Calendar of Events

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

Join us in the temperature-controlled Arena to walk on most Tuesdays and Thursdays! Admission is free, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

Each lap around the concourse is 1/4 mile and strollers are welcome. Representatives from St. Francis Sports Medicine will be on hand for each event and other health professionals- like dietitians- are frequently scheduled to attend. Free parking is available in the VIP lot off of Church Street.

Walk your way to wellness!

Tree-planting season is right around the corner. Let us save you some time. You could do a ton of research on your own to figure out the best trees for your yard ….OR let Bee City USA Founder Phyllis Stiles give you her top picks for native trees to fill your landscaping needs.   You’ll also learn how native trees are vital to ensuring our native butterflies and bees don’t go hungry.

Kickoff 2022 with the Western Regional SBCN and EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems as we present a virtual series on enhancing your farming business. Convenient online classes for you to attend and hear from speakers with information, tips, and more. Registration is FREE!

Join us at 6 pm on Thursdays, January through March, to hear from EmPOWERING Mountain Food Systems. We encourage you to take this time to engage with fellow agribusinesses, entrepreneurs and resource providers while learning new skills and the power of collaboration along the way.

Kickoff 2022 with the Western Regional SBCN and EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems as we present a virtual series on enhancing your farming business. Convenient online classes for you to attend and hear from speakers with information, tips, and more. Registration is FREE!

Join us at 6 pm on Thursdays, January through March, to hear from EmPOWERING Mountain Food Systems. We encourage you to take this time to engage with fellow agribusinesses, entrepreneurs and resource providers while learning new skills and the power of collaboration along the way.

January 20- Online Farm Taxes Explained: Property, Equipment and Sales. Dive deeper into farm taxes as they pertain to the many different sides of your farming business. Ask a local farmer about their experience navigating taxes and learn some tips of your own.
January 27- Online Sales Platforms for Direct to Consumer Sales: There are many choices to consider! Hear what works for some regional farmers and determine which platform may be a good fit for your operation.
February 3- Agritourism in Southwestern NC Trends and Storytelling: NCSU researchers spent a year learning from regional providers. What are their findings and recommendations? February 10- Airbnb, HipCamp and Harvest Host: Exploring farm visit options for lodging on your farm. Hear farmer success stories
February 17- Using Social Media to Promote your Farm Business: Facebook, Insta, and Twitter how to get followers and keep them!
February 24- Liability for On Farm Visits: Protect your visitors, your farm and home.
March 10- Making Value Added Products at Home: Regulations for a Home Certified Kitchen & Marketing Options
March 17- Food Safety: Good practices and Regulations for the farm
and market
March 24- Farm Service Agency and Natural Resource Management: Services and Cost Share for your Farming Operations

On Friday, March 11, our partners at Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) will be hosting a CSA Fair in the YW’s Multipurpose Room from 4-7 pm. The event is free, family-friendly, and open to the public. CSA Fairs are a chance to meet local farmers and learn about CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in your area. By joining a CSA, you get a weekly box of fresh, locally grown produce, meats, flowers, or other local products—and provide a local farmer with valuable financial support before the season starts. Talk to farmers about what products they offer, pickup locations, growing practices, and payment options.

Come lend a hand as the Elder & Sage Community Gardens prepare for their 6th gardening season. Some tasks will include: Raking and bagging leaves, laying pavers for their wheelchair accessible area, repairing garden boxes, shoveling soil, mulching beds, assembling a portable greenhouse, cleaning and organizing tools. Refreshments will be provided. Reach out to [email protected] for more info.

Presenter: Judy Deutsch, Extension Master Gardener^SM Volunteer

In Western North Carolina, roses are pruned in the early spring, traditionally when the forsythia blooms. It’s the time to remove unwanted or unhealthy canes, reduce size, and shape the rose for optimal growth and health.

This in-person program will cover proper tools for pruning and tips on how to prune.  A pruning demonstration will be done in the Rose Garden, and you will have the opportunity to prune as well. Please bring garden gloves and pruners, and dress appropriately for the weather. You will also have a chance to sharpen your pruners.

The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.

Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7, 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 county is also holding a workshop that will help you better understand what projects the County is looking to fund and best practices on creating a successful application. Learn more about the scope of projects Buncombe County is looking for and have a chance to ask questions. All questions and responses from the session will be posted in the form of an addendum, and a recording of the session will be published. The virtual funding workshop will be held on Monday, March . Register here.

The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.

Extension Master Gardener^SM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7, 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 Ecological Gardener-March 15, 2022. 3:00-4:30 PM ZOOM CLASS

Even the most unassuming garden is teeming with life. An ecological gardener notices the diverse interconnections of plants and animals in their landscape. During our discussion, we’ll cover the basics of ecology, plant selection for wildlife, and how to restore the ecology of your garden space.

Sheridan Samano is an award-winning teacher, biologist, and international travel guide. She has years of experience observing birds and their relationships with native plant communities in the field. For more than a decade, she taught biology at Community College of Aurora in Colorado. Since 2002 she’s taught classes highlighting Colorado’s plant and animal communities for Denver Botanic Gardens. She is also the author of Best Birding Hikes – Colorado’s Front Range.

Humankind’s age-old love affair with birds. Looking back and moving forward ~ We’ll discuss our relationship with birds – their allure, how past choices have led to dramatic declines in bird populations, and most importantly, how our choices today can help these populations rebound by our building vibrant, healthy, and ecologically functional environments; one garden at a time.”

Taught by Chris Davenport. Before Chris joined the staff of Reems Creek Nursery in 2016, he spent fourteen years with Head-Lee Nursery in Seneca, SC; five years with Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA; and two years with the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Chris is an avid home gardener and bird watcher. He loves to travel with his family to view cultivated gardens and explore untrampled wilderness.