Grab your colleagues, your friends, even your family, and celebrate workplace wellness in this fun 5k. You might walk every step or sprint to the finish – either way we know you’re up to the challenge! Register by April 2 for early registration rates, and by April 16 to get your race shirt. Join us for free trainings starting March 21st Hosted by the YMCA of Western North Carolina Tuesdays starting March 21st • 5:30-6:30 p.m. Meet in the Asheville Chamber parking lot top level (36 Montford Ave.) • Open to everyone: share this info with co-workers or another business and encourage them to join a training. • All fitness levels welcome: from first-time 5k walkers to active runners who want to improve.

The Chamber Challenge is designed to promote community wellness through friendly competition between businesses in the Asheville area. Encourage your co-workers, family and friends to participate. Whether you walk every step or sprint to the finish, we know you’re up to the challenge!

Register for the 2023 Chamber Challenge

Register by April 16th for your free race shirt. After April 16th, limited quantities of shirts may be available for $10.

Registration fee:

$35 – Early Registration until April 2rd

$40 – April 3-30

$45 – Late Registration May 1-5

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina. Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region run their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program. WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT. Tours & benefits are only available to CRAFT Members. CRAFT Tour Schedule 2023: March 19th: Lambing at  Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen March 30th: Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute at Creekside Farm & Education Center April 2nd: Farmer Social at Olivette Farm April 16th: Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation at Gaining Ground Farm July 30th: Silvopasture at Wild East Farm October 29th: Land Access Model and Winter Growing at Olivette Farm

Presenter: Cynthia Gillooly, floral designer and co-owner of Verde` Designs

Join Cynthia Gillooly, an experienced indoor plant expert, and learn about terrarium containers and plant selection for those high-humidity gardens.  Cynthia will teach us about soil, plant care and maintenance, and her tricks, tools and accessories to make your own terrific terrariums.

The Growing Minds Intern will assist with implementation of ASAP’s Farm to School program. Activities will include traveling with a team member to schools in the WNC region to deliver training to teachers and engage students around gardening, cooking, and other farm to school components. The Intern will also spend time in the office preparing and organizing materials and resources, as well as completing other various project needs.

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to talk to children and get them excited about trying new local foods
• Excellent organizational skills
• Valid driver’s license and transportation to local schools
• ASAP requires all staff and interns to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow office guidelines around masks, based on current recommendations
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance
• Spanish speaking a plus

Note: A background check will be performed for all Growing Mind interns.

How to apply: Email your résumé and cover letter to intern coordinator Growing Minds Program Director Danielle Raucheisen at [email protected].

Extension Master Gardener^SM 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.

Voted “Best Place to Learn” by Outside, NOC Paddling School has taught more paddlers than anyone else, with 50 years of experience going into every class. Our commitment to the sport and to providing the best possible instruction has not waivered. So come and let us be your respected and experienced instructor.

Paddling School Course Types

Whitewater Kayaking Instruction

Youth Paddling Programs

Specialty Paddling Programs

Professional Training for Paddlers

Canoe Courses

Bryson City, NC

Julia Tatum Banner of Delta Grind Grits and Half-Mile Farm Chef Jason Tardo will present a Shrimp & Grits experience with a special tasting and hosted Social Hour including complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Breakfast each day will feature Delta Grind’s delicious products. Hosted events are for Half-Mile Farm guests only.

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina. Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region run their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program. WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT. Tours & benefits are only available to CRAFT Members. CRAFT Tour Schedule 2023: March 19th: Lambing at  Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen March 30th: Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute at Creekside Farm & Education Center April 2nd: Farmer Social at Olivette Farm April 16th: Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation at Gaining Ground Farm July 30th: Silvopasture at Wild East Farm October 29th: Land Access Model and Winter Growing at Olivette Farm

Did you know that three Buncombe County Libraries have a seed library so you can check out seeds?  Each seed library offers vegetable, herb, and flower seeds that you can take home and plant.

If you’re a gardener or want to be a gardener, you can borrow seeds from the library at planting time. At the end of the growing season, save seeds from the plants and return a portion of the seeds to the library to be loaned out the next year. If you don’t have any seeds at the end of the season, that’s OK too. It’s not a requirement, it just helps the seed libraries grow. There is no charge to use the seed library, just visit the Weaverville, Black Mountain or Leicester Libraries and sign up. You’ll find different seeds at each location and you don’t need a library card to use the seed library.

The benefits of a seed lending library are many: it’s a way to have fun, build community with fellow gardeners, and support people who are new to gardening. It also preserves rare, open-pollinated or heirloom seeds and encourages local gardeners to save quality seeds that are suited to our growing area.

For more information on any of our seed libraries, contact the Black Mountain Library, the Leicester Library, or the Weaverville Library.

Presenter: Cynthia Gillooly, floral designer and co-owner of Verde` Designs

Join Cynthia Gillooly, an experienced indoor plant expert, and learn about terrarium containers and plant selection for those high-humidity gardens.  Cynthia will teach us about soil, plant care and maintenance, and her tricks, tools and accessories to make your own terrific terrariums.

The Growing Minds Intern will assist with implementation of ASAP’s Farm to School program. Activities will include traveling with a team member to schools in the WNC region to deliver training to teachers and engage students around gardening, cooking, and other farm to school components. The Intern will also spend time in the office preparing and organizing materials and resources, as well as completing other various project needs.

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to talk to children and get them excited about trying new local foods
• Excellent organizational skills
• Valid driver’s license and transportation to local schools
• ASAP requires all staff and interns to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow office guidelines around masks, based on current recommendations
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance
• Spanish speaking a plus

Note: A background check will be performed for all Growing Mind interns.

How to apply: Email your résumé and cover letter to intern coordinator Growing Minds Program Director Danielle Raucheisen at [email protected].

Extension Master Gardener^SM 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.

After six years of hard work, the dream of using The Learning Garden as a hub for public gardening education is finally a reality. The Learning Garden, located at the Extension Office, 49 Mt. Carmel Road, is offering the public the opportunity to Visit and Learn in the garden on selected 2nd and 4th Thursdays, February – October. The Thursday in-person programs will consist of five garden-specific series. Visitors can walk around before or after the program and soak in our lovely gardens. Our gardens will open at 9:00 a.m. and all the demonstration programs run between 10-11:30 a.m.  To ensure a good learning experience, attendance will be limited and registration will be required.

Dahlia Series
February 23 – Getting Your Dahlias Ready for Planting
August 3 – Disbudding Dahlias for Better Blooms
October 26 – Dividing and Storing Dahlias

Dye Garden Series
May 4 – Planning Your Dye Garden
June 22 – Introduction to Natural Dyeing
July 27 – Fresh Indigo
August 24 – Botanical Printing: Printing with Leaves and Flowers
September 28 – Dyeing with Hopi Black Sunflower
November 9 – The Magic of Indigo

Rose Garden Series
March 9 – Pruning Roses
April 6 – Climbing Roses
April 13 – Rose Pests and Pathogens
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses (Saturday Seminar)

Sun & Shade Garden Series
May 11 – Planting a Native Butterfly Host Plant Garden
June 29 – Foodscaping Edible Plants in Flower Beds
August 31 – Dealing with “the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” Plants
Sept 14 – Native Butterfly Life Cycles in the Fall Garden

Vegetable Garden Series
March 23 – Building an ADA Compliant Raised Garden
April 26 – Planting Root Crops: Leeks, Onions, Carrots, Parsnips
May 25 – Planting a Seed Saving Garden
June 8 – Common Vegetable Garden Pests
July 13 – Kid Friendly Gardening
                                       August 10 – Preserving Your Vegetable Harvest

In addition to the Thursday programs listed above, The Learning Garden will present a series of ninety minute (+/-) hands-on seminars covering various gardening topics. These in-person programs will be held at The Learning Garden on selected Saturday mornings, February – September.

Saturday Seminars
February 18 – Tool Selection and Sharpening
March 18 – Pruning Trees and Shrubs
April 22 – Gardening for the Birds
May 20 – Growing Beautiful Roses
June 17 – Pollinator Plants in The Learning Garden
September 16 – Bulbs for All Seasons

Each of the programs in The Learning Garden will be announced individually through this blog and on our website two weeks before each program.  Each announcement will include instructions on how to register. Mark your calendar and register to attend as many as you can.

Grab your colleagues, your friends, even your family, and celebrate workplace wellness in this fun 5k. You might walk every step or sprint to the finish – either way we know you’re up to the challenge! Register by April 2 for early registration rates, and by April 16 to get your race shirt. Join us for free trainings starting March 21st Hosted by the YMCA of Western North Carolina Tuesdays starting March 21st • 5:30-6:30 p.m. Meet in the Asheville Chamber parking lot top level (36 Montford Ave.) • Open to everyone: share this info with co-workers or another business and encourage them to join a training. • All fitness levels welcome: from first-time 5k walkers to active runners who want to improve.

The Chamber Challenge is designed to promote community wellness through friendly competition between businesses in the Asheville area. Encourage your co-workers, family and friends to participate. Whether you walk every step or sprint to the finish, we know you’re up to the challenge!

Register for the 2023 Chamber Challenge

Register by April 16th for your free race shirt. After April 16th, limited quantities of shirts may be available for $10.

Registration fee:

$35 – Early Registration until April 2rd

$40 – April 3-30

$45 – Late Registration May 1-5

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina. Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region run their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program. WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT. Tours & benefits are only available to CRAFT Members. CRAFT Tour Schedule 2023: March 19th: Lambing at  Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen March 30th: Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute at Creekside Farm & Education Center April 2nd: Farmer Social at Olivette Farm April 16th: Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation at Gaining Ground Farm July 30th: Silvopasture at Wild East Farm October 29th: Land Access Model and Winter Growing at Olivette Farm

Presenter: Cynthia Gillooly, floral designer and co-owner of Verde` Designs

Join Cynthia Gillooly, an experienced indoor plant expert, and learn about terrarium containers and plant selection for those high-humidity gardens.  Cynthia will teach us about soil, plant care and maintenance, and her tricks, tools and accessories to make your own terrific terrariums.

The Growing Minds Intern will assist with implementation of ASAP’s Farm to School program. Activities will include traveling with a team member to schools in the WNC region to deliver training to teachers and engage students around gardening, cooking, and other farm to school components. The Intern will also spend time in the office preparing and organizing materials and resources, as well as completing other various project needs.

Qualifications:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to talk to children and get them excited about trying new local foods
• Excellent organizational skills
• Valid driver’s license and transportation to local schools
• ASAP requires all staff and interns to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow office guidelines around masks, based on current recommendations
• Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance
• Spanish speaking a plus

Note: A background check will be performed for all Growing Mind interns.

How to apply: Email your résumé and cover letter to intern coordinator Growing Minds Program Director Danielle Raucheisen at [email protected].