Farm Tours
Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region are running their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program.
WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT.
2023 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
| Date | Farm Host | Topic |
| March 19th | Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen | Lambing |
| March 30th | Creekside Farm & Education Center | Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute |
| April 2nd | Olivette Farm | Farmer Social |
| April 16th | Gaining Ground Farm | Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation |
| July 16th | Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy | Farmer Incubator Program and BCS Two-Wheel Tractor Demonstration |
| September 17th | Our Friendly Allies | Harvesting and Processing Medicinal Herbs |
| October 1st | Farm Connection | The Lean Farm |
| October 15th | Olivette Farm | Land Access Model and Winter Growing |
2022 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
| DATE | FARM HOST | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| April 10th | Our Friendly Allies | Plant Propagation and Greenhouse Tour |
| May 15th | A Way Of Life Farm | Cover Crops for No-Till Vegetables and Orchard |
| June 26th | The Wild Way Farm | Quail and Pasture Raised Poultry |
| July 10th | Lunar Whale Herbs | Medicinal Herbs and Fresh Herb CSA |
| July 24th | Clem's Organic Gardens | Wholesale Vegetable Production |
| September 11th | Utopian Seed Project | Seed Crops |
| September 25th | Spice Holler Farm | Closed Loop Systems |
2021 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule 2021
| DATE | FARM HOST | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, April 8 | IN PERSON: Thatchmore Farm | Greenhouse Crop Production In Wood-Heated Greenhouses |
| Thursday, May 20 | IN PERSON: Grassroots Farm & Dairy | Small Scale Sheep Dairy |
| Thursday, June 10 | IN PERSON: Full Sun Farm | Farm Systems & Equipment |
| Sunday, July 25 | IN PERSON: A Way of Life Farm | No Till Techniques on a Vegetable Farm |
| Sunday, August 22 | IN PERSON: Green Toe Ground Farm | CRAFT/Farm Beginnings Social |
| January/February 2022 | VIRTUAL: Black Trumpet Farm | Specialty Mushroom Production |
2020 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule 2020
| DATE | FARM HOST | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| April 19th | VIRTUAL FARM TOUR: The Culinary Gardener, Weaverville NC | Vegetable Production |
| April 23rd | VIRTUAL TWILIGHT TALK: Black Trumpet Farm & New Roots Market Garden | Twilight Talk: Apprentice Orientation - Transitioning from Apprentice to Farmer |
| May 17th | Mountain Gardens, Burnsville, NC | Growing Herbs |
| May 28th | VIRTUAL TWILIGHT TALK: Grassroots Farm & Dairy, Acornucopia Project, & TBD | Vertical Integration |
| June 7th | SAHC Community Farm, Alexander, NC | Pasture Walk |
| June 25th | Beacon Village & Balsam Gardens, Old Ford, NC | Twilight Talk: Food Safety |
| July 12th | Black Thorn Farm, Leicester, NC | Shepherding in the Mountains |
| August 16th | Lane in the Woods, Marshall, NC | Farmstead Cheesemaking |
| October 11th | Full Sun Farm | Cut Flowers |
2019 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule 2019
| DATE | FARM HOST | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, April 14th | Goldfinch Gardens, Burnsville, NC | Low Till Vegetables |
| Saturday, April 27th | New Roots Market Garden, Marshall, NC | Apprentice Orientation: Transition from Apprentice to Farmer |
| Thursday, May 9th | Green Toe Ground @ The Wedge Brewery, Asheville, NC | Twilight Talk: Social Justice & Agriculture |
| Sunday, May 19th | Thatchmore Farm, Leicester, NC | Intensive Vegetable Production & Renewable Energy |
| Sunday, June 2nd | Bluebird Farm, Morganton, NC | Irrigation |
| Thursday, June 6th | Imladris Farm @ The Wedge Brewery, Asheville, NC | Twilight Talk: Enterprise Development |
| Sunday, July 21st | Belflower Farm, Bostic, NC | Intensive Livestock Production |
| Sunday, August 18th | Franny's Farm, Leicester, NC | Hemp Production |
| Sunday, September 8th | Grassroots Farm & Dairy, Marshall, NC | Small-scale Dairy & Value Added Livestock Production |
| Saturday, October 19th | Flying Cloud Farm, Fairview, NC | Molasses Making |
2018 CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule
CRAFT Farm Tour Schedule 2018
| DATE | FARM HOST | TOPIC |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday, April 15th | Flying Cloud Farm, Fairview, NC | Plant Propagation |
| Thursday, April 26th | Full Sun Farm & Goldfinch Gardens @ New Belgium Brewery | Twilight Talk: Crop Planning |
| Saturday, May 5th | New Roots Market Garden, Marshall, NC | Apprentice Gathering: 1st Year Growing for Market |
| Sunday, May 27 | Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Fairview, NC | Grassfed Beef & Rotational Grazing |
| Saturday, June 9 | Open Ridge Farm, Burnsville, NC | Value-Added Farm Products |
| Thursday, June 28th | Rayburn Farm @ New Belgium Brewery | Twilight Talk: Diversified Marketing Strategies |
| Sunday, July 29th | Gaia Herbs, Brevard NC | Medicinal Herbs & Soil Health |
| Sunday, August 12th | SAHC Incubator Farm, Alexander, NC | Equipment Repair & Maintenance |
| Sunday, September 9th | A Way of Life Farm, Bostic, NC | Planting a Fruit & Nut Orchard |
| Sunday, September 23rd | Glorious Forest Farm in partnership with The Appalachian Beginning Forest Farming Coalition | Silvopasture - Animals in the Woods! |
| Sunday, October 14th | Franny's Farm, Leicester, NC | Raising Poultry |
OGS Farmer Programs are made possible by our farmer network and our funding partners: Blooming Prairie Foundation, Community Foundation of WNC, CLIF Bar Family Foundation, Cornell Douglas Foundation, Harry Chapin Foundation, New Visions Foundation, Patagonia, Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, UNFI Foundation, Walnut Cove Members Association, WNC Bridge Foundation, and USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Award #2021-70033-35717. Our Growth Partners (year-round program support) are: Carolina Farm Credit, Buchi, Living Web Farms, and Gaia Herbs. Our Media Sponsors are WNCW, Asheville FM and Blue Ridge Public Radio.
For more information on this program, please contact Stephanie Vinat, Programs Coordinator at stephanie@organicgrowersschool.org
