A WNC Initiative to Connect Producers, Consumers, Workers, and Service Providers
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.
Sunday, May
3, 2020
ASAP Launches Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund
Pollinator Garden Certification Program
Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum
The Patchwork Producers Alliance accepting new Producers
Virtual Tour Springtime on UNCA Campus
ASAP has launched the Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund to
strategically address the emergency needs of farms during COVID-19 disruptions. Funds will be used for public health preparedness grants to farmers markets, to subsidize essential farm product packaging, and to purchase unsold food for donation to hunger programs. Donations to the Appalachian Grown Farmer Relief Fund can be made online at asapconnections.org or by mail or phone.
As the growing season ramps up and social isolation continues to define our days, gardening is the perfect way to get outside, ease your mind, and support our local ecosystem – all while maintaining appropriate social distance. Whether you’re nurturing a decade old garden or are using your quarantine time to put plants in the ground for the first time ever, our new program has the tools and certifications for all levels of expertise. Certified gardens receive an official certificate and have the option to purchase one of our Certified Pollinator Habitat signs!
Find more information about this program along with tons of resources about pollinators and plants that they love!
Visit Us Virtually
Spring has sprung and we are excited to share with you all the wonderful blooms and plants that are awakening right now. Take a virtual tour of our gardens and see what’s beautiful today at The North Carolina Arboretum.
The Patchwork Alliance is an online market that allows customers to order each week
from Friday-Monday, and pick up their orders on Thursdays at regional pickup sites, and also
offers home delivery to 2880* zip codes. It has over 35 Producer-Owners, and a variety of meat,
dairy, valued added, produce and more. The demand for more remote ways to access local food
has increased due to the pandemic as individuals don’t want to go to stores or farmers markets
as much and existing aggregators aren’t able to keep up (see article on Mother Earth Foods.)
from Friday-Monday, and pick up their orders on Thursdays at regional pickup sites, and also
offers home delivery to 2880* zip codes. It has over 35 Producer-Owners, and a variety of meat,
dairy, valued added, produce and more. The demand for more remote ways to access local food
has increased due to the pandemic as individuals don’t want to go to stores or farmers markets
as much and existing aggregators aren’t able to keep up (see article on Mother Earth Foods.)
Patchwork Producers’ Alliance
The Patchwork Producers Alliance is a multi-stakeholder Cooperative. Both Producers and Consumers are Owners enjoying PPA services, Equity Stakes, and Governance Roles.
The Patchwork Producers Alliance is still accepting new Producers, and would love for all types of local growers, makers, and service providers to get in touch. Their Grand Opening of Sales is on Friday, May 1st.
To find out more, go online to patchworkalliance.com.
With classes and jobs moving online in the wake of COVID-19, the UNC Asheville community is missing being in each other’s company, and we’re missing being on our beautiful campus in the springtime. It’s an especially lovely time of year, and while photos can’t capture the smell of flower blossoms or the warm breeze in the new leaves on the trees, we hope you’ll enjoy this photo tour of our campus in bloom.
https://stories.unca.edu/springtime-on-campus
Tuesday, May
5, 2020
Mother’s Day Plant Sale/Swap
Basic Tree Workshops: Trees 101
Starters, seedlings, succulents oh my! Come to The Odd for our annual Mother’s Day plant sale! We will have vendors, vegetable/fruit starters, pretty plants, and delicious food and drinks. All welcome, rain or shine
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Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!
The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.
May 5: Trees 101 |
Thursday, May
7, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
Native Plants
NC Arboretum’s “Arbor Evenings”
Sierra Club WNC – Wildflowers Webinar
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.
This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.
Relax and unwind at the Arboretum’s “ArborEvenings” after hours series. Held every Thursday, June – October, from 6 to 9 p.m., visitors will sip and stroll through the Arboretum’s beautiful gardens while enjoying live music amongst flowers and friends. Local beverages, including beer and wine, are available for purchase along with light food options.
Admission to ArborEvenings is free; however, standard parking fees apply to non-members.
Free and open to the public.
Because the Sierra Club is taking steps to keep everyone safe during the Covid-19 threat, in-person meetings are suspended. However, we can still come together to celebrate WILDFLOWERS! and flowering trees! and beautiful flora of our breathtaking Appalachians. Let Scott Dean take you on a guided tour with lovely photos and charming stories. You must register in advance for this webinar. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email about how to join the ZOOM program on May 7.
Please go to our website, WENOCA.ORG, for more information on the May program. You can also find a link to the recorded version of our April 2nd online program about the Nantahala/Pisgah Forests planning process along with detailed information, including talking points, for making comments to the U.S. Forest Service.
As we all deal with a global pandemic with COVID-19, we wanted to let you know how the Sierra Club is adapting and responding so we can keep doing the important work of helping our communities, protecting our natural environment and fighting for a just, clean energy future.
Friday, May
8, 2020
Native Plants
We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.
This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.
Saturday, May
9, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
Native Plants
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.
This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.
Sunday, May
10, 2020
Native Plants
Meet The Plants: A Virtual Herbal Garden Tour
We have Southeastern native perennials, groundcovers, and some herbs and veggies. Varieties include Bradbury’s Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, Showy Goldenrod, Culver’s Root, Great Blue Lobelia, Anise Hyssop, Black Eyed Susan, Carolina Bush Pea, Coreopsis, Golden Alexander, Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, three varieties of Silphiums, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, and many more. Go to https://m-r-gardens.square.site for a full list plus descriptions.
This unusual spring, we’re encouraging customers to take advantage of our order-ahead option. Reserve your plants on the Square site, then we arrange a pickup day/time that works for you. That allows us time to implement extra sanitation measures.
Mimi Hernandez and Ashley Litecky Elenbaas meet to walk through Ashley’s favorite spots.
Please note webinar time is: 11 am Eastern Time, 10 am Central Time, 9 am Mountain Time, 8 am Pacific Time
Every patch of sunlight can be a home for a plant. Join Registered Herbalist (RH) and wild plant lover, Ashley Litecky Elenbaas for a walk through her herbal garden in Maryland, and discover the medicinal values of easy to grow herbs. This walk is for herbalists of all ages and skill levels. This is a great activity for teaching kids about growing herbs and plants that are easy to grow in pots or in small yards.
Tuesday, May
12, 2020
Basic Tree Workshops: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance
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Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!
The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville.
May 12: Tree Establishment, Planting, and Maintenance |
Thursday, May
14, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
Saturday, May
16, 2020
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
Tuesday, May
19, 2020
Basic Tree Workshops: Tree Protection and Risk Management
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Please join Asheville GreenWorks FREE Public Tree Workshops. This series of four educational tree workshops will be taking place on Tuesdays from 6-8 pm. Come learn all about trees from local experts! We will be covering topics such as tree planting, tree pruning, basic tree biology, managing trees during construction, and more!
The work is being performed for the residents of the City of Asheville in partnership with the City of Asheville. May 19: Tree Protection and Risk Management |
Thursday, May
21, 2020
GreenWorks: Plant of the Month is Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
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Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
Friday, May
22, 2020
12-Month, Farmer-Led Training Program Organic Growers School
GreenWorks: Plant of the Month is Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
Garden Jubilee Tour
Want to farm?
12-Month, Farmer-Led Training Program
Many skills are required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more. Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. Using a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network, Farm Beginnings® will help you clarify your goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan, and start building a profitable and sustainable operation. Although students do not need to own land, some farming or production experience is required to get the most out of the program. As we know, farming is more critical than ever. Apply to this program and be prepared when crisis hits!
200+ Hours of Training
- Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses—60 hours—October–March
- ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference—8 hours—February
- OGS Spring Conference & Harvest Conference—20+ hours—March & September
- Mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor—15 hours—March–September
- Production Training: WNC CRAFT Tours & Field Days at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm and Living Web Farms—45 hours—April–October
- WNC CRAFT Farmer Network: Membership and mentoring in a regional farmer network—April–October
Curriculum & Schedule
Farm Beginnings® Course Schedule & Descriptions 2020-2021
Location of Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses 2020-2021
The locations for the 2020-2021 class will be at the Small Business Center at We will keep our website updated if we shift to online classes.
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A New Twist on Garden Jubilee: a county-wide tour instead of Main St crowds.
We will NOT participate as a group, but you may participate with your level of conscientious caution. (smile).
The brochure/map, that is mentioned, is the following links:
https://www.visithendersonvillenc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-Garden-Jubilee-NurseriesOrchard-Tour.pdf
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1oJcvwJQXxO-5pnjpIAVQQLLKn5LJEhgp&ll=35.31185148226706%2C-82.49178584999999&z=12
The Garden Jubilee 2020 Nurseries & Orchard Tour will run from May 22 – 25, Friday through Monday of Memorial Day Weekend. This year’s Garden Jubilee Nurseries & Orchard Tour will be sending the public out to the local nurseries and orchards throughout Henderson County to prevent the gathering of the usual large crowds experienced on Main Street. Gardening is one of America’s favorite pastimes and the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a healthy environment for growing a vast variety of flowers and plants.
For detailed info; Goto:
https://www.visithendersonvillenc.org/garden-jubilee
Saturday, May
23, 2020
12-Month, Farmer-Led Training Program Organic Growers School
GreenWorks: Plant of the Month is Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
ASAP Farmers Markets: AB Tech’s Main Campus
Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society Exhibition POSTPONED
Garden Jubilee Tour
Want to farm?
12-Month, Farmer-Led Training Program
Many skills are required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more. Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. Using a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, and an extensive farmer network, Farm Beginnings® will help you clarify your goals and strengths, establish a strong enterprise plan, and start building a profitable and sustainable operation. Although students do not need to own land, some farming or production experience is required to get the most out of the program. As we know, farming is more critical than ever. Apply to this program and be prepared when crisis hits!
200+ Hours of Training
- Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses—60 hours—October–March
- ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference—8 hours—February
- OGS Spring Conference & Harvest Conference—20+ hours—March & September
- Mentorship with an experienced Farmer Mentor—15 hours—March–September
- Production Training: WNC CRAFT Tours & Field Days at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm and Living Web Farms—45 hours—April–October
- WNC CRAFT Farmer Network: Membership and mentoring in a regional farmer network—April–October
Curriculum & Schedule
Farm Beginnings® Course Schedule & Descriptions 2020-2021
Location of Winter Whole-Farm Business Planning Courses 2020-2021
The locations for the 2020-2021 class will be at the Small Business Center at We will keep our website updated if we shift to online classes.
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Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning March 21.
The market will operate for as long as necessary, possibly expanding to other locations and days of the week as opportunity and demand allows.
Market Rules
- No customers or vendors exhibiting symptoms may enter the market.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times.
- One customer at a time for each vendor table.
- Only handle product you are purchasing. Products will be pre-packaged or bunched.
- Children, if they must attend with adult shoppers, must be closely supervised.
Anyone failing to comply with these conditions will be directed to leave the market.
This annual exhibition features award-winning roses of every color and size. Experts from the Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about the selection, care, and history of roses. Educational programs will be offered throughout the weekend.
A New Twist on Garden Jubilee: a county-wide tour instead of Main St crowds.
We will NOT participate as a group, but you may participate with your level of conscientious caution. (smile).
The brochure/map, that is mentioned, is the following links:
https://www.visithendersonvillenc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-Garden-Jubilee-NurseriesOrchard-Tour.pdf
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1oJcvwJQXxO-5pnjpIAVQQLLKn5LJEhgp&ll=35.31185148226706%2C-82.49178584999999&z=12
The Garden Jubilee 2020 Nurseries & Orchard Tour will run from May 22 – 25, Friday through Monday of Memorial Day Weekend. This year’s Garden Jubilee Nurseries & Orchard Tour will be sending the public out to the local nurseries and orchards throughout Henderson County to prevent the gathering of the usual large crowds experienced on Main Street. Gardening is one of America’s favorite pastimes and the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a healthy environment for growing a vast variety of flowers and plants.
For detailed info; Goto:
https://www.visithendersonvillenc.org/garden-jubilee