Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children across the world. The Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. DPIL is now mailing a free book each month to over 4,400 registered children in Buncombe County.  Here is the online registration form.

Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Managing Water in Your Garden

Appropriate planning and forethought can reduce the consequences of too little or too much water in the garden. Garden design and maintenance should consider not only how much water a garden will need, but also when and from what sources. As city and well water becomes increasingly expensive, it is more important than ever to manage water use in our gardens in cost effective and environmentally sustainable ways. This presentation explores the weather conditions of WNC and methods of effective water use for gardeners.

Join a Volunteer Task Force! Our volunteer task forces work hard behind the scenes diving deep into issues affecting Asheville and Buncombe County. If you’re interested in becoming more involved by partnering up with other passionate community members, this is the place for you!   Plastics Reduction Task Force – Meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm Join the PRTF Tree Protection Task Force – Meets on the last Monday of the month at noon. Contact [email protected] to be added to the email list.

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.

Ride in style on the historic Great Smoky Mountains Railroad aboard your very own restored Caboose. These are great for family reunions, birthday parties, private meetings, corporate field trips or just any time!

Our cabooses accommodate up to 15 people with seating on the main level and in the cupola. (And, remember, babies are people, too!) The cabooses feature heat, private bathrooms, windows that can be opened, and open air vestibules at each end for unobstructed views. Advanced reservations are required and availability of caboose rentals are limited.

A platter of cheese and crackers, and an assortment of 15 bottled Coca-Cola products are included. Plus, the caboose is the only place where you can bring your own food and drink (please, no alcohol) in picnic baskets or coolers.

You can charter the caboose on:

• Nantahala Gorge
• Tuckasegee River

Best value for small groups and private parties up to 15 passengers. Available by phone only. Book now by calling 800-872-4681.

Rafting

Harvest Fall Festival + Meet and Greet with Lauren and the App Standard Family!
October 2nd, 2021 from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Explore our beautiful greenhouses and enjoy games, live music, food trucks, curated vendors selling art, craft, CBD products, and much more in one of Asheville’s most remarkable locales.

It’s our favorite time of the year! Harvest season is quickly approaching, and we at Ross Farms want to celebrate by inviting the Asheville community to our very own Harvest Fall Festival. We will have an exciting line-up full of great live music, including bluegrass, Buddhagraph Spaceship, and Appalachian Standard’s very own Substandards. Food will be available, with Ciao Y’all joining us and providing delicious Appalachian-inspired Italian cuisine as well as New Orleans Cusine sharing traditional New Orleans style cuisine. We will also have a ton of fall-themed games, including pumpkin tic-tac-toe and a mechanical bull. In addition, different featured artisans will be selling their wares and the greenhouse will be open and selling seasonal plants!

Some of our feature artisans include Red’s Resin Relics, Early-Zald Photography, and twentyfirstlotus.

The Harvest Fall Festival is free to the public. Parking is available on site, however can be limited so it is recommended that groups carpool. This is an outdoor event. Masks are encouraged. The first 100 people to join us will win a goodie bag!

Appalachian Standard is a veteran-owned, craft hemp farm and greenhouse nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Our hemp is greenhouse, field, and indoor-grown in small batches year-round by a team of experienced growers. Come experience music in one heck of a unique venue!

Buncombe County is beginning a comprehensive planning process and would like to hear from residents of all ages. The comprehensive plan is used by local governments as a broad, long-range planning tool for the community. Our plan will focus on the next 20-year period and will look at the relationships between land uses, infrastructure, and key community needs. Information regarding the comprehensive planning process will be available online and in all 12 Buncombe County Libraries starting in October.

Also during October, the libraries will provide an opportunity for children in Buncombe County to participate in the Comprehensive Plan Post Card Project.  Come to the library and pick up your craft kits (while supplies last) that include a postcard where kids can draw what they want their neighborhood to look like. This is a chance for young people to vote for their future and say what they want County government to address in the next 20 years. These postcards will give the County valuable input and may be featured in the final comprehensive plan!  If you have any questions, contact your neighborhood librarian or visit the Comprehensive Plan online.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children across the world. The Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. DPIL is now mailing a free book each month to over 4,400 registered children in Buncombe County.  Here is the online registration form.

Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Managing Water in Your Garden

Appropriate planning and forethought can reduce the consequences of too little or too much water in the garden. Garden design and maintenance should consider not only how much water a garden will need, but also when and from what sources. As city and well water becomes increasingly expensive, it is more important than ever to manage water use in our gardens in cost effective and environmentally sustainable ways. This presentation explores the weather conditions of WNC and methods of effective water use for gardeners.

Join a Volunteer Task Force! Our volunteer task forces work hard behind the scenes diving deep into issues affecting Asheville and Buncombe County. If you’re interested in becoming more involved by partnering up with other passionate community members, this is the place for you!   Plastics Reduction Task Force – Meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm Join the PRTF Tree Protection Task Force – Meets on the last Monday of the month at noon. Contact [email protected] to be added to the email list.

A guided whitewater rafting trip is one of the best ways to experience the Nantahala Gorge. The crystal-clear Nantahala River is the perfect family-friendly river where experienced river guides will help you navigate through splashy Class II-III rapids and bouncy waves, with occasional calmer waters where you can enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery. The fully guided rafting trip the most popular adventure at NOC, with thousands of families returning year after year.