Farm Tour in Western North Carolina

September 22-23, 2012 Here's your chance to visit farms in the Asheville area that are not normally open to the public. The Farm Tour will open 35 farms in six Western North Carolina counties. The region is home to agriculture of all kinds, ranging from century farms cultivated by the same family for generations, to certified organic farms, to urban gardens. The self-guided tour, organized by Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), is your chance to learn how food grows, taste farm-fresh treats, interact with farm animals, and meet the community’s food producers. It’s the first time ASAP has hosted the event in the fall. The change allows farmers with seasons starting in late summer to take part. But the new season and farms—there are 14 new stops in total—aren’t the only new aspects of the tour. ASAP plans to launch a brand new local food app, entitled Appalachian Grown and modeled after their Local Food Guide, just before the big event. The free mobile app will be available for iPhone and Android users and offer detailed information about participating farms, as well as tap into a phone’s GPS for help navigating a chosen tour route. Beyond the tour, the app will connect folks with area farms and businesses that support local food. Those interested in test driving the new app will be able to find it post-launch by searching iPhone’s App Store or Android’s Google Play Store for “Appalachian Grown.” How can tour-takers visit the 35 farms? 1: Purchase a tour pass at select area businesses and tailgate markets, or online at asapconnections.org; passes are $25 in advance. 2) Pack a car with friends and family. One pass admits an entire carload. 3) Grab a guide and set off to celebrate the region’s agricultural heritage. The tour runs 1-6 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Tour guides are available from pass vendors and for download at asapconnections.org; guides include a map and directions, tour tips, information about the second annual Farm Tour Photo Contest, and other details. Those interested in taking the tour can find more information, including a list of pass vendors and details on volunteering and attending the tour for free, at asapconnections.org. ASAP’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as their community website fromhere.org, will feature event information and stories leading up to the tour. Participants are also invited to share their journey via Twitter during the weekend. Western NC Farms on Tour 2012 Buncombe County Addison Farms Vineyard Almosta Farm Asheville Fresh Herbs Cloud 9 Farm Flying Cloud Farm Good Fibrations Hawk and Ivy B&B Hickory Nut Gap Farm Hominy Valley Farms Hop ’n Blueberry Farm Imladris Farm J-Bee Farm (formerly Jordan Blackley) Long Branch Environmental Education Center New Sprout Organic Farms Razor Mountain Round Mountain Creamery Smoking J's Fiery Foods and Farm Haywood County Sunburst Trout Farms Henderson County Justus Orchard Madison County Bee Tree Farm and Vineyard Dry Ridge Farm East Fork Farm Farmhouse Beef Mountain Harvest Organics Mulberry Gap Farm New Direction Farm Troutlily Farm Wake Robin Farm Wild Mountain Apiaries Yancey County Firefly Farm Mountain Farm Mountain Gardens Mushroom Hut @ Fox Farms Wellspring Farm

Carolina Chickenstock

Fall 2012
September 22nd, 2012

Ponderosa Horse Show Grounds
1222 Ponderosa Road
Lincolnton, NC 28092

9am -2pm

ABOUT THE EVENT

Carolina Chickenstock is a very large sell/swap/trade event, involving all poultry and waterfowl, in NC, SC, VA, and other surrounding states.

This is a bi-annual event, happening late Spring and Early fall every year in Lincolnton, NC.

This event is open to ALL types of Poultry and Waterfowl (from eggs to full grown) as well as poultry related items for the birds, barn and home, crafts, homemade goods & canned goods, fresh garden foods. There will also be raffles and possibly silents auctions.

 

***Remember that if you are selling in NC you must have your Green Card(license to sell Poultry). It is FREE and only takes about a week to get it. ***

 

For more info, visit Carolina Chickenstock's website and Facebook page. If you're thinking of going and want to see a list of what people are hoping to bring or want to add to the "want list" visit http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/695775/carolina-chickenstock-fall-2012/100 

 

Upcoming Garden Workshops

Upcoming Garden Workshops at Old Salem Gardens:

September 11, 2012:

Fall Lawn Care presented by Bill Colvin, Master Gardener of Forsyth County, NC

Learn the basics of lawn care from a technical perspective: the proper cultural practices of fertilizing, liming, seeding, and mowing.

September 15, 2012: Herbal Tea Making presented by Elizabeth Morgan, Herbalist and Owner, Dandelion Soap and Herb Shop in Walkertown, NC

Discover how to use your own herbs to create simple, great tasting, and healing teas.

September 29, 2012:

All about Lavender presented by Sandra Sarlinga, Manager of Sunshine Lavender Farm in Orange County, NC.

Explore everything about this ancient herb, prized for its fragrance, color, and beauty. How to grow, harvest, craft, and taste lavender.

Workshops are presented by Old Salem Museums & Gardens Department of Horticulture. Non-perishable food items appreciated for Second Harvest Food Bank.

For more information, or to pre-register for a workshop, please call (336)721-7357.

NC Pawpaw Festival

Come on down (August 25, 2012) to the Pawpaw patch for the NC Pawpaw Festival held annually at the Jack Warren Park in Lewisville. Learn what a pawpaw is, the nutritional benefits and taste sample of several culinary delights using pawpaw fruit.

For more information, contact: Kathy Hepler

The Moravian Festival

The Moravian Festival
Saturday, September 8, 2012
10 am until 6 pm

New Philadelphia Moravian Church
4440 Country Club Road
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Moravian food, crafts, music, children's activities, history and outreach.

Admission to The Moravian Festival is only $1 per person. Tickets are available at festival entrances.

Eastern Triangle Farm Tour

Sept. 15 – 16, 2012
Farms open 1–5 PM both days

Whether it is cute animals for the kids, meat, egg and fiber production, veggie and fruit growing, cut flowers and ornamentals, mushrooms, bees and honey or urban gardens and farms, we will have something for you — across the eastern, northern and southern sections of the Triangle.
DOWNLOAD: Eastern Triangle Farm Tour Brochure and Map
CHECK OUT: 2012 Interactive Google Farm Tour Map which lists all the farms and gives you customized driving directions.

Get Excited!

Check out photos from last year’s tour on Facebook!

Proudly sponsored by / proudly presented by

For More Information

Fred Broadwell
CFSA’s Program Manager
Email(919) 542-2402

How to Take the Tour

Load up a car with your friends and family, choose the farms you’d like to visit on the map or in the brochure below and get out in the countryside!
The tour is self-guided and farms and sites are located throughout the Eastern Triangle in Wake, Durham, Granville, Franklin and Chatham counties. Visit any farm in any order. This year we have 23 farms to choose from. Learn More →

Buy Your Tickets for the Eastern Triangle Farm Tour

Tickets are now on sale. Go to our online store to buy your ticket today. In August we will begin to sell tickets also at Whole Foods Market locations and at farmers markets.

ADVANCE TICKETS

$25 per vehicle (or cycling group) for ALL farms and for BOTH days. Rain or shine.

Buy Tickets Online

Buy your ticket
Buy your combination ticket and CFSA membership
Buy your combination tickets and donation to CFSA Learn More →

Volunteer at a Farm during the Tour

Volunteer one afternoon and attend the tour the other day for FREE!
Volunteers get an insider view of farms, have lots of fun and get a free T-shirt! Learn More →

Farm Tour Video

Special thanks to Erica Rothman of Nightlight Productions for creating this film!

Weed Control in Blackberries, Grapes and Blueberries to Increase Yields

Weed Control in Blackberries, Grapes and Blueberries to Increase Yields

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

6 pm

Rockingham County Agriculture Center
525 Hwy 65
Reidsville, NC 27320

Come learn how to control weeds in these small fruit crops!

Wayne Mitchem, Horticulture Researcher and Extension Associate, NCSU, will be doing the program on how control weeds to produce healthier plants and maximum fruit yields.

Please bring problem weed samples!

2 Hours of NC Pesticide Recertification Credit will be available in N, O, D, and X subclasses

Please Pre-register to Kathryn Holmes 342-8230

Social Media for Farmers

Social Media for Farmers Workshops

Want to harness the power of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to reach new customers and grow your farm business?

You won’t want to miss this all-day hands-on workshop designed especially for farmers and taught by social media experts, Johanna Kramer (@durhamfoodie) and Cary and Grace Kanoy (GeoCore Films).

You will leave this workshop with a fully-functioning Facebook and Twitter page (or upgrade your existing pages), the skills to shoot your own short farm video using your cell phone, camera, or camcorder, and the training to take better farm photos. Limited to 25 participants!

Includes lunch.

Cost: ONLY $10!

Workshop Dates

The same information will be covered at each workshop. Please sign up for only one!

DATE	LOCATION
August 14	Winston-Salem at the Forsyth Ag Building
August 16	Pittsboro at the Chatham County Ag Building

There are three easy ways to register:

1) Online – CFSA’s online store

2) Call – 919-542-2402

3) Email – Cheryl Ripperton Rettie

Questions?

Please call the CFSA office at 919-542-2402 or email Amy Armbruster, CFSA’s Communications Coordinator, for more information!

This workshop is hosted by the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association in partnership with Know Your Farms, BRWIA, BioBusiness Center and Laboratory, Mountain BizWorks, Blue Ridge Food Ventures, Center for Environmental Farming Systems, NC Cooperative Extension, the 10% Campaign, and Food Corps with funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation.