Growing Food On Slopes

at Pearson Garden Food Hub

Colorful watercolor illustration of vegetables including cauliflower, dill, asparagus, purple onion, cherry tomatoes, hot pepper, pumpkin, carrot, and shallots, arranged around black text that reads 'Growing Food, Building Community'.

In partnership with Bountiful Cities, OGS is excited to offer a series of hands-on workshops at Pearson Garden Food Hub in the Montford neighborhood in Asheville.

Over 3 sessions, we will explore planning, installing infrastructure, and planting food-producing plants in a sloped system; we will build a small hillside orchard to practice the concepts and skills. 

We’ll cover: what and where to grow based on soil, sunlight, slope, and water access; how to measure and install swales and terraces; how to maintain soil quality and prevent erosion; cultivating food from unlikely spots; and how to keep your hillside garden thriving long-term. 

If you’ve ever wanted to grow food in your backyard or community but found our WNC hillside landscapes challenging, this series is for you!

This project will support Bountiful Cities’ ongoing community-centered efforts to build long-term food security and permanent food access for all people by expanding food production at Pearson Garden. Help contribute to the cause!

A lush green hillside with trees, shrubs, and a small garden bed in the foreground. There is a white plastic-covered structure, possibly a greenhouse or cold frame, in the middle distance and a small white shed or cabinet on the right side. The scene is peaceful and rural, with many trees and green vegetation.

Example Content from 2026:

You do NOT need to sign up for all classes, but it is encouraged to get the most out of the series.

  • April 11, 9 am - 12 pm

    Content will include: annual vs. perennial beds; aspect, water, soil, zones; bed preparation; species selection

  • May 9, 9 am - 12 pm

    Content will include: installing infrastructure before planting; terracing, raised beds on a slope; swales; mulching

  • June 6, 9 am - 12 pm

    Content will include: spacing, care, critterproofing, erosion control, and maintenance of your system

A vegetable garden with plants growing in rows separated by brick-edged paths, surrounded by a black mesh fencing and other lush greenery.

Meet the Instructor