New in 2022, The Learning Garden, located at the Cooperative Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road will provide opportunities to Drop-In and Learn in the garden. Each month, selected gardens will offer demonstrations and programs, while all our gardens will be open to the public.

In addition, our Helpline desk will be open indoors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for in-person consultations, where Extension Master Gardeners^SM will provide problem solving assistance. Feel free to bring questions and samples (plant and insect) to the Helpline desk during your visit to the Learning Garden.

July 27 demonstrations will be:

Planning a Drip Irrigation System. Learn to design and install a drip irrigation system in the home garden, from one raised bed or a few pots to a larger area of row crops or a large border. Discussion will include computing water needs, choosing equipment, and installing the system. NOTE: This program will be presented once, beginning at 10 am.

Summer Care of Roses. Heat and drought are hard on roses.  We’ll talk about how much water your roses need, when and how to feed them, and how to keep black spot at bay.

Edibles in the Perennial Garden. Bronze fennel, a serviceberry tree, and rhubarb are part of the Sun and Shade garden. Another area, under development, is a section that contains a variety of pie pumpkins. Come by and see how to incorporate edibles into your own garden.

Harvesting and Maintaining a Summer Vegetable Garden. July is the prime month for harvesting all the vegetables that were planted in the spring. We will talk about the best harvesting tools and what time to harvest a variety of vegetables. Root crops such as beets, carrots and onions will also be harvested along with other vegetables. Maintenance chores will be reviewed that are necessary for a successful vegetable garden.

Kids Corner. Family friendly gardening activities for the young at heart.

Our gardens open at 9 a.m. and demonstration programs will run between 10 and 11 a.m. Come, walk around, and soak in our lovely gardens! Most programs are informal and continuous – exceptions are noted above.

Note: almost all activities will be held outdoors, so please dress appropriately for the weather.

Registration is not required.  Plan to Drop in and Learn!

Additional information about The Learning Garden is located on this website.

Happy EMGs Eager to Answer Your Questions

Join us for a fun and interactive story time designed for children ages 18 months to 3 years.

Woodsy Owl’s Curiosity Club is a weekly educational program designed for children ages 4 to 7 to explore nature with their trusted adult and Cradle naturalist. Programs are 1.5 hours long and begin with the reading of a forest-themed story and include fun activities, games and a craft.  Programs run weekly on Wednesdays between June 29 and July 27.  Come to one or all five programs. Great for families vacationing in the Blue Ridge mountains this summer! 

The program costs $5 per child and $3 for accompanying adults – All children must be accompanied by an adult. Adults with a Cradle Annual Pass get in free. 

Programs take place outdoors utilizing our paved trails and outdoor amphitheater. 

The program starts promptly at 10:30 A.M. at the outdoor amphitheater at the Cradle of Forestry. Plan to arrive early to find parking and check in at the Forest Discovery Center lobby. 

Please ensure all members of your party are dressed appropriately for the weather and are prepared for outdoor exploration. Note that the weather at the Cradle of Forestry is often cooler than nearby Brevard and Asheville. 

Start mentally preparing for the ceremonial start to the summer and your first dip in the pool! Buncombe County Recreation Services opens its five outdoor swimming pools on Saturday, May 28.

Pools are open Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, pools may close for a short period of time or the entire day. Follow individual pools on Facebook for the latest information on closings.

Cost to swim is $3.00 per day. Visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs and lounging towels.

For many local families, our pool openings signal the beginning of summer and more relaxing days. They’re an affordable, fun, and healthy way to beat the heat. Thanks to their locations, they’re also surrounded by stunning views of our mountains.

Pools are located across the county, ensuring easy access for all kids and families. The facilities are managed through an agreement with Swim Club Management Group of Asheville which oversees maintenance, hires staff, and handles daily operations. Community members can sign up for swim lessons and book private parties on the management group’s website, buncombepool.com.

Sun safety information is available at each location, but pool visitors are reminded to apply water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher before putting on a bathing suit and reapply every two hours or after swimming. Other tips to avoid the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays include wearing high-UPF swim shirts, wide brim hats, and wraparound UV-blocking sunglasses. More sun safety tips are available from the American Academy of Dermatology.

Pool Locations

Cane Creek Pool
590 Lower Brush Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
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Erwin Pool
58 Lees Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28806
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Hominy Valley Pool
25 Twin Lakes Road
Candler, NC 28715
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North Buncombe Pool
892 Clarks Chapel Road
Weaverville, NC 28787
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Owen Pool
117 Stone Drive
Swannanoa, NC 28778
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Did you know our staff had a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn what kind of wildlife inhabits the Park and their important roles in the ecosystem. Some of our best teachers have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

 Doggies at the Diamond

Award winning Stillhouse Junkies bring their brand of Bluegrass/American Roots from Southwest Colorado to Isis Music Hall . Born in a distillery in Durango, CO, Stillhouse Junkies play a delirious, head-spinning mixture of original roots, blues, funk, swing, and bluegrass music. With all three band members sharing lead vocal and songwriting duties, the Junkies conjure a wide range of tonal landscapes that pay tribute to the iconic sounds of Gillian Welch, the Allman Brothers, Tim O’Brien, the Wood Brothers, John Hiatt, and countless others while breaking new musical ground with their genre-bending original material. Stillhouse Junkies are proud to be two-time Telluride Band Contest finalists.

Plan your next adventure with Nantahala Outdoor Center! NOC offers more than 100 itineraries that you can sort by Whitewater Rafting, Zip Lining, Mountain Biking, and more! Filter by location, experience level, or activity type. Mix and match your favorites or book one of our packages for a full-day of fun! Planning your next adventure has never been easier.

THIS IS A HALF-DAY CAMP. Core classes include acting, dance and movement, music, costume design, improv, and physical comedy. Additional classes, daily activities, and instructors vary by session, so join us for one week or several! There will not be a final showcase for Youth Camp. Masks are currently optional for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Campers should plan to bring their own lunch, water bottle, and snacks from home.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the first day of the camp session for consideration.

Core classes include acting, dance and movement, music, costume design, improv, and physical comedy. Additional classes, daily activities, and instructors vary by session, so join us for one week or several! There will not be a final showcase for Youth Camp. Masks are currently optional for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Campers should plan to bring their own lunch, water bottle, and snacks from home.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the first day of the camp session for consideration.

Core classes include acting, dance and movement, music, costume design, improv, and physical comedy. Additional classes, daily activities, and instructors vary by session, so join us for one week or several! There will not be a final showcase for Youth Camp. Masks are currently optional for all students, regardless of vaccination status. Campers should plan to bring their own lunch, water bottle, and snacks from home.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP

Please do not purchase registration prior to applying for a scholarship. Applications must be received at least two weeks before the first day of the camp session for consideration.

Ages: Rising Middle & High School

Love to be involved in theatre, but prefer to be behind the scenes? Maybe you love being on stage but want to explore how sets and props are designed and created? This experience is for you! You will learn how to create and execute a plan of design for our shows and help transform our space for the final productions.

COME GET YOUR GOLDEN TICKET!

The delicious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating adaptation of Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale. Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder, in addition to a host of fun new songs, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka KIDS is a scrumdidilyumptious musical guaranteed to delight everyone’s sweet tooth.

Camp features: acting and movement classes and exercises, music and choreography, prop making, set design and more!

All campers will receive two tickets for each Friday show (3pm and 5pm). The campers stay after the 3pm show for a CAST pizza party between showings, and will go home at the conclusion of the 5pm show on Friday.

Camps run Monday-Friday, 9am -3pm
(The Performance and Competition Team is 10am-4pm.)

2022 Season will offer Rootabaga Express! on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:15 am. Celebrate 100 years of Rootabaga this summer! Published in 1922, the “Rootabaga Stories” have entertained readers and audiences of all ages for 100 years. Use the links at the bottom to read a story or watch part of a play. The Sandburg Summer Stage is a series of free public performances. These 30-minute programs feature the cast and directors from The Vagabond School of the Drama, an apprentice program of the Flat Rock Playhouse. Performances are held rain or shine, at the park amphitheatre near the Front Lake. Rootabaga Express! Carl Sandburg created his own version of American fairy tales when he published Rootabaga Stories (1922) and Rootabaga Pigeons (1923). He replaced the European fairy tale cast of princes, princesses, castles and kingdoms with icons American children would recognize — taxi-drivers, movie actors, skyscrapers, prairies and automobiles. Rootabaga Express! brings the stories of the Five Rusty Rats, Bimbo the Snip and more to life.You’ll meet new characters and journey farther into the Village of Liver and Onions and Sandburg’s imagination than ever before.The 30-minute shows are appropriate for all ages and held rain or shine. These shows are supported by the Flat Rock Playhouse and the Park Store, operated by America’s National Parks. Apprentice actors from the Flat Rock Playhouse have performed adaptations of Sandburg’s works for park visitors since 1974. Using Sandburg’s own words from his collections of children’s stories, poetry, collected music, biography of Abraham Lincoln and his own autobiography, the performances provide visitors with a sense of the scope of his work and imagination. Sandburg was an expert storyteller, and easily wove important messages of fairness, empathy and social justice into his writings. Whatever play you are able to attend you will walk away with a smile on your face and a better understanding of the legacy of Carl Sandburg.

No shows June 30 and July 2.

Join us at Eliada Home’s campus for a small group guided walking Farm Tour. Tours last approximately 1 hour. Participants will learn about outdoor and greenhouse growing practices, aquaponics, hydroponics, market gardening, corn maze production, and learn about our Animal Therapy program.

We will be meeting at the PARC building and walking to the different greenhouses, garden site, and a visit with our animals. Reservations required, tickets are $10 each visitor (to be collected at the time of the tour).

We recommend bringing the following: comfortable shoes for walking on pavement and grass, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.  This tour is not handicap accessible and will require participants to climb stairs and walk on uneven ground.

We will begin out tour promptly at the starting time, so please arrive 5-10 min early to allow for parking and check-in. If you are running late or cannot make your tour, please email [email protected] or call #828-348-2287.

All proceeds from ticket sales from your farm tour go directly back to helping the Campus Farm Program grow more food for the children of Eliada!

Click above photo to sign up for a time slot and number of people in your group. Payment for tour will be collected when you arrive. Cards accepted.

This tour is best suited for school age children ages 10+ and adults.

Start mentally preparing for the ceremonial start to the summer and your first dip in the pool! Buncombe County Recreation Services opens its five outdoor swimming pools on Saturday, May 28.

Pools are open Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday from 1-6 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, pools may close for a short period of time or the entire day. Follow individual pools on Facebook for the latest information on closings.

Cost to swim is $3.00 per day. Visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs and lounging towels.

For many local families, our pool openings signal the beginning of summer and more relaxing days. They’re an affordable, fun, and healthy way to beat the heat. Thanks to their locations, they’re also surrounded by stunning views of our mountains.

Pools are located across the county, ensuring easy access for all kids and families. The facilities are managed through an agreement with Swim Club Management Group of Asheville which oversees maintenance, hires staff, and handles daily operations. Community members can sign up for swim lessons and book private parties on the management group’s website, buncombepool.com.

Sun safety information is available at each location, but pool visitors are reminded to apply water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher before putting on a bathing suit and reapply every two hours or after swimming. Other tips to avoid the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays include wearing high-UPF swim shirts, wide brim hats, and wraparound UV-blocking sunglasses. More sun safety tips are available from the American Academy of Dermatology.

Pool Locations

Cane Creek Pool
590 Lower Brush Creek Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
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Erwin Pool
58 Lees Creek Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Like on Facebook

Hominy Valley Pool
25 Twin Lakes Road
Candler, NC 28715
Like on Facebook

North Buncombe Pool
892 Clarks Chapel Road
Weaverville, NC 28787
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Owen Pool
117 Stone Drive
Swannanoa, NC 28778
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Thirsty Thursday

Ingles BOGO Tuesday

BOGO General Admission Adult tickets with promo code “INGLES” when you purchase your tickets online.