Thirty years ago, a group of passionate volunteer WNC growers came together to present the first Organic Growers School Spring Conference to learn from each other about growing in the Southern Appalachians. Since then, OGS has grown into a 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing year-round education and support to growers in our region and beyond. We are grateful to have had the community’s help to allow us to play this role in our region.  The annual Spring Conference is our most well-known event and the largest fundraiser for OGS. Spring Conference was the primary way we funde ..read more

We have two dates for our Cuba Agroecology Tour! January 3rd-12th, 2023 and April 4th-13th, 2023 The January tour date deadline is November 20th, head to this link to find out more and register! What to expect on your journey Pam Dawling, an important member of the Southeastern Organic movement and a long-time friend of OGS, traveled with us to Cuba in 2020. On that trip, the cohort traveled to Artemisa and Pinar del Rio provinces, and toured many farms that will be part of the itinerary for the January 2023 tour. Pam, who has been farming at Twin Oaks Community for over 20 years, documented ..read more

It was a rainy day at Lunar Whale Herbs. We gathered under shelter for welcome and introductions. Noel, our farmer host, was excited and enthusiastic about sharing her farm journey despite the weather.  Lunar Whale Herbs is one of the farms at the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) Incubator Program. The SAHC Farmer Incubator Program provides land to initiate or expand agricultural businesses. Participants can spend up to five years in the program. Noel is in her second year at SAHC. Land access is one of the most difficult challenges for new and beginning farmers. Noel wa ..read more

  I arrived at The Wild Way Farm on a rainy morning in June. I was greeted by the lovely Clara, a flock of ducks, and a large dog named Finn. We planned for a 10am tour and were happy when the rain stopped right on time. We began our tour as we typically do with introductions, land acknowledgment, agenda, and housekeeping items. Clara began with an introduction to her farming history and philosophy. We learned that Clara’s interest in farming began at 9 years old when she first started working with poultry. She started farming at 14 years old, went to college at Warren Wilson, and intern ..read more

Tom Elmore hosted the Forest Farming Tour on June 5th at Thatchmore Farm. A 10-acre, certified organic farm in Leicester, NC, with 2 acres in organic vegetables, 1 acre in container ornamentals and Christmas trees, and 2 acres in fruit, nut, and mushroom production. Tom and Karen started Thatchmore Farm in 1987. Their daughter, Liz, was born four years later and now manages the farm. They have successfully integrated forest farming into their existing farm enterprises. Their offerings are available at West Asheville and North Asheville Tailgate Markets.    During the tour, we focuse ..read more

CRAFT Farm Tour Recap with Herb Farm, Our Friendly Allies   Tucked away in the winding roads and mountains of Marshall is Our Friendly Allies – a certified organic herb farm run by the wonderful and warm Kelsey Green. Our CRAFT Tour members were greeted by Kelsey, her husband Tommy, and the menagerie of happy animals living on the farm.  Kelsey has been farming for 7 years in Marshall and is a first-generation farmer. She shared a story with us about the first time a plant reached out to her – she recalled being 6 years old and playing near a patch of daffodils. She remembered feel ..read more

If you’ve caught spring fever and are eager to get growing, you’re in luck! Many avid gardeners started planting cool weather crops a couple of months ago, but don’t worry, it’s not too late! Now is the perfect time to start warmer weather crops like squash, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, basils, sunflowers, and many others. Starting seeds at home not only amplifies self-sufficiency, health, and happiness but helps one gain more control over crop timing and extend the growing season. It’s also extremely cost-effective, and you’ll be able to have more say in the varieties of vegetables and herbs ..read more

The Organic Growers School’s upcoming series, Holistic Crop Management, is a six-part webinar series, which includes live virtual meetings, resources, and videos. Webinars will feature farmers and agricultural resource specialists.  Holistic Crop Management kicks off on February 15th! You can purchase individual sessions or the whole series. Sessions include Tools from the Holistic Management Framework, A Holistic Approach to Soil Health, Managing Pests, Managing Disease, Managing Weeds, and Holistic Decision-Making. Read more about the 6 classes offered here. During this series, you ..read more

OGS values our shared history of these last 29 years, where participants often reflect all can come and find common ground and fellowship over a shared commitment to organic growing. How we have interpreted and done this over the years has evolved, and we’ve had to examine if we’re truly creating a space where “all” feel welcome. The most common denominator for folks who come to OGS is a desire to connect and grow; grow food, grow relationships, grow the community, and grow in knowledge. As a historically white-led organization, we realize that our impact has been unwelcome and even harmful to ..read more

Growing vegetables and fruits with his mom in an urban setting at a young age inspired a farm dream for Rolando Boye. While still in his 20s, Rolando had a growing interest in medicinal herbs and their health properties. Rolando’s learning path led him to develop his ultimate goal of soil health consulting while also growing medicinals and annual vegetable crops for his family on his half-acre farm, Biome Botanicals, in Western N.C.   Two decades later, Rolando has succeeded in his agricultural dream and is a full-fledged farmer by way of many experimental stages, part-time jobs, and new ..read more