Upcoming Events
Regenerative Food, Forestry & Land: Regenerative Food System Roundtable
Our Regenerative Food System roundtable brings the people who grow, manufacture, move, sell, and steward food in the region into one room – farmers and food entrepreneurs, hubs and distributors, institutional buyers, community lenders, and food-access organizers – to ask what it would take not just to strengthen the system, but to make it the dominant one.
This session is designed to be an engaging conversation rather than a presentation you sit through. We will open with a short update on where our initiative stands and what we are hearing from the region. We will then share some real (but anonymized) initiatives and opportunities we are considering supporting to trigger initial thoughts and discussion. Then we turn to you: From where you sit, with what you know about the market, the policy landscape, the workforce, and the gaps, what would it take to make this value chain succeed at sufficient scale? Where are there gaps ? What kind of support is needed? What do you, and your peers, need to build upon your work?
Space at this roundtable is limited, so this first step registers your interest rather than confirming a seat. Our team reviews interest on a rolling basis, looking at the overall capacity and mix of people around the table so that the conversation draws on the range of perspectives the topic needs. Once we have reviewed, we will get back to you to confirm your attendance and share the details for the session.
Please register your interest below. We hope to see you there.
Asheville Networking Social
Resilient Futures Co-Lab is bringing capital, relationships, and long-term support to a more circular and regenerative economy across the Mountain and Piedmont regions of North Carolina. This gathering is a chance to connect with people we have been speaking with, meet new people and initiatives shaping this area of the region, and enjoy an evening together. Join us for a relaxed evening to connect.
Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly. We hope to see you there!
Perennials as Primary Crop
Wild Blackberry Meadow Sanctuary is a new agrotourism holistic fruit orchard destination just 30 mins from Greenville, SC in the charming small town of Pelzer. We'll discuss considerations for u-pick perennial systems such as agroforestry tree crops and cane berries, including trellising, fertigation, irrigation, pest management.
Mountain State Fair Food Drive - Free Entry!
Ingles and MANNA Food Day - Wednesday, September 16th:
On Wednesday, September 16, the donation of five canned goods or non-perishable items earns one free admission to the fair.
All donations will be collected at the Fair and distributed by MANNA FoodBank.
Brought to you by Ingles and the NC Mountain State Fair.
Local Food Friends Happy Hour
Do you work in the local food system? Want to connect with other local food friends? We meet every 3rd Thursday at The Mule!
ASAP Farm Tour
ASAP’s 2026 Farm Tour will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 19-20, noon to 5 p.m. The participating farms will be within an hour of Asheville. One pass is good for all passengers in a single vehicle at all farms, both days. Passes are $35 before Sept. 19 and $45 on Sept 19-20.
ASAP’s annual Farm Tour is a chance to experience how food is grown and raised through guided tours, demonstrations, and tastings. The Farm Tour showcases the diversity of working farms in Western North Carolina, including vegetables, livestock, vineyards, orchards, flowers, fiber, and more! This is a family-friendly event and a great outing for visitors of all ages, abilities, and interests. All are welcome.
ASAP’s 2026 Farm Tour is a critical piece of the agricultural economy as it helps local food producers rebound through unexpected crisis, strengthens the relationships between farmers and consumers, and encourages tourism outside of Asheville. Join ASAP in sustaining our farming community.
Birdhouse Auction Benefit
Explore the intersection of Asheville's Art Scene and Asheville’s Food Scene at Bountiful Cities Birdhouse Auction Benefit event at Urban Orchard Cider Company. We bring together hand made local art and support for hyper local urban food security at this live auction benefiting Bountiful Cities food and agriculture programs. Bountiful Cities is a local nonprofit supporting long-term food security through agriculture and culinary education for youth and adults rooted in promoting social justice, economic sustainability, and environmental health.
Attendees can expect an energetic, art-filled afternoon that celebrates the best of Asheville’s creative and culinary scenes while supporting long-term food security in our community. The centerpiece of the event is a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind birdhouses and hyper-local garden and food focused experiences—all benefiting Bountiful Cities’ work to build a resilient, sustainable local food system through urban agriculture, education, and community collaboration.
If you would like to participate as a Birdhouse Maker/Donor please let us know by filling out this form.
If you have any questions please contact Cathy@BountifulCities.org
Utopian Seed Project’s Trial to Table
Our September event returns to Franny's Farm, but under the new ownership of Forest and Sophia. We’re excited to be hosted under the newly named Bellsong Farm. Utopian Seed Project has been growing on this farm since the beginning of the project, so it feels special to host a Trial to Table right where we grow the crops!
We’ll also be joined by an incredible group of chefs and food creators to offer you delicious, creative dishes. At each event, we aim to include a range of vegetable-forward offerings.
These events are casual and relaxed with a strong focus on food that supports regional sustainability and resilience. Your ticket is an admission ticket that allows you to sample all the amazing dishes listed below. We generally have a short presentation partway through to highlight our work and allow the chefs to share their passions!
Produce
Chefs receive a Utopian Seed Project ‘Pantry List’ of crops and ingredients that we have in storage or in the field. We ask chefs to be inspired (not limited) by these ingredients and supply whatever they select from the list. We also work with local partners to purchase additional ingredients.
Post-Harvest Handling
TendWell Farm is a family-run, first generation, certified USDA organic farm which started as .25 acres and is now the largest organic farm in WNC. We will tour their farm and their pack house with an extensive set up (lines and coolers) to see how they create a successful and efficient transfer from field to market.
Rural Food & Health Forum
The 2026 Rural Food & Health Forum brings together the people shaping the future of rural America: growers, healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers, funders, and community champions.
Hosted by the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization and the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute, in partnership with the Institute for Emerging Issues, this Forum is a national gathering where rural wisdom meets investment, innovation, and policy.
Grounded in the belief that thriving rural communities are essential to a resilient nation, the Forum highlights breakthrough ideas, lived experience, and community-driven solutions that strengthen rural food and health systems. If you care about rural vitality, come be a part of the conversation.
Local Food Friends Happy Hour (Copy)
Do you work in the local food system? Want to connect with other local food friends? We meet every 3rd Thursday at The Mule!
Crop Trials & Regionally-Adapted Seed Production
A unique project is taking shape in WNC that focuses on regional and resilient foodways and focuses on seed saving, crop trials, and outreach and education. We’ll explore how Utopian Seed Project staff conduct research, grow out trial crops, and select seed in a no-till, low-input system for “seeds that know the South.”
Conference for NC Non-Profits
Join North Carolina Center for NonProfits at North Carolina's annual gathering of nonprofit leaders to learn, connect, and be inspired! The full schedule and list of sessions and presenters will be announced later this summer.
Use promo code FIRSTIN to save $100 off your registration before July 31!
Not a Center member but would like to take advantage of member pricing for this event? Use promo code 35OFF to save $35 when you join or renew by June 30, 2026.
If needed, hotel accommodations can be reserved via our hotel block here with a special discounted rate of $199/night.
WNC Seed & Plant Swap
All are welcome to attend the second annual WNC Seed Swap Tuesday, October 20th, from 4-7pm at Stephens-Lee Community Center! This is a free community gathering full of seeds, stories, and community connections. Please register in advance so you can get updates and info about attending.
Gather to Grow: Forest Farming Conference
The 2nd Gather to Grow multi-day Forest Farming conference will be held in Blacksburg, Virginia on October 23-25, 2026 and feature learning and networking with the community at the heartwood of forest farming in Appalachia and beyond.
The conference will be held at the Inn at Virginia Tech & Skelton Conference Center on campus and will feature learning, networking, and growing with the community surrounding forest farming of botanicals, mushrooms, syrups, and decorative products in Appalachia. Keynote speakers, an industry panel, regional meet-ups, producer stories, and an expanded expo are all things to look forward to.
41st Sustainable Agriculture Conference
Cultivated for the Carolinas. Rooted in Community.
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association's Sustainable Agriculture Conference is a unique, authentic professional development event bringing together small-scale farmers, backyard gardeners and homesteaders, locavores, food systems changemakers, educators, and community leaders from across the region to learn, network, and build momentum and community focused on local, sustainable, and organic agriculture.
The 2026 conference, scheduled for October 31 - November 1, in Winston-Salem, NC, will feature dozens of inspiring and practical workshops, networking meetups, an expansive trade show, a keynote panel, locally-sourced bites, pre-conference workshops and farm tours, and more. Whether you’re seeking new production ideas and tips for your farm, advocacy and food system coalition-building strategies for your community, or business development guidance for your food business, the Sustainable Agriculture Conference is designed for you. Don’t miss this once a year, one-stop-shop event for the food and farming community of the Carolinas!
Organic Seed Growers Conference
The biannual Organic Seed Growers Conference is moving out of the Pacific Northwest for the first time in its history and coming to Asheville, North Carolina. Save the Dates of March 26-27, 2027, for the main conference (with pre-conference intensives and farm tours still being planned).
The request for proposals is currently open, with a deadline of July 1st. Check it out here and submit an application. If you want to talk through an idea or suggest a topic that you're really interested in, feel free to reach out to chat about it. As conference co-chair, I'd love to have a strong representation of southeastern voices at the conference!
Conference Tracks:
Acknowledging that seed systems are multi-modal, the 2027 conference sessions will primarily be organized into the following 5 “tracks”.
SEED PRODUCTION: Seed production nuts & bolts for both beginning and experienced producers, including new and novel models for organic seed production, field practices, seed cleaning, treatments, processing, quality assurance, and packing. Economic topics might also include sales and contracting, enterprise development, and commercializing new varieties (e.g., alternative approaches to intellectual property).
Beginning (For those who have grown seed at farm scale for 0 – 3 years)
Advanced (For those who have grown seed at farm scale for 3 or more years)
PLANT BREEDING: Advancements in plant breeding and variety trials for resilience, biodiversity, organic systems, climate change adaptation, and/or grower-led and participatory breeding projects.
SEED STORIES: First-person seed storytelling and interactive sessions on emerging topics, culturally significant crops and varieties, and subjects tied to current events.
ADVOCACY & POLICY: Emerging policy and advocacy topics essential to expanding organic seed systems. Sessions focused on seed equity and justice are encouraged to apply.
Nourish to Flourish
Healthy food makes communities stronger, and funders and health systems are coming around to what we have known all along: the best solutions are locally rooted. That's opening real opportunities for rural, community-rooted organizations and local food to play a role in this ‘Food is Medicine’ movement.
Join us for Nourish to Flourish, a two-day gathering for the people and organizations at the forefront of food access and health across rural North Carolina. Together we'll make the case that local food and community-based organizations are the missing ingredient in Food is Medicine, connect your work to the wider Food is Medicine movement, and showcase ideas and resources that can deepen your impacts even further. Whether you're partnering with a clinic on Produce Prescriptions or looking to grow healthy offerings at your food pantry, there's a place for you at the Food is Medicine table!
Flowers Everywhere! Garden Party Fundraiser
We are gathering in the garden on Sunday, September 7th from 4-7pm to celebrate renewal and relationships in the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden.
Our Garden Party will be held in our very own Dr. John Wilson Community Garden at 99 White Pine Dr, Black Mountain. The event will feature live music from Becki and the Farm to Jazz Trio, a locally sourced dinner, bouquet picking and design with Cindi Quay, medicinal tea tasting with Garden Intern Marisa Figueroa, and tours of the native pollinator garden with Emily Sampson!
Tickets
$40 in advance
$50 at the door
$25 student and needs-based tickets available
Tickets and more information at https://bmtcommunitygardens.org/flowers-everywhere-2025.../
Your ticket purchase goes directly to supporting integral garden systems like our internship program, community education programs, and garden infrastructure needs, so that we can continue to grow food to donate to our partner Bounty & Soul for free distribution to the community.
This year’s theme - Flowers Everywhere - is inspired by our response to Hurricane Helene. When half of the garden’s donation beds flooded, we moved forward with a renewed vision, transforming the washed out space into a blooming field of flowers.
Whether you have been a gardener here since its start, or you have never been and want to learn more, everyone is welcome!
Join us to learn why the Dr. John Wilson Community Garden fills a vital, unique role in the Swannanoa Valley and how you can help sustain our mission of getting locally grown, nutritious food to our community through our partnership with Bounty & Soul. We are excited to share the bounty of the garden, celebrate successes, and take a look into the future. We look forward to seeing you there!
School Food Rescue Toolkit
Join local food waste stakeholders at a free networking event to learn more about food waste solutions in western North Carolina!
Local food waste stakeholders will gather at the Mule on Thursday, August 27th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm to network, enjoy light bites and free swag, and hear more about the new School Food Rescue Toolkit created by the City of Asheville and Buncombe County. Please join us for this free event!
The School Food Rescue Toolkit
Buncombe County and The City of Asheville will debut their School Food Rescue Toolkit, a compilation of resources for stakeholders associated with Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools to more easily navigate legal protections, local partnerships, and creative solutions to combat food waste and rescue in our local school systems. Paper and electronic copies will be available at the event.
The Tomato Jam
Welcome to The Tomato Jam!
Join us at The Mule in Asheville, North Carolina for a celebration of Western North Carolina’s favorite summer crop—the tomato.
The Tomato Jam brings together farmers, growers, chefs, makers, musicians, gardeners, and food lovers for a day of local food, live music, community, and Appalachian culture.
From heirloom tomatoes and farm-fresh produce to tomato-inspired dishes, handcrafted goods, and great music, The Tomato Jam celebrates everything that makes Western North Carolina special.
We’re looking for tomato growers, chefs, restaurants, makers, artisans, nonprofits, and businesses that share a passion for local food, agriculture, and community.
Whether you grow them, cook them, preserve them, paint them, or simply love them, we’d love to have you join us.
Admission is FREE.
Vendor participation is FREE.
Vendors keep 100% of their sales.
We proudly support Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and encourage vendors and attendees to learn more about their mission supporting local farms, food systems, and community resilience throughout Western North Carolina.
Come celebrate the mighty tomato and jam out to some great music with us at The Mule.
Collective Farming
Caja Solidaria is a nonprofit working alongside neighbors, healthcare partners, and the land to provide healthy meals, meal kits, and markets to neighbors through prescriptions and collective purchasing. We'll discuss how operating as a collective through work circles inform and inspire their growing practices and create something uniquely helpful to their community.
Picklepalooza!
Picklepalooza 2026 is a pun-filled, fun-filled event featuring a pickleball tournament, quick pickling and activities for the kids, and opportunities to learn more about fermentation and how to make your abundant garden and CSA produce last well into winter! 🥒
Pickleball Tournament
- 16 total teams of 2 players each can enter
- Players receive a single batch Picklepalooza 2026 shirt, a plus one free entry ticket, and a drink ticket
- First, second, and third place prizes sourced from local business partners
Proceeds will benefit WNC Food Coalition’s Fresh Food campaign: a seasonal fundraiser to help us stock refrigerated, free food pantries in partnership with community-based organizations across 19 WNC counties with local produce and locally raised meat, dairy, and eggs.
Together, we can strengthen our WNC local food system in THREE ways:
1. Hungry neighbors are fed fresh, nutrient-dense foods, creating better health.
2. Our local dollars stay in local businesses - food hubs and small farms - instead of leaking out to national and global conglomerates; creating a more resilient, robust local food economy.
3. The global food chain is disrupted, resulting in shorter distances for food transportation, easing the climate impact of our diet.
Party, play, pickle, and be part of building a better future for local food in WNC.
ASAP’s Agritourism Workshop
Do you offer (or are you considering offering) tours, events, u-pick or other agritourism activities at your farm? This workshop connects you with farmers and professionals in the region to learn more about challenges and opportunities, legal and insurance considerations, and strategies for improving and expanding your farm business’s agritourism offerings.
Speakers: Rei Argeroplos from ASAP, Bill Durr from Ward & Smith, Wes Johnson from Johnson Insurance, and a farm tour and agritourism discussion from Morgan Metcalf from Burley Stick Farm.
Fall Vegetable Gardening
Join Bountiful Cities and Sunny Point Café Garden Manager, Alice Oglesby to learn to maximize production in your fall garden.
Food Sovereignty Panel and Community Conversation
Two years post-Helene: What is the current status of local food insecurity, and how can you help? Panel features staff from: Dr John Wilson Community Garden, Bounty and Soul, Red Scout Farm, Warren Wilson College
Dig In!'s Fruit Fest fundraiser and Pie Bake-off
Join Dig In for our 4th annual Fruit Fest and Pie Bake-off to celebrate all things fruity while raising money to support Dig In's programs. We’ve got a fruit pie bake-off and pie tasting, games, raffles, local vendors, and free glass blowing demos, all packed into one fun afternoon. We are looking for pie submissions and competition judges; more details and registration at diginyancey.org/fruit-fest-2026/
Southeastern Permaculture Gathering
Join Patterson School Foundation for three days of learning and community. Topics include: Foraging and wild foods, permaculture, natural health practices, sustainable living, and open space.
Open to all with all levels of interest or skills around permaculture. Taking a day or three off mid summer is so rewarding, especially at this sweet 30+ year tradition of gathering and sharing stories, knowledge and good company from around the Southeast! This is open to all, and there are sponsorships for BIPOC.
There is camping as well as dorm rooms available, and wonderful food prepared all three days by an AWESOME farm to table chef/ farmer named Ed Weinberger!
SEPG grew out of our long-time location in Burnsville and found a new home at the historic Patterson School Foundation, the first agriculture School in North Carolina! It is no longer a school but it is a great facility and beautiful campus that hosts events and encourages more sustainable and resilient agriculture practices.
The beautiful part about this gathering is that we all come with wisdom and knowledge to share together, and we are all invited to learn and share together. You don’t have to though. You can participate at any level. We often have plant walks, bug walks, mushroom walks, and many circles under the trees or indoors throughout campus covering all subjects we bring to the table in “open space.”
The People's Plot at West Asheville Park
Come join us for our next SocFarm meet up! We will be doing some planning and fieldwork to improve and expand our garden plots. You may want to bring a water bottle, a snack, sun protection, and mosquito repellent.
Water Management on a Low-Till Farm
We will explore how New Roots' minimal till practices go hand-in-hand with water management to grow Certified Naturally Grown produce, and how their focus on small-scale, holistic agriculture has helped them succeed. Led by Krista and Stephen, two Farm Beginnings graduates!
Black Soldier Fly Workshop
Join Bountiful Cities and our guest instructor Danny Keaton owner/operator of Dannys Dumpster to discuss the process of raising black soldier flies
Seed Saving 101
Learn the art of seed saving! Walk away with the practical skills to preserve your favorite plant varieties and support local biodiversity.
Join us for Seed Saving 101, part one of our two part Seed Saving Series in collaboration with Lu of Utopian Seed Project. During this informational workshop, participants will learn about seed saving at any scale, whether that’s on your garden or for larger production. This workshop includes a presentation that will demonstrate seed selection, adaptation, what to do’s & what not to do’s when seed saving, and how to produce robust seeds for an array of staple crops.
Walk away with the knowledge to go home and save your own seeds, show up prepared to Part 2 (Seed Processing & Storing) and a copy of the presentation.
Take Root Festival
Join us on Friday, June 26th from 5-8pm as the farm comes alive with live music, ice cream, local beer, and hands-on activities for all ages. Whether you're creating art, touring the garden, or just soaking up the sunshine—there's something for everyone at Take Root.
Expanding Your Food Business: Preparing for a 3rd Party Audit
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.
Growing Ginger and Turmeric
While ginger and turmeric are typically imported, WNC is becoming more well-known as a producer of both. We will delve into the considerations for growing these two unique crops in WNC, including infrastructure, seedling care, soil requirements, and disease management considerations.
Led by Michael Rayburn
Retail Foods: Restaurants, Food Trucks & More
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.
Food Labeling: Do’s, Dont’s, & Details
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.
Considering Agritourism w/Empowering Mountain Food Systems
For more information call 828-359-6936
Business Preparation: Taxes, licenses and other considerations
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.
Grant Writing and Funding for Food Businesses
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.
Solidarity Economies in the WNC Food System a Community Food Strategies Regional Gathering
A full day Gathering hosted by Community Food Strategies and The WNC Food Coalition to celebrate and integrate solidarity economies practices in the Western North Carolina food system.
Food leaders from councils, hubs, local government and funders are invited to attend. The day will feature and panel of elders and activists, workshops on trust-based finances in nonprofits, a world cafe of community leaders.
Catering by Equal Plates. Location to be announced.
Contact jenn@wncfoodcoalition.org for more information.
Designing Effective Volunteer Labor Strategies for Vegetable Productions Systems
We'll tour the entire garden and focus on their Growing for Donation program, a no-till production vegetable operation. Learn how this program utilizes intern labor and volunteer groups to grow crops instead of mechanized equipment. The Growing for Donation program includes a partnership with Utopian Seed Project, and tends to a diversity of crops including vegetables, cut flowers, herbs and an orchard. Learn how this program drives grant funds which lead to useful infrastructure projects for the entire Community Garden.
Led by Leonora Stefanile
Rivercane Propagation Volunteer Day
We are grateful to partner with Rose Thunder Farm in this opportunity to restore indigenous ecosystems and strengthen our region’s climate resilience.
Rose Thunder Farm believes restoration should be rooted in ecological care, Indigenous cultural access, and right relationship with the plant. While the farm does not sell rivercane, their participation in this event is dedicated to supporting restoration, propagation, and broader access to this increasingly scarce species in our region.
What to Expect
Join Cooperate WNC for a hands-on day of learning and action! You’ll help:
Dig and collect rivercane rhizomes (underground stems)
Pack rhizomes with soil to send to local nurseries
Support spring restoration projects across the area
How to Participate
Drop in anytime between 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM.
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for outdoor work.
Feel free to bring your own gloves if you prefer.
No experience is necessary. all ages and abilities are welcome. Snacks and drinks will be provided, so come ready to learn, connect, and make a difference.
Reach out to justin@cooperatewnc.org for more information.
Marketing & Competitive Analysis –Standing Out in NC’s Food Scene
Empowering Mountain Food Systems presents a seven part series - Navigating Your Food Business.