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The local foods dinner at this year's True Nature Country Fair is called One Bowl and will feature hearty and healthy soups and stews, made from local and organic ingredients. We would love to serve up the entrees in handcrafted bowls, donated by local potters. Guests will keep the bowls as part of their dinner experience, and all proceeds from the dinner will benefit experiential education at the True Nature Country Fair. Interested in donating your work to this cause? Artists contributing four bowls or more will be our guest for dinner, and ALL participating artists will have their name listed in the dinner program. Contact Karen Vizzina at 828.342.1849 or earthstarnc@earthlink.net to get involved.
OGS presents the 4th annual True Nature Country Fair, September 25 & 26, 2010 at the Big Ivy Community Center in Barnardsville, NC. A celebration of life in connection with the earth, the Fair features local and sustainable products and resources, all from the southern appalachian region. $5/adult allows you entry to over 60 classes, workshops, and plant walks on topics including medicinal herbs, homesteading, health and healing, permaculture, primitive skills, gardening, alternative energy, green building, and more! Also enjoy small livestock displays, local craft artisans, a trade show, local and organic food and treats, a silent auction, live music, and contra dancing. Old time musicians can participate in the second annual old time banjo and fiddle contest.
Kids love our Sprouts children's program where they learn about and interact with nature. Making art projects with seeds, going for nature hunts, or playing music with recycled instruments are great ways for your kids to enjoy the fair, for just $3/child.
A schedule of classes and activities will be posted online in the coming months. In the meantime, if you want to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, or exhibitor, contact True Nature Program Manager Karen Vizzina at earthstarnc@earthlink.net. For inquiries about the old time banjo and fiddle contest, contact Joe Hallock at joe@organicgrowersschool.org.
The artwork above, chosen to represent True Nature this year is a hand forged metal gate created by Douglas Lapham of Asheville, NC. Doug is a studio artist and compulsive recycler who begins many of his custom pieces with salvaged materials that have unusual textures and shapes. He then transforms them into what he calls "fine and funky forged and fabricated furnishings" for both homes and businesses.
Visit the True Nature Home Page
The 17th annual Organic Growers School conference ended yesterday, and over 1500 gardeners, farmers, chefs, food activists, and consumers left the campus of UNC-Asheville ready to kick of the spring season. "I have so many skills now because of this event" says veteran volunteer Dee Casey. "I've been coming for so many years and every year I gain so much more." Casey takes part annually in the OGS volunteer work exchange program, which gives over 100 people the opportunity to pitch in and make the conference happen in exchange for free or reduced admission to classes. Even from the registration desk, the energy was contagious, as I overheard people talking about the classes they attended and the workshops they have planned for later in their day. Popping my head in on class after class, it always makes me smile to see the learning and networking that happens through this great community event. Still need to fill out your Conference Evaluation? You can do it online up until April 1st!
Also check out "10 Things learned at the Organic Growers School", written by attendee and local blogger Alisa Hixson. Stay tuned for next years dates, and new additions to our Spring Conference Library, which we expect to unveil soon!
Thanks to everyone who assisted and attended, and we hope to see you again soon!
The ultimate spring kick-off is just days away! If you've already registered, we suggest you take a look at the campus map and recommended parking. Note that registration will be on the 1st floor of the HighSmith Union Building. NEED DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO UNCA?
Online registration is now CLOSED. YES! You may register at the door.
Join over 1300 farmers, gardeners, activists, and consumers March 6 & 7, 2010 at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) for the southeast's largest sustainable living conference. Registration is only $55 per day, and buys you a general registration, and access to over 60 classes! The 6th annual Childrens Program is for kids aged 7-12, and costs $30 per day. Additional hands on workshops and cooking classes are $5 each. See you there, green thumb.
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Many of us have made great strides in 2009 at becoming greener, supporting local, or maybe just becoming more self-sufficient. Maybe you planted your own garden this past summer, bought your food from local farmers, or made a commitment to cook more using whole ingredients, no matter where those ingredients were sourced. This holiday season, OGS would like to recognize all of you for the actions you have taken in your lives, no matter how small, to support a paradigm shift in our country's food system. Each of these commitments draw us closer to our food, and unifies us around a goal of food security, safety, and nutrition, and sustainable agriculture. OGS would like to recognize everyone who is fighting the hard battles against the monopolization of seed genetics, the failing health of our nation's poorest citizens, the loss of family farmlands, and the loss of ecosystem benefits that make sustainable farming possible. We salute the bloggers, NGO workers, legislative leaders, farmers, teachers, conscious consumers, and many more who are championing our movement. Without you, the hope and knowledge to build a better future would not be possible!
If you are looking for a chance to further support agriculture this year, please keep the Organic Growers School in mind. In 2009, OGS offered over 220 workshops and classes on organic agriculture and sustainable living. We've launched two new programs in an effort to make education and labor more accessible to farmers in our region. In addition, we have worked to reach out to others in the agriculture network to accomplish more for sustainable food and agriculture than we could ever achieve alone. Your support, no matter how small, makes a difference.
As you give this holiday season, consider OGS. As little as $20 could help an aspiring farmer seek training, $50 could assist someone in finding a job in agriculture, and $100 can pay a farmer to share his or her knowledge with both students of farming and consumers alike. Give as you are inspired, and be part of the change that is surely coming for us all.
The 17th Annual Organic Growers School Sring Conference is scheduled for March 6&7, 2010 at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). Join us for the Southeast's largest sustainable living conference, with over 100 classes and workshops, a trade show, seed and plant exchange, silent auction, children's program, and more. NEW this year, OGS has partnered with local downtown businesses and active non profits to host a Salon Revival on the evening of March 6-- discussions on hot topics in the world of sustainable agriculture and community food systems. Stay tuned for more info!
Registration will be opening VERY SOON and you'll get to take a look at the 2010 class schedule. Bookmark this site and check back often OR sign up for our mailing list for immediate email notification when registration opens. See you there, geen thumb.
The Organic Growers School is now on Facebook and Twitter! Interact by becoming a fan or follower, keep in touch with your friends from the Spring Conference and True Nature Country Fair, and stay updated about our newest educational offerings! Visit us on Facebook or Twitter now to show your support!
True Nature Country Fair is in its third and biggest year. A kick-up-your heels, affordable celebration of life in connection with the earth, the Fair will be held September 26 and 27 at the Big Ivy Community Center in Barnardsville, NC. On hand will be farmers, homebuilders, craftspeople, restaurateurs, and lovers of the earth for a weekend of live music, trade demonstrations, organic and local food, sustainable products and a huge array of resources. Gates open at 10:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM both days, with daily admission $5 for adults and $3 for kids.
While kids enjoy earth, arts and crafts projects in the children’s tent – among them folk songs, cob building, nature walks and pottery – parents can choose from over sixty-seven learning tracks that turn True Nature Country Fair into a mini-university on sustainability for $5 a class. Sample subjects are biodynamic farming, tribal ceremony, biofuels, heirloom plants, perennial food plants, primitive fish hooks, organic farming, dowsing basics, the home cow, orcharding, spinning with a drop spindle, urban farming, shiitake and oyster harvesting and herbal first aid.
Forty vendors, including Greenlife, Appalachian Seeds Farm & Nursery and Blue Daisy Cafe and Bountiful Cities Project, will be on hand to feed and provide fair goers with tools and tips for the sustainable trade. Demonstrations include, but are not limited to, affordable greenhouse construction, spinning wool roving into yarn, and a hands-on dance party with earthen bench construction. A fiddle contest and contra dancing will be emceed by Joe Hallock and the Back Creek Boys’. Juan Holladay will also be on hand with solo guitar and tenor vocals, harmonizing with Wildflowers.
Topping off this year’s Fair will be a field-to-table dinner at 6:00 PM Saturday when Fair gates close, $30 for adults and $10 for children. Dinner reservations recommended. For dinner menu, reservations, more information about the Fair, or directions, visit the True Nature event page.
Earlier this month, a conversation on the ASAP listserv ignited about this season’s tailgate market sales. One farmer who has been on the scene for quite some time admitted that “sales are down 30%”, sparking questions from market managers, customers, and other stakeholders as to whether this same downturn has been experienced by other growers. In talking with vendors from several Asheville-area tailgate markets, it appears as though many growers are looking at their records more closely this season. Two small scale growers told me that “sales have increased” and others said that sales “are up or down, depending on the week. It’s really been unpredictable.” In the wake of these discussions, another post on the list serv revealed the upturn in sales at one market in Alabama. What are the national trends for local food sales this summer compared to last? My investigations here in WNC, which are mere scratches on the surface and by no means indicate overall sales trends for our region, indicate that growers are feeling a difference. What are the reasons for any unpredictability, and what’s the next step?
One reason for any downturn that was cited on the list serv was more competition within the local food market. A veteran farmer observed that there are more produce vendors competing for the same customers. Others have blamed a wet, warm summer for low and late yields. In addition, many people are growing their own food in home gardens, and have less need for food from local farms. On top of all this, our country is in recession, and Americans in general are much more conscious about where they spend their dollars, and what they get for what they pay.
In 2007, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project released a groundbreaking study on the potential for local food in Western North Carolina, citing that less than 1% of food consumed in WNC is produced locally, and that every year since 2004, consumer spending at local farmers markets has increased by 15%. With this information in hand, the potential for local food in WNC seems to be only beginning. Young, aspiring farmers are drawn to this area because of the success that some growers have seen, and the potential that lies ahead.
In 1991, the U.S Census Bureau deleted “farmer” as an option for an occupation. In 1910, farmers comprised over 50% of our country’s population, but by 1991, farmers were less than 2% of Americans. We’re all too aware of the loss of the family farm in America, and a report in the Asheville Citizen Times earlier this year revealed that WNC loses farmers at a greater rate than other regions in our state. The average age of farmers in many mountain counties is well over the national average, an already grim 55. But is the disappearance of farmers and the migration of young growers to this area really connected? Farmers who are retiring now did not seek direct-to-customer sales, and many of the markets they used are no longer available. A perfect example is the Gerber baby food plant that used to buy vegetables from many of my neighbors and their parents who farmed in McDowell County. As we build local companies that are keen on sourcing local food for their products, these avenues for local farmers may be re-opened, but the fate of our rural lands may not wait that long. In the meantime, the tailgate markets that pop up in communities across WNC offer an awesome potential for direct customer sales, even if we were able to transition all the land of those farmers retiring into the hands of young farmers ready and willing to work it, would there be markets and customers for all of us?
I have been asking this question for many years, from a farmer’s perspective. I admire many other farmers whom I have come to know in WNC for the success that they have seen selling at longstanding markets, such as the North Asheville Market, and wonder if other markets in our region will see the same high numbers, customer dedication, and meaningful profits. I have been encouraged by the consistent improvement of markets in which I participate, but indeed, the number of people I encounter talking about starting a farm in WNC make me wonder if we can all end up on top. We hope, and work hard to grow the local and organic food movement to a point where prices will not be so high, or until it becomes habitual or necessary for people to pay more for healthy food. We hope and work to grow the local food movement to a broader demographic, but in the meantime, are we headed for a bottleneck, in which the many social issues such as health education, living wages, and other issues affecting people’s food choices are not being resolved as quickly as we are growing our great movement? Can all the farmers seeking to sell direct to consumers in WNC grow to the size they need to be in order to truly be profitable and sustainable?
And for heavens sake, can victory gardens hurt farmers? Surely not. It is a great and powerful thing that many people have been moved by our country’s current plight, or for other reasons, to start becoming more self efficient. As Wendell Berry wrote, “The average citizen ought to be anxious…he is dependent on so many specialists, the beneficiary of so much expert help, this can only mean that he is a captive, a potential victim.” In other words, we should not depend on so many experts for the success of our own lives. But if the same people who believe in fresh, healthy, local, and organic food are also those interested in self sufficiency, do we eventually preach our way out of business? As the most recent issue of Growing for Market points out in it’s cover article, it is rather ironic to witness an early and widespread onset of late blight due to infected plants that well meaning home gardeners purchased from WalMart and Lowes. Again the circle is broken, and our economy leaks dollars. Farmers not only lose sales to home gardening, but they lose tomato plants, too. And when the gardens dry up, and the leaves are all spotty, do the gardeners then turn back to us, cropping up suddenly at farmers stands across the mountains, for the expert’s tomatoes, the specialist’s eggplants?
Before I wrote this article, a friend asked me if I thought it was a good idea to mention how the recession might be affecting farmer’s market sales. Her point, a rather thoughtful one, was that blaming the recession might almost give us all an excuse to spend less. “Just like all those corporate layoffs this year. It’s like one company started laying people off due to economic crisis, and all of a sudden every company is laying people off.” Maybe so. But we would be foolish not to see that the little seed inside of us that makes us want local food in the first place is the same seed that would make us want to support local food even more when times get tough. This same seed makes us want to grow a garden, and hopefully buy our transplants from local, sustainable farmers, support local business who use local farm products to create their wares, thereby opening more markets for farmers, both seasoned and new.
Do you have answers? Thoughts? Comment on this article below, or TAKE OUR SURVEY to help uncover sales and buying trends at farmers markets this summer.
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Thanks for your input, and remember that buying local food is not only good for you and good for farmers, but also beats back at the very root of recession itself by closing the circle on local, sustainable economies.
The Organic Growers School was featured in the Commuity Spotlight of July's Natural Awakenings Magazine. The article focuses on our mission to provide affordable, accessible programming that is beneficial to all of us-- farmers, gardeners, consumers, and more! Click here to download the article. (Note: You will need Adobe Reader to view this file).