neil Gaiman, George Saunders, Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, James Patterson, Stephen King and many others have donated work in support of the event. Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) is produced by writer and former bookseller Samantha Schoech in partnership with the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. Its sponsors include Penguin Random House, Ingram, and the American Bookseller’s Association. www.indiebookstoreday.com
Follow Independent Bookstore Day:
Facebook at Facebook.com/BookstoreDay
Twitter @BookstoreDay
Instagram @indiebookstoreday
#BookstoreDay
Join our planting day at Klondyke Apartments! We will be working with volunteers and community members to plant the roundabout with native pollinator plants.
The Apartments are located at 500 Montford Ave, Asheville. If you drive to the end of Montford Ave there is a turn in on the right to the apartments at the dead end. Once in the complex, stay to your left and you can’t miss the big roundabout where we will be planting. Park in the lot to the right (as you enter) of the roundabout.
Asheville GreenWorks will supply shovels, trowels, gloves, and light snacks.
In 2023, the Arboretum will host our first Native Azalea Day, an invitation to celebrate and experience azaleas through the eyes of plant enthusiasts, botanists, and artists. Look on as plein air artists capture the scene in paint and pen, or learn about the garden and its collection on a walking tour with the Native Azalea Collection Curator Carson Ellis
Guided walking tours will meet at 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. on Bent Creek Road, at the entrance of the Azalea Collection. Participants should be prepared for a 30-minute walk over level pathways and are advised to dress for the weather and bring a water bottle.
Visitors can walk to the Azalea Collection from the Gatehouse Parking Lot using Old Mill Road to Bent Creek Road, or can park at the Baker Visitor Center and walk down Running Cedar Road to Bent Creek Road. Walkers should be prepared to travel one mile over unpaved roads and paths. A shuttle to the Collection will also be available, departing to and from the Baker Visitor Center throughout the event.
| 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Plein Air Painters |
| 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Information Tables |
| 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM | Garden Tours |
Drabble Forms & Author Talk with Arlene Hemingway
Want to write and don’t know where to begin? Nurture your intuition? Or just have some FUN writing? Drabble writing may be for you! Derived from Monty Python’s Big Red Book, the drabble form is a short work of fiction—a complete story—with precisely 100 words, no more, no less. Sound easy? Surprisingly, it’s not! But you will learn to distill the essence of a situation and convey it with power and concision. You will also learn how to create a great drabble, and take a crack at your first! I promise it will be an adventure and bring you both new skills and insight. Got an idea for a book? Something that you needed to talk to someone about? A problem to solve? Drabbling can be a path for getting you there!
She will also be sharing from her book, A Twist of Lemon: 100 Curious Stories in Exactly 100 Words.
About the Author:
After graduating with a Master of Science Degree from Juilliard School of Music with a major in organ, Arlene became a piano teacher and a vocal music teacher in a Long Island public school system, and served as organist for religious services of various faiths. She performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Radio City Music Hall, worked numerous other musical events in New York, and launched a composer’s new work at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.
Following her professional retirement from music, Arlene concentrated on other healing arts: She is a certified hypnotherapist and Reiki Master, and holds additional certifications in Regenesis (a method of reprogramming DNA) along with other techniques. During a visit to a writer’s group in Farmingdale, NY, Arlene discovered the “drabble,” a short work of fiction of precisely one hundred words in length. She was hooked! A recent move to the Asheville, North Carolina area gave her more room to breathe, listen, and write.
When asked about a relationship to Ernest Hemingway, her reply is often, “I’m the other Hemingway; the one without the six-toed cats.” Arlene has discovered that every person, place, or thing is rich with stories wanting to be told… and she has just scratched the surface.
We’re doing it AGAIN y’all!!
Join us for the third annual Spring Fling, taking place at:
91 Holbrook Road, Candler, NC, 28571
April 29, 2023
11:00 AM to 4PM
Our beautiful greenhouses are over-flowing with spring vibes and are full of unique plants, live music, a mechanical bull, h-e-m-p goodies, and fantastic vendors, ready to launch us into the warm season.
Come experience one heck of a unique venue as we have bluegrass jams, a set with HUG – Hendersonville Ukulele Group, the Substandards, almost madi, and a SURPRISE band! We’ll also have all the Farm Fam favs like Lauren Daviss of @fiddyshadesofgreen, Amy and Jesse Ross, and MS. SUSIE (#protectmssusieatallcosts).
Almost Madi will be joining us to play gentle tunes as you peruse our wonderful line-up of craft vendors, which will include artisan food vendors like App Wyld, as well as beautiful jewelry, amazing art, glass blowers, ceramics, and of course a wide selection (and maybe even a few special drops) of green goodness from Appalachian Standard!
The Spring Fling is *FREE* to the public. Parking is available on site but can be limited so it is recommended that groups carpool. This is an outdoor event. The first 100 people to join us will receive a goodie bag!
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Join us to learn about SOIL & WATER from Master Gardener Carol Brown. This interactive program will include books and a craft activity. Weather permitting, we will begin to prepare the children’s raised garden bed in the Leicester Giving Garden for future planting!! |
National Geographic Explorer and world-renowned photographer Joel Sartore started the National Geographic Photo Ark in an effort to document every species living in human care, inspire action through education, and help save wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts. For more than 16 years, he’s traveled to zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries around the world in his quest to create a photo archive of global diversity. No matter its size, each animal is treated with the same amount of affection and respect. The results are portraits that are not just stunningly beautiful, but intimate and moving. This speaker program will include a book signing and light refreshments.
NOTE: This is a private, invitation-only event and ticket purchase requires a promo code provided in the event invitation. By purchasing ticket(s) you acknowledge: Ticket sales, less applicable fees, will be used to help defray event costs. In the unlikely circumstance that this program featuring Joel Sartore does not take place, you understand that any funds received related to the event will instead be used to support the highest priorities of The Nature Conservancy’s North Carolina Chapter. The Nature Conservancy deeply appreciates your full support and special consideration to allow your generosity to continue to empower our mission.
Thumbnail and banner photo by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark. A veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, confronts a camera lens at Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, Salina, Kansas, 2007. natgeophotoark.org.
The free, definitive resource for finding local food and farms also features farm stories and recipes.
The 2023 Local Food Guide, ASAP’s annual free publication for finding local food and farms, hits newsstands this week. This definitive resource lists hundreds of Appalachian Grown certified farms, farmers markets, restaurants, groceries, travel destinations, and more throughout Western North Carolina and surrounding counties in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. A digital version of the print Guide may be viewed at asapconnections.org/guide.
In addition to the listing content, the 2023 edition features stories that highlight the variety of farming across the region. Jake Puckett, of Crow Fly Farms in Marion, NC, details his passion for holistic animal management. Malcolm Banks, of Yellow Mountain Gardens in Franklin, NC, describes his mission to teach his neighbors—and the world—to grow their own food. Gwen and Jay Englebach, of Black Trumpet Farm in Leicester, NC, talk about building a business and customer relationships. Rounding out the issue are seasonal recipes from chefs at Cultura, Little Chango, The Montford, and Red Fiddle Vittles.
Find Local Food Guide copies at farmers markets, visitors centers, libraries, community centers, groceries, restaurants, and other partner businesses throughout the region. They are also available to pick up in the lobby of ASAP’s office in Asheville at 306 W. Haywood St., Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact ASAP if you need help locating a copy in your area.
In addition to the print Guide, ASAP maintains the online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org. This database, with more than 1,400 listings, is updated throughout the year and is searchable by products, locations, activities, and more.
The 2023 Local Food Guide is made possible in part with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agricultural Marketing Service and Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Fund, as well as the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and Asheville Regional Airport.
Spring at Biltmore, one of the estate’s most glorious seasons, invites you to experience a spring break mountain escape with all the charm of a European retreat. Immerse yourself in thousands of colorful tulips as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Explore Italian Renaissance Alive and Ciao! From Italy. Savor our Winery’s award-winning vintages and, of course, the timeless elegance of Biltmore House.
- Daytime access to 8,000 acres of gardens and grounds, including:
- 75+ Acres of formal and informal gardens
- 20+ Miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tasting
- Complimentary Parking
Gardens & Grounds admission does NOT include Biltmore House entry.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.
Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.
Garden Helpline Hours
March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
October – (ends October 26th)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!
Charles Davidson, minister and author of Foster’s Pie Pan: Stories of Grace Abounding in a Fallen World, will read from his new book and sign copies for purchase at Calvary Presbyterian Church. Profits from the event benefit Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina. Jim Lowder will speak briefly about the work of Homeward Bound.
Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7. The kits are located in a box outside the front door.
Three ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Visit the Extension Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road during Helpline hours, listed below.
Garden Helpline Hours
March – (starts March 6)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
April through September:
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Wednesday 12:00 Noon – 2:00 p.m.
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
October – (ends October 26th)
Monday 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us. We look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Members: FREE
Personal/Standard Vehicle (up to 20′ long): $30
Large vehicles (21′-29′ long): $75
Busses and Oversize Vehicles (30′ long+): $150
Included with admission
Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.
Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.
Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!