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.
Evergreen Community Charter school of Asheville, North Carolina is holding Better World Day, a week-long Earth Day event. Evergreen has anchored our Better World Day activities in our annual Earth Day event for years. This has traditionally been a day where our school community participates in watershed stewardship service projects around our campus with support from community partners and a variety of learning workshops led by local wildlife experts. This year, we are making important changes to our event that reflect our school’s mission more broadly and to more comprehensively embody our school’s mission.
In addition to including the traditional watershed stewardship-focused projects, our event will include actions that engage us with community stewardship and emphasize our commitment to breaking down the structural and relational barriers that perpetuate racial inequalities in our community. Our event will celebrate and engage all of the ways we are stewards of the natural world, the rivers, the wild animals, the air, and the humans we share our Earth with. This year on Better World Day, Evergreeners are “In This Together”, exploring the many ways our school’s practices of learning about and taking actions towards habitat protection and ecological restoration can be done with mindful attention towards the building and restoration of our human community, too.
WEEK OF EVENTS:
Friday, April 22- Earth Day! Evergreen’s Better World Day event: Community circle and school-wide day of service projects and learning workshops. Local wildlife experts Carlton Burke, Steve O’Neil, and Rob Gudger will be joining us to share animals and stories of the human impacts on the habitat of some of these wild creatures. The EV Club of Asheville will be bringing an EV car show and sharing information about the impacts of moving towards electric vehicles as one way to curb the impacts of climate change. Every grade level/classroom will engage with meaningful service projects, such as:
– Raised bed construction in the garden ($2K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Forest pond habitat restoration project ($1K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Water quality assessments in local streams with a community partner, Riverlink
– Campus composting program – building bear-proof classroom composting bins, with a community partner, Asheville Greenworks
– Food System Justice, service in local community gardens in partnership with local community gardens, supported by Bountiful Cities
– Invasive Plant Removal- education about invasive plants and their impact on our local ecosystems + service groups focused on the removal of invasive plants from our campus forest and AVL streams (in partnership with Riverlink)
– Family engagement: Evergreen’s Social Justice Curriculum team will share with our greater family community ways to be “In This Together” with us to work towards the greater health of our planet and our community.
Saturday, April 23- My Place in Race: An equity workshop for middle school youth. Evergreen aims to host this workshop that will bring youth from around Asheville together for a day of relationship building and learning together about ways to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the power of youth voice and youth action in this movement. Led by local community leaders. (still seeking funding to be able to make this happen)
Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26: Evergreen Plant Sale
A fundraiser to support Better World Day projects and partnerships
Thursday, April 28: Student-Led Conferences.
A family engagement reflection opportunity.
Friday, April 29- Monday, May 1: YWCA’s Stand Against Racism
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
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, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
Evergreen Community Charter school of Asheville, North Carolina is holding Better World Day, a week-long Earth Day event. Evergreen has anchored our Better World Day activities in our annual Earth Day event for years. This has traditionally been a day where our school community participates in watershed stewardship service projects around our campus with support from community partners and a variety of learning workshops led by local wildlife experts. This year, we are making important changes to our event that reflect our school’s mission more broadly and to more comprehensively embody our school’s mission.
In addition to including the traditional watershed stewardship-focused projects, our event will include actions that engage us with community stewardship and emphasize our commitment to breaking down the structural and relational barriers that perpetuate racial inequalities in our community. Our event will celebrate and engage all of the ways we are stewards of the natural world, the rivers, the wild animals, the air, and the humans we share our Earth with. This year on Better World Day, Evergreeners are “In This Together”, exploring the many ways our school’s practices of learning about and taking actions towards habitat protection and ecological restoration can be done with mindful attention towards the building and restoration of our human community, too.
WEEK OF EVENTS:
Friday, April 22- Earth Day! Evergreen’s Better World Day event: Community circle and school-wide day of service projects and learning workshops. Local wildlife experts Carlton Burke, Steve O’Neil, and Rob Gudger will be joining us to share animals and stories of the human impacts on the habitat of some of these wild creatures. The EV Club of Asheville will be bringing an EV car show and sharing information about the impacts of moving towards electric vehicles as one way to curb the impacts of climate change. Every grade level/classroom will engage with meaningful service projects, such as:
– Raised bed construction in the garden ($2K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Forest pond habitat restoration project ($1K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Water quality assessments in local streams with a community partner, Riverlink
– Campus composting program – building bear-proof classroom composting bins, with a community partner, Asheville Greenworks
– Food System Justice, service in local community gardens in partnership with local community gardens, supported by Bountiful Cities
– Invasive Plant Removal- education about invasive plants and their impact on our local ecosystems + service groups focused on the removal of invasive plants from our campus forest and AVL streams (in partnership with Riverlink)
– Family engagement: Evergreen’s Social Justice Curriculum team will share with our greater family community ways to be “In This Together” with us to work towards the greater health of our planet and our community.
Saturday, April 23- My Place in Race: An equity workshop for middle school youth. Evergreen aims to host this workshop that will bring youth from around Asheville together for a day of relationship building and learning together about ways to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the power of youth voice and youth action in this movement. Led by local community leaders. (still seeking funding to be able to make this happen)
Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26: Evergreen Plant Sale
A fundraiser to support Better World Day projects and partnerships
Thursday, April 28: Student-Led Conferences.
A family engagement reflection opportunity.
Friday, April 29- Monday, May 1: YWCA’s Stand Against Racism
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Each year, Asheville GreenWorks plants more than 1,000 trees as part of our commitment to restore Asheville’s tree canopy. However, we can’t do it without the help of our volunteers. Each year hundreds of tree lovers dedicate a day (or more) to potting, planting, or caring for the saplings that will keep urban Asheville cool and green now and in the future.
You are welcome to schedule a specific workday for your group or to join one of our public workdays every Tuesday from April to July from 10am-12pm. |
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Community Farm is looking for volunteers to assist with managing our flock of 150 chickens. We have Volunteer needs for: Chicken Care, Egg Washing, and Tabling at Farmers Markets.
Chicken Care Volunteers will be responsible for ensuring the chickens stay healthy and happy by providing fresh food and water and harvesting freshly laid eggs. Egg Washing Volunteers will take these eggs and prepare them for sale. Farmers Market Volunteers will take the cleaned, freshly harvested eggs and sell them at local farmers’ markets. SAHC will use proceeds from egg sales to support Community Farm initiatives. If you are interested in volunteering, please join us for volunteer training!
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
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, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
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, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
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You can also attend one of our weekly garden workday events:
Pearson Garden and Nursery Garden workdays Wednesdays from 3-5pm. Located at 408 Pearson Dr. in Montford. Please click this link to sign up. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Hall Fletcher Elementary School FEAST Garden Wednesdays 2:45-4:00pm, 60 Ridgelawn Rd. Please click this link to sign up. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Lucy Herring Elementary School Peace Garden (formerly Vance Elementary School) in West Asheville. Workdays Tuesdays 2:45-3:45. The garden will again be closed to the public from 8 AM- 2:30 pm so that classes can use the garden for outdoor learning. Please contact [email protected] for questions and to RSVP
**We give away free produce donated by Mother Earth Food every week at our Sharing Table Mondays after 3 pm
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Farmer-to-Farmer Training
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 (WNC).
Why join CRAFT?
- Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
- Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
- Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Hiking Challenge 6 is here! In Conserving Carolina’s and WPA’s White Squirrel Hiking Challenge 6, you get to explore the places you’re helping to protect—and they’re amazing! We invite you to take eight hikes on lands that Conserving Carolina has helped to protect, enhance, or open to the public.
This challenge includes two all-new Conserving Carolina trails with gorgeous views! Plus, you can see the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, lakes and waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest, expanded trails in Bracken Mountain Preserve, and a beautiful creek in the Green River Game Lands. There’s also the all-time favorite Bearwallow Mountain with its 360-degree views over the mountains and countryside we’re working to protect.
These hikes will take you to some of our region’s “greatest hits,” as well as hidden gems where you may have the woods to yourself. If you’re into mountain biking, you have the option of biking some of these trails. And if you love to swim, fish, or just be near the water, five of these hikes take you to rivers, lakes, or waterfalls.
And the Hikes Are…
Drumroll please…. Here are the 8 hikes for this new Hiking Challenge! You can find more information and links to the full hike descriptions below. Which one will you do first?
- Bearwallow Mountain
- Wildcat Rock Trail – Extended
- Bracken Preserve
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Fawn Lake and Lake Julia
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Holly Road to Hooker Falls
- Green River Game Lands: Green River Cove Trail
- Whitewater Falls
- Youngs Mountain Trail
- LOG YOUR HIKES
- Log each hike as you complete it. You can check your progress in this roster.
- You can do the hikes at your own pace. You can take weeks, months, or over a year—whatever works for you.
- You must complete all your hikes before the start of the next Hiking Challenge. We launch a new challenge about every two years.
- Only hikes that you’ve done after Oct. 1, 2021 count toward Hiking Challenge 6.
- You can complete the hikes on your own or as a group.
- Please share about your hikes with the hashtag #whitesquirrelhikingchallenge (optional)
- Feel free to share about your hikes and connect with other hikers in our Facebook group, the Conserving Carolina Community.
The Hiking Challenge is free and open to all, but you must be a Conserving Carolina member to become a Hiking Challenge 6 Champion. If you are a member and you complete all 8 hikes, you will earn your White Squirrel Patch and exclusive perks from local businesses that support conservation, including Appalachian Coffee Company, Lazy Otter Outfitters, Murphy’s Naturals, and YAM Yoga and Massage. Most importantly, you get to experience eight great places and deepen your personal connection to land conservation.
Evergreen Community Charter school of Asheville, North Carolina is holding Better World Day, a week-long Earth Day event. Evergreen has anchored our Better World Day activities in our annual Earth Day event for years. This has traditionally been a day where our school community participates in watershed stewardship service projects around our campus with support from community partners and a variety of learning workshops led by local wildlife experts. This year, we are making important changes to our event that reflect our school’s mission more broadly and to more comprehensively embody our school’s mission.
In addition to including the traditional watershed stewardship-focused projects, our event will include actions that engage us with community stewardship and emphasize our commitment to breaking down the structural and relational barriers that perpetuate racial inequalities in our community. Our event will celebrate and engage all of the ways we are stewards of the natural world, the rivers, the wild animals, the air, and the humans we share our Earth with. This year on Better World Day, Evergreeners are “In This Together”, exploring the many ways our school’s practices of learning about and taking actions towards habitat protection and ecological restoration can be done with mindful attention towards the building and restoration of our human community, too.
WEEK OF EVENTS:
Friday, April 22- Earth Day! Evergreen’s Better World Day event: Community circle and school-wide day of service projects and learning workshops. Local wildlife experts Carlton Burke, Steve O’Neil, and Rob Gudger will be joining us to share animals and stories of the human impacts on the habitat of some of these wild creatures. The EV Club of Asheville will be bringing an EV car show and sharing information about the impacts of moving towards electric vehicles as one way to curb the impacts of climate change. Every grade level/classroom will engage with meaningful service projects, such as:
– Raised bed construction in the garden ($2K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Forest pond habitat restoration project ($1K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Water quality assessments in local streams with a community partner, Riverlink
– Campus composting program – building bear-proof classroom composting bins, with a community partner, Asheville Greenworks
– Food System Justice, service in local community gardens in partnership with local community gardens, supported by Bountiful Cities
– Invasive Plant Removal- education about invasive plants and their impact on our local ecosystems + service groups focused on the removal of invasive plants from our campus forest and AVL streams (in partnership with Riverlink)
– Family engagement: Evergreen’s Social Justice Curriculum team will share with our greater family community ways to be “In This Together” with us to work towards the greater health of our planet and our community.
Saturday, April 23- My Place in Race: An equity workshop for middle school youth. Evergreen aims to host this workshop that will bring youth from around Asheville together for a day of relationship building and learning together about ways to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the power of youth voice and youth action in this movement. Led by local community leaders. (still seeking funding to be able to make this happen)
Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26: Evergreen Plant Sale
A fundraiser to support Better World Day projects and partnerships
Thursday, April 28: Student-Led Conferences.
A family engagement reflection opportunity.
Friday, April 29- Monday, May 1: YWCA’s Stand Against Racism
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
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, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
|
Farmer-to-Farmer Training
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 (WNC).
Why join CRAFT?
- Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
- Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
- Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Hiking Challenge 6 is here! In Conserving Carolina’s and WPA’s White Squirrel Hiking Challenge 6, you get to explore the places you’re helping to protect—and they’re amazing! We invite you to take eight hikes on lands that Conserving Carolina has helped to protect, enhance, or open to the public.
This challenge includes two all-new Conserving Carolina trails with gorgeous views! Plus, you can see the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, lakes and waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest, expanded trails in Bracken Mountain Preserve, and a beautiful creek in the Green River Game Lands. There’s also the all-time favorite Bearwallow Mountain with its 360-degree views over the mountains and countryside we’re working to protect.
These hikes will take you to some of our region’s “greatest hits,” as well as hidden gems where you may have the woods to yourself. If you’re into mountain biking, you have the option of biking some of these trails. And if you love to swim, fish, or just be near the water, five of these hikes take you to rivers, lakes, or waterfalls.
And the Hikes Are…
Drumroll please…. Here are the 8 hikes for this new Hiking Challenge! You can find more information and links to the full hike descriptions below. Which one will you do first?
- Bearwallow Mountain
- Wildcat Rock Trail – Extended
- Bracken Preserve
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Fawn Lake and Lake Julia
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Holly Road to Hooker Falls
- Green River Game Lands: Green River Cove Trail
- Whitewater Falls
- Youngs Mountain Trail
- LOG YOUR HIKES
- Log each hike as you complete it. You can check your progress in this roster.
- You can do the hikes at your own pace. You can take weeks, months, or over a year—whatever works for you.
- You must complete all your hikes before the start of the next Hiking Challenge. We launch a new challenge about every two years.
- Only hikes that you’ve done after Oct. 1, 2021 count toward Hiking Challenge 6.
- You can complete the hikes on your own or as a group.
- Please share about your hikes with the hashtag #whitesquirrelhikingchallenge (optional)
- Feel free to share about your hikes and connect with other hikers in our Facebook group, the Conserving Carolina Community.
The Hiking Challenge is free and open to all, but you must be a Conserving Carolina member to become a Hiking Challenge 6 Champion. If you are a member and you complete all 8 hikes, you will earn your White Squirrel Patch and exclusive perks from local businesses that support conservation, including Appalachian Coffee Company, Lazy Otter Outfitters, Murphy’s Naturals, and YAM Yoga and Massage. Most importantly, you get to experience eight great places and deepen your personal connection to land conservation.
ASHEVILLE SPRING HERB FESTIVAL
Enter Gate #7 or Gate #5 for parking. Expo Building has a blue roof, located behind the Davis Event Center.
<div “=””>In 2022, the festival will be at our new home in the Exhibition Hall at the WNC Agricultural Center. You’ll find the Ag Center on Boylston Highway/Airport Road, just south of the Asheville Airport — the festival will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30; and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.
Website: www.AshevilleHerbFestival.org
Contact 828-301-8968 or 828-301-3010 for additional information.
Evergreen Community Charter school of Asheville, North Carolina is holding Better World Day, a week-long Earth Day event. Evergreen has anchored our Better World Day activities in our annual Earth Day event for years. This has traditionally been a day where our school community participates in watershed stewardship service projects around our campus with support from community partners and a variety of learning workshops led by local wildlife experts. This year, we are making important changes to our event that reflect our school’s mission more broadly and to more comprehensively embody our school’s mission.
In addition to including the traditional watershed stewardship-focused projects, our event will include actions that engage us with community stewardship and emphasize our commitment to breaking down the structural and relational barriers that perpetuate racial inequalities in our community. Our event will celebrate and engage all of the ways we are stewards of the natural world, the rivers, the wild animals, the air, and the humans we share our Earth with. This year on Better World Day, Evergreeners are “In This Together”, exploring the many ways our school’s practices of learning about and taking actions towards habitat protection and ecological restoration can be done with mindful attention towards the building and restoration of our human community, too.
WEEK OF EVENTS:
Friday, April 22- Earth Day! Evergreen’s Better World Day event: Community circle and school-wide day of service projects and learning workshops. Local wildlife experts Carlton Burke, Steve O’Neil, and Rob Gudger will be joining us to share animals and stories of the human impacts on the habitat of some of these wild creatures. The EV Club of Asheville will be bringing an EV car show and sharing information about the impacts of moving towards electric vehicles as one way to curb the impacts of climate change. Every grade level/classroom will engage with meaningful service projects, such as:
– Raised bed construction in the garden ($2K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Forest pond habitat restoration project ($1K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Water quality assessments in local streams with a community partner, Riverlink
– Campus composting program – building bear-proof classroom composting bins, with a community partner, Asheville Greenworks
– Food System Justice, service in local community gardens in partnership with local community gardens, supported by Bountiful Cities
– Invasive Plant Removal- education about invasive plants and their impact on our local ecosystems + service groups focused on the removal of invasive plants from our campus forest and AVL streams (in partnership with Riverlink)
– Family engagement: Evergreen’s Social Justice Curriculum team will share with our greater family community ways to be “In This Together” with us to work towards the greater health of our planet and our community.
Saturday, April 23- My Place in Race: An equity workshop for middle school youth. Evergreen aims to host this workshop that will bring youth from around Asheville together for a day of relationship building and learning together about ways to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the power of youth voice and youth action in this movement. Led by local community leaders. (still seeking funding to be able to make this happen)
Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26: Evergreen Plant Sale
A fundraiser to support Better World Day projects and partnerships
Thursday, April 28: Student-Led Conferences.
A family engagement reflection opportunity.
Friday, April 29- Monday, May 1: YWCA’s Stand Against Racism
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SAHC Community Farm Hike – Friday, April 29 at 10 am
Visit our beautiful Community Farm to hike along the Discovery Trail and see all the terrific projects in the works! SAHC’s Community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. It features a stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, education center, and more — there is always something new to see! Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 2-mile loop, allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to the education center for an outdoor lunch overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains. Cost $10. |
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Farmer-to-Farmer Training
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 (WNC).
Why join CRAFT?
- Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
- Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
- Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Hiking Challenge 6 is here! In Conserving Carolina’s and WPA’s White Squirrel Hiking Challenge 6, you get to explore the places you’re helping to protect—and they’re amazing! We invite you to take eight hikes on lands that Conserving Carolina has helped to protect, enhance, or open to the public.
This challenge includes two all-new Conserving Carolina trails with gorgeous views! Plus, you can see the highest waterfall east of the Rockies, lakes and waterfalls in DuPont State Recreational Forest, expanded trails in Bracken Mountain Preserve, and a beautiful creek in the Green River Game Lands. There’s also the all-time favorite Bearwallow Mountain with its 360-degree views over the mountains and countryside we’re working to protect.
These hikes will take you to some of our region’s “greatest hits,” as well as hidden gems where you may have the woods to yourself. If you’re into mountain biking, you have the option of biking some of these trails. And if you love to swim, fish, or just be near the water, five of these hikes take you to rivers, lakes, or waterfalls.
And the Hikes Are…
Drumroll please…. Here are the 8 hikes for this new Hiking Challenge! You can find more information and links to the full hike descriptions below. Which one will you do first?
- Bearwallow Mountain
- Wildcat Rock Trail – Extended
- Bracken Preserve
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Fawn Lake and Lake Julia
- DuPont State Recreational Forest: Holly Road to Hooker Falls
- Green River Game Lands: Green River Cove Trail
- Whitewater Falls
- Youngs Mountain Trail
- LOG YOUR HIKES
- Log each hike as you complete it. You can check your progress in this roster.
- You can do the hikes at your own pace. You can take weeks, months, or over a year—whatever works for you.
- You must complete all your hikes before the start of the next Hiking Challenge. We launch a new challenge about every two years.
- Only hikes that you’ve done after Oct. 1, 2021 count toward Hiking Challenge 6.
- You can complete the hikes on your own or as a group.
- Please share about your hikes with the hashtag #whitesquirrelhikingchallenge (optional)
- Feel free to share about your hikes and connect with other hikers in our Facebook group, the Conserving Carolina Community.
The Hiking Challenge is free and open to all, but you must be a Conserving Carolina member to become a Hiking Challenge 6 Champion. If you are a member and you complete all 8 hikes, you will earn your White Squirrel Patch and exclusive perks from local businesses that support conservation, including Appalachian Coffee Company, Lazy Otter Outfitters, Murphy’s Naturals, and YAM Yoga and Massage. Most importantly, you get to experience eight great places and deepen your personal connection to land conservation.
ASHEVILLE SPRING HERB FESTIVAL
Enter Gate #7 or Gate #5 for parking. Expo Building has a blue roof, located behind the Davis Event Center.
<div “=””>In 2022, the festival will be at our new home in the Exhibition Hall at the WNC Agricultural Center. You’ll find the Ag Center on Boylston Highway/Airport Road, just south of the Asheville Airport — the festival will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30; and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.
Website: www.AshevilleHerbFestival.org
Contact 828-301-8968 or 828-301-3010 for additional information.
Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA) Saturday, April 30 at 9AM as we hike to Ellicott’s and Governor’s rocks along the Chattooga River.
Along the Chattooga River, the states of NC, SC, and GA intersect. From conflicts between Cherokees and white settlers, to the Walton War between Georgia and North Carolina over their boundaries, this area has seen its share of strife and political challenges. Surveyor Andrew Ellicott initially settled the conflict and placed a marker along the bank of the river in 1811. But eventually his work was challenged by the more precise “Governor’s Rock” a few years afterward. As late as the 1970s though, NC and GA once again disputed the precise location. Join us as we hike through three states and explore the history of this contested boundary.
*This is a backcountry hike. Please do not attempt if you are unsure of your ability*
*With a small trailhead parking area, we are limited to 5 vehicles. We will need a few volunteers to shuttle others in their vehicles. Please let us know if you are willing to do this when you sign the waiver form*
*Participants may wish to carpool to the initial meeting location at Ingles in Cashiers, NC. You will be asked about your preference upon registration, and those interested will be put in contact with one another*
Details:
Meet: We will depart at 9AM from the Ingles in Cashiers (US Hwy 64E, Cashiers, NC, 28717). We will carpool 10 miles to the trailhead (Bull Pen Rd, Cashiers, NC 28717). More information regarding parking and the trailhead will be sent to registrants the day prior to the outing.
Return to Ingles: Approximately 3PM
Hike Length: 6.5 miles total, out and back.
Elevation Gain: 1,220 Feet
Hike Difficulty: Moderately strenuous (using National Park Service metric)
What to Bring:
- Backpack
- Plenty of water (2+ liters)
- Bagged lunch and snacks
- Hiking boots or comfortable trail shoes
- Weather-appropriate clothing (preferably no cotton)
- Sunscreen
- Hiking poles (recommended)
- Hat (recommended)
- Any needed medications.
Rain Date: In the event of inclement weather, participants will be notified in advance, no later than 8PM the evening prior if the event is to be rescheduled.
Tickets: $20 for WNCHA members/$30 non-members. We also have two no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.
Have you been dreaming about a more sustainable future? Cultivate a deeper connection with your community, place, and self with the Organic Growers School one-day workshop: Homegrown Dreams, Visioning for a Land-Based Life.
Homegrown Dreams is an entry-level workshop designed to help you start planning out and acting on your dreams to become more self-sufficient and live off of your land, no matter the scale.
When we form these reciprocal relationships with the land, we better understand the importance of regenerative practices.
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.
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2022; 10am – 4:30 pm
Location: Creekside Farm
339 Avery Creek Rd, Arden, NC 28704
https://organicgrowersschool.org/product/2022-homegrown-dreams-in-person/
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Farmer-to-Farmer Training
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 (WNC).
Why join CRAFT?
- Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
- Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
- Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Evergreen Community Charter school of Asheville, North Carolina is holding Better World Day, a week-long Earth Day event. Evergreen has anchored our Better World Day activities in our annual Earth Day event for years. This has traditionally been a day where our school community participates in watershed stewardship service projects around our campus with support from community partners and a variety of learning workshops led by local wildlife experts. This year, we are making important changes to our event that reflect our school’s mission more broadly and to more comprehensively embody our school’s mission.
In addition to including the traditional watershed stewardship-focused projects, our event will include actions that engage us with community stewardship and emphasize our commitment to breaking down the structural and relational barriers that perpetuate racial inequalities in our community. Our event will celebrate and engage all of the ways we are stewards of the natural world, the rivers, the wild animals, the air, and the humans we share our Earth with. This year on Better World Day, Evergreeners are “In This Together”, exploring the many ways our school’s practices of learning about and taking actions towards habitat protection and ecological restoration can be done with mindful attention towards the building and restoration of our human community, too.
WEEK OF EVENTS:
Friday, April 22- Earth Day! Evergreen’s Better World Day event: Community circle and school-wide day of service projects and learning workshops. Local wildlife experts Carlton Burke, Steve O’Neil, and Rob Gudger will be joining us to share animals and stories of the human impacts on the habitat of some of these wild creatures. The EV Club of Asheville will be bringing an EV car show and sharing information about the impacts of moving towards electric vehicles as one way to curb the impacts of climate change. Every grade level/classroom will engage with meaningful service projects, such as:
– Raised bed construction in the garden ($2K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Forest pond habitat restoration project ($1K grant monies raised to support this project)
– Water quality assessments in local streams with a community partner, Riverlink
– Campus composting program – building bear-proof classroom composting bins, with a community partner, Asheville Greenworks
– Food System Justice, service in local community gardens in partnership with local community gardens, supported by Bountiful Cities
– Invasive Plant Removal- education about invasive plants and their impact on our local ecosystems + service groups focused on the removal of invasive plants from our campus forest and AVL streams (in partnership with Riverlink)
– Family engagement: Evergreen’s Social Justice Curriculum team will share with our greater family community ways to be “In This Together” with us to work towards the greater health of our planet and our community.
Saturday, April 23- My Place in Race: An equity workshop for middle school youth. Evergreen aims to host this workshop that will bring youth from around Asheville together for a day of relationship building and learning together about ways to dismantle structural racism in our communities and the power of youth voice and youth action in this movement. Led by local community leaders. (still seeking funding to be able to make this happen)
Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26: Evergreen Plant Sale
A fundraiser to support Better World Day projects and partnerships
Thursday, April 28: Student-Led Conferences.
A family engagement reflection opportunity.
Friday, April 29- Monday, May 1: YWCA’s Stand Against Racism
ASHEVILLE SPRING HERB FESTIVAL
Enter Gate #7 or Gate #5 for parking. Expo Building has a blue roof, located behind the Davis Event Center.
<div “=””>In 2022, the festival will be at our new home in the Exhibition Hall at the WNC Agricultural Center. You’ll find the Ag Center on Boylston Highway/Airport Road, just south of the Asheville Airport — the festival will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30; and from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 1.
Website: www.AshevilleHerbFestival.org
Contact 828-301-8968 or 828-301-3010 for additional information.
The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.
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, located in a box outside the front door.
Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]
Garden Helpline Hours
March: Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September: Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October: Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00
We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.
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Each year, Asheville GreenWorks plants more than 1,000 trees as part of our commitment to restore Asheville’s tree canopy. However, we can’t do it without the help of our volunteers. Each year hundreds of tree lovers dedicate a day (or more) to potting, planting, or caring for the saplings that will keep urban Asheville cool and green now and in the future.
You are welcome to schedule a specific workday for your group or to join one of our public workdays every Tuesday from April to July from 10am-12pm. |