On Sat., Feb. 1, 10 to 11:30 am, John Bowen and Barb Harrison, Buncombe Master Gardener Volunteers, will hold workshops on Starting Seeds Indoors and How to Sharpen Pruning Tools.

John will discuss how to start your seeds indoors and their requirements. He will talk about supplies, when to start, soil, light, water, scarification, stratification, and more. We will provide you with free materials to get you started ~ seed starter soil, containers, and seeds to take home (limited quantities). Please bring your small pruning tools as Barb will demonstrate how to sharpen them. After the demo, we will have tables set-up for you to sharpen your tools to get them ready for your chores.

Workshops are held at the Black Mountain Library’s Education Room at 105 N. Dougherty Street. Our presentations are in partnership with Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library and Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers.

Blaire Erskine is a weekend regular at Atlanta’s Laughing Skull Lounge, where she entertains audiences with silly observations and stories inspired by her eccentric family, rural upbringing, and love for cats. When she’s not telling jokes in Atlanta, you can catch her performing at venues all across the Southeast.

Tickets $7 advance, $10 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-fleetwoods-blaire-erskine-tickets-86017437471

Farming on a small scale requires a variety of production, management and business skills. After the initial start-up years, it can be challenging to understand what your financial numbers and production records mean for your business and enterprise development, and then how to make decisions to move your business forward.This 4-hour training will dig deep into  enterprise development and adaptive management for beginning and experienced small farmers.

Explore & Utilize:

1. Strategic business planning tools & techniques
2. Established farmers recordkeeping and decision-making processes
3. Adaptive decision-making with your own farm records

Explore Sustainable Farming

If you’re in the exploratory stages of starting your own farm, this entry-level workshop is designed just for you. You will receive practical, common-sense information on sustainable farming and how to move forward.

Learn about sustainable farming careers in Western North Carolina.

Discover and assess your resources, skills and farming intentions.

Begin to develop an educational plan toward farming.

Connect with regional training opportunities and support networks.

Prioritize your next steps toward your farming goals.

Hear from experienced farmers running successful farms in WNC.

One-Day Workshop on Land-Based Living

Homestead Dreams is an entry-level workshop designed to help you incorporate small-scale sustainability and self-sufficiency into your life. Whether you own or rent a home, or live in a rural or urban setting, you can move towards self-reliance now.

One-Day Workshop on Land-Based Living

Homestead Dreams is an entry-level workshop designed to help you incorporate small-scale sustainability and self-sufficiency into your life. Whether you own or rent a home, or live in a rural or urban setting, you can move towards self-reliance now.

Original tunes for banjo, fiddle, drums, and bass. With Duncan Wickel, Nick Falk, and Dan Klingsberg.

Sideshow Special Event

Featuring TWO back-to-back burlesque/pole dancing/improv shows conceived and directed by the sensationally talented Boo Velvet and co-hosted with acclaimed improvisor and performer, George Awad.

Boo Velvet, alter ego Kathleen Hahn, owner of Danceclub Asheville, is a seasoned dancer and comedic burlesque performer in love with improv and exciting an audience. She will tease and tantalize as she shows off her beautiful and talented cast. George Awad can be found on many stages in the Asheville area performing improv and sketch comedy.

It’s burlesque! It’s improv! It’s loads of laughs! It’s fierce competition! It’s sexy, ridiculousness like you’ve never seen before. It’s The Great American Strip-Off: Valentine’s Day Edition!

Friday, February 14th, 7pm and 10:00pm shows

GILBERT LAWAND is a Brooklyn based comedian by way of Atlanta. You can see him performing all over the New York City area at some of the best shows such as Night Train, the Knitting Factory, and Bar Matchless as well as comedy clubs like Caroline’s, Gotham, New York Comedy Club, and the Creek and the Cave. He also produces the annual Red Clay Comedy Festival which takes place in Atlanta every September. Gilbert has performed in several festivals including Bridgetown, High Plains, and the Laughing Skull Festival where he was a finalist in 2015. He’s a frequent opener for Rory Scovel and has also opened for Dave Chappelle.

ages 18+
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-gilbert-lawand-friday-tickets-89416522225
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-gilbert-lawand-saturday-tickets-89418100947

Sideshow Special Event

Featuring TWO back-to-back burlesque/pole dancing/improv shows conceived and directed by the sensationally talented Boo Velvet and co-hosted with acclaimed improvisor and performer, George Awad.

Boo Velvet, alter ego Kathleen Hahn, owner of Danceclub Asheville, is a seasoned dancer and comedic burlesque performer in love with improv and exciting an audience. She will tease and tantalize as she shows off her beautiful and talented cast. George Awad can be found on many stages in the Asheville area performing improv and sketch comedy.

It’s burlesque! It’s improv! It’s loads of laughs! It’s fierce competition! It’s sexy, ridiculousness like you’ve never seen before. It’s The Great American Strip-Off: Valentine’s Day Edition!

Friday, February 14th, 7pm and 10:00pm shows

GILBERT LAWAND is a Brooklyn based comedian by way of Atlanta. You can see him performing all over the New York City area at some of the best shows such as Night Train, the Knitting Factory, and Bar Matchless as well as comedy clubs like Caroline’s, Gotham, New York Comedy Club, and the Creek and the Cave. He also produces the annual Red Clay Comedy Festival which takes place in Atlanta every September. Gilbert has performed in several festivals including Bridgetown, High Plains, and the Laughing Skull Festival where he was a finalist in 2015. He’s a frequent opener for Rory Scovel and has also opened for Dave Chappelle.

ages 18+
Tickets $10 advance, $12 day of
FRIDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-gilbert-lawand-friday-tickets-89416522225
SATURDAY: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-gilbert-lawand-saturday-tickets-89418100947

Aaron Naylor is a stand-up comedian from Kansas City, MO. He won the 2014 Kansas City’s Local Comic Standing, the 2017 Funniest Person in Wichita Competition, placed 2nd in the 2016 Cleveland Comedy Festival, and has performed at SF Sketchfest, Blue Whale Comedy Festival, Cape Fear Comedy Festival, Trial by Laughter, Asheville Comedy Festival and many other festivals. He has opened for real people who do this for a living.

Featuring Ryan Trickey

Tickets $7 advance, $10 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/comedy-at-fleetwoods-aaron-naylor-tickets-84685056283

We’ll take a deep dive into ecologically-based preventive, cultural, and integrated practices to reduce the impact of the disease on your farm in this one-day workshop. You will gain a thorough understanding of what causes disease, identification techniques, and best management practices for reducing the damage that crop disease can cause.

In this one day workshop, you will gain an ecological understanding of pests including their biology, how to sample for pest and beneficial insects, and their relationship to soil and nutrient management. You will also learn management strategies that are commonly used to prevent pest damage, promote beneficials, and be equipped to develop a plan to manage pest outbreaks effectively on your farm.

The Comedy Show will see the historic YMI Cultural Center expand its program offerings to include a monthly night of gut-wrenching laughter featuring comedians of color. Presented in partnership with JAWBREAKING.xyz and Modelface Comedy & Events, The Comedy Show will be a night of comedy on the YMI’s main stage, featuring rising comedy stars from all over the country.

February’s show will be hosted by Asheville comic Petey Smith-McDowell and feature Tiffany Anderson, Kourtlyn Wiggins and Comedy Central’s Mia Jackson.

Mia Jackson is a bonafide Georgia peach (that’s Georgian for “native”) and self proclaimed know-it-all. After graduating from the University of Georgia she hit the local comedy scene and has thrilled audiences since day one. To her credit she has appeared on NickMom’s Night Out, Viceland and was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing. She has appeared on Inside Amy Schumer and the movie Mother’s Day. In 2017, she was named a New Face at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and Atlanta’s Creative Loafing named her the city’s Best Stand-Up. Her Comedy Central Half Hour special premiered this past fall. Smart, funny, and versatile, Mia entertains all types of crowds.

ages 18+
Tickets $20 advance, $25 day of
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-comedy-show-tickets-89938018033

Joe Zimmerman grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia, and started his comedy career in North Carolina. While living in the South, his stand-up group the Beards of Comedy landed a record deal with Comedy Central Records. He moved to New York City in 2012, quickly appearing on The Late Late Show and John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, as well as performing at Montreal’s prestigious Just for Laughs festival. His resume has since grown to include The Tonight Show, Conan, Nickelodeon, Last Comic Standing, and his own Comedy Central Half Hour. Joe’s solo album Smiling at Wolves reached number two on the iTunes comedy charts and is played regularly on SiriusXM. (His second, Innocence, is due this summer on Comedy Central Records.) He has also contributed humor pieces to The New York Times.

Joe’s new podcast, “A Great Listening Experience” details his questionable attempts to attain infinite knowledge and power. Among his many podcast & radio appearances, he has recently appeared on 2 Dope Queens, The Dork Forest, Bob & Tom, The Todd Barry Podcast, and The Artie Lange Show. Joe is frequently touring, headlining clubs around the country, and occasionally opening for super stars Brian Regan and Ricky Gervais.

“The combination of Joe’s calming vocalization and inventive writing is a thing of magic. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable show.”
-Buzzfeed

ages 18+
Tickets $12 advance, $15 day of
Friday: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-joe-zimmerman-friday-tickets-87501546481
Saturday: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lazoom-comedy-joe-zimmerman-saturday-tickets-87502748075

The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, management, and marketing tools to improve their farm businesses and make new professional connections.

The conference offers over a dozen workshops led by farmers and regional professionals, including Achieve Your Farm Financial Goals, Developing Your Farm Brand, Selling to Restaurants, and more. The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting gives farmers the chance to meet with buyers from area restaurants, groceries, and distributors. Farmers can receive individual support on legal, tax, labor, recordkeeping, and marketing issues during the extended lunch. Breakfast and lunch featuring local farm products is provided.

For the second year, the conference will include a free summit and leadership training for farmers market managers as well as a new farmers market fundraising forum. With more than 100 independent markets across the region, farmers markets are an important outlet for farmers to sell their products, build their customer base, and strengthen community ties. Interested market managers should contact Mike McCreary, [email protected], to pre-register for the summit.

Registration for the Business of Farming Conference is now open at asapconnections.org or by contacting ASAP at (828) 236-1282. Attendance is $75 per person by Feb. 1 and $95 beginning Feb. 2, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Sponsors for the Business of Farming Conference include Ingles Markets, Farm Burger, and Biltmore. Additional support comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Buncombe County Strategic Partnership, Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, and the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.

Docents will be available in each home to answer questions. Participants should be able to walk several city blocks and negotiate stairs & public walkways. Tour will happen rain or shine, please bring a raincoat or umbrella as needed.  There are no paper tickets for this event.