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.

Monday, January 9, 2023
Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 9 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Tuesday, January 10, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 10 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 10 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Fall for Gardening in the Mountains-Mushroom Basics
Jan 10 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens, Inc.

Fall for Gardening in the Mountains-Mushroom Basics

Join us for our autumn gardening class series, with Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent, who will make you *fall* (or fall back in love with!) gardening in our unique mountain landscape. Friends of Bullington take 25% off the regular course fee!

Mushroom Basics
Jan 10 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Bullington Gardens, Inc.

FALL FOR GARDENING IN THE MOUNTAINS

Join us for our autumn gardening class series, with Steve Pettis, Henderson County Commercial and Consumer Horticulture Agent, who will make you *fall* (or fall back in love with!) gardening in our unique mountain landscape. Friends of Bullington take 25% off the regular course fee!

Are you fungi-curious? In this class students will learn basic fungal biology, discover the top wild mushrooms to collect in the forest, even get pointers on how to grow mushrooms at home!

Wednesday, January 11, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 11 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 11 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Thursday, January 12, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 12 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 12 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 12 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Arboretum Reads: Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature by Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Jan 12 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The North Carolina Arboretum

Children’s literature gives the young and young at heart permission to connect in the natural world in ways that are engaging and easily understood. Join Adult & Continuing Education Specialist Ann Kast, a former elementary school teacher and children’s literature enthusiast, in a discussion of how Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature aptly shares the natural process of rest and speaks to the child in each of us.

parking fees apply 16.00 +

Friday, January 13, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 13 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Saturday, January 14, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 14 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 14 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Sunday, January 15, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 15 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 15 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Black Cat Book Club: Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom
Jan 15 @ 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
New Origin Brewing Company

Let’s read Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom!

Monday, January 16, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 16 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 16 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Tuesday, January 17, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 17 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 17 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Wednesday, January 18, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 18 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 18 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Thursday, January 19, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 19 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Journeyperson Program NOW FREE! 12-Month Farm Support Cohort
Jan 19 all-day
Organic Growers School

The upcoming Journeyperson course is now available AT NO COST! Due to some timely grant funding, we can offer this in-depth farmer training for farmers in years 3-7 with no associated tuition fee! The course consists of monthly cohort meet-ups and 2-3 in-depth workshops, plus mentorship!

 

In addition, a select number of participants will also receive matched FUNDS for your farm savings account (Savings Incentive Program) and money to spend on a professional development opportunity of your choosing! Want to attend a workshop on livestock management? OGS will contribute towards that fee! Are you saving money for a farm asset? OGS will contribute up to a certain amount to that investment.

 

The Journeyperson Program is for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region.

Join the Journeyperson Info Session on Zoom!

November 15th at 7:00 pm

Sign up here

Registration is OPEN for the 30th Annual Spring Conference
Jan 19 @ 9:00 am
online
registration open SC-1 (1)-1

Registration is OPEN!

30th Annual Spring Conference at Mars Hill University
You’re in for a fun-filled weekend of learning and community building. This year our Tracks include Cooking, Food Justice, Farming Business + Production, Herbs, Mushrooms, Forest Farming, Gardening, Holistic Forestry, Livestock & Poultry, Living on the Land, Permaculture, Pests & Pollinators, Soils, & Sustainable Living!

For each Track subject, there are 4 different classes to choose from taught by expert educators. There will also be 8 half-day workshops to choose from if you want to dive deep into subjects like Fermentation, Spirulina Cultivation, Invasive Vine Basketry, and more!

View the full Spring Conference schedule here.

Sliding Scale Pricing for Spring Conference

OGS is implementing a Sliding Scale Price model for 2023

So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. The sliding scale model, which allows participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model.

 

While many of our community members need financial support, some of these community members have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.

 

Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we cannot secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value this conference has for them and what they can pay for at this time.

Ginseng-sliding-scale-EDIT USE THIS-1

Flat Rock Book Club
Jan 19 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The 2nd Act

Please join us at The 2nd Act in Hendersonville, NC for our first monthly book club meeting that strives to read books that create a closer knit and more inclusive community! We will meet virtually and in person monthly to discuss a book, so read the book and then join in the discussion in person or online every third Thursday. All are welcome! At the end of each meeting we will vote on the next book! The virtual club meeting will be in Zoom format and will meet 2.5 hours after the in-person meeting (8:00pm EST). After the meeting there is live acoustic music so stay and enjoy the vibe with your new friends! Put us down on your calendar for every third Third Thursday!

The first book is going to be called Disability Visibility.

Synopsis from the back cover: One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Now, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people.

From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love. Preview:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456746-disability-visibility
Message me for the Zoom link to the online meetup. Thanks!

Hybrid | Sandra E. Johnson presents The Resilience Journal: 365 Days to Balance and Peace of Mind
Jan 19 @ 6:00 pm
Malaprop's Bookstore and Virtual

This is a hybrid event, meaning there is an option to attend virtually and a limited number of seats are available to attend the event in-store. The event is free but registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. 

Please click here to register for the VIRTUAL event. The link required to attend will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Please click here to register for the IN-PERSON event. Note the important event details on the RSVP form.

This event includes a book signing. If you would like a signed book but can’t attend in person, use the order comments field when you order below to request a signed copy and tell us to whom the book should be personalized.

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!


A beautiful guided journal with 365 days of thought-provoking quotes and prompts to help you reflect on the past, examine the present, and work towards a more resilient future.

Everyone yearns to become more resilient. We all experience setbacks and problems on an individual level, and the state of the world doesn’t provide overarching reassurance. But resilience is much more than the ability to bounce back from a single catastrophe. You need to work at it, to strengthen it as you would a muscle in your body.

The Resilience Journal starts you on this path with an initial self-assessment using fifteen statements such as “I cope well with change.” Then, through completing the wide range of daily interactive prompts and exercises, you will discover ways to not only cope with difficulties but grow stronger from them. At the end of the journal there’s another self-assessment quiz. Fill it out to see how much your self-knowledge, compassion, patience, and resilience has improved.

Sandra E. JohnsonLMSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who has been practicing for over thirty years. She is also an author, freelance editor, and conference speaker. She has taught meditation and other stress reduction techniques to individual patients, social workers, counselors, and therapists. She has written for the Washington Post and The State, South Carolina’s most widely read newspaper, for which she covered topics ranging from education reform to race relations. Johnson is the author of Standing on Holy Ground: A Triumph over Hate Crime in the Deep South; a novel, Flowers for the Living, which was nominated for a PEN/Faulkner Award; and The Mind-Body Peace Journal: 366 Mindful Prompts for Serenity and Clarity.

Friday, January 20, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 20 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants

Saturday, January 21, 2023
2023 School Garden Grants
Jan 21 all-day
online

Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County are happy to announce for the sixteenth year we are offering School Garden Grants to Asheville City and Buncombe County public schools, including state charter schools.

Growing Vegetables at Childcare Centers_photo by NC State Extension
Learning to plant veggie seeds

We provide a notice of the application period along with instructions to all school principals, elementary through senior high. Additional information is available on our websitebuncombemastergardener.org, where you can learn more about the guidelines for receiving a grant and get online access to the 2023 School Garden Grants Application.

All applications must be completed online. Completed applications will be accepted beginning January 9, 2023, and must be submitted no later than 9 p.m. on February 3, 2023. If you have any questions, please call the Extension Office at 828-255-5522.

We are proud of our partnership with Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Since 2007, we have awarded 52 School Garden Grants totaling over $45,000. These grants have involved more than 16,500 students and hundreds of teachers, parents, and community volunteers.

School gardens grow more than plants. They grow imagination and creativity. They make math and science come alive, and they build community. We hope your school will join us in 2023.

Click on the link below to review the guidelines for school garden grants:
Guidelines for 2023 School Garden Grants