Organic Living
“We do not inherit the planet from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
―Native American Saying
Organic Living refers to making life choices that are healthy for people, communities, and the planet. If you’ve heard about climate change, soil erosion, the declining health of our nation’s people, toxins in the food supply, or any other alarming news stories that are making you think more critically about current events and your lifestyle, OGS can help!
March 13-21, 2021 • Online
The Spring Conference is a one-of-a-kind event that offers regionally specific workshops on organic growing and sustainable living. We will open registration and publish the 2021 schedule, class and workshop descriptions, and instructor bios in mid-December 2020.
Find Organic Food
Organic Growers School is dedicated to providing information on conscientiously grown food in the WNC region. To be included in this listing, Organic Growers School has vetted each farm to determine that they are 1) actively engaged in the local community and 2) using organic and/or sustainable production methods. Organic Certification is not required, but we ask that farms and farmers are “in-the-know” and conscientiously practicing organic standards.
Begin searching for fresh local food by entering a keyword or filtering by products produced!
Consulting Services
Available Year-Round
OGS offers a variety of consulting services with hourly follow-up support and reduced fees available, including 1) assessment of land that you own or want to purchase; 2) assessment of your farm, garden, or homestead; and 3) guidance for your land-based project.
Help create a thriving food & farming community.
Your donations help fund scholarships and programs for farmers.
Stay Informed With Our Blog
Garden Wisdom with Diana McCall
Many of my clearest childhood memories involve eating a fruit or vegetable within a few hours of harvest: fists wrapped around an enormous peach, the juice dripping down my chin...pushing wheelbarrows of tomatoes up the hill to the picnic table for...
Many Paths to Success
This week we’re celebrating the success stories of Farm Beginning graduates, OGS Staff and Board members. These hardworking, passionate individuals all show up in various ways to the farming and gardening world. It goes to show we all have different visions when it...
Ethical Foraging- Responsibility and Reciprocity
What is Ethical Foraging? You may have noticed foraging and wildcrafting have taken the spotlight in recent years, especially among social media platforms and the rewilding movement. Foraging, or wildcrafting, is the practice of harvesting plants, fungus,...
On the Farm: Organically Roland and Soulfull Simone Farm
We love our farms & farmers Organic Growers School is committed to building a vibrant, resilient network of sustainable farms throughout the Southern Appalachian region. In this blog, we wanted to feature two of the farms in our network: Organically Roland...
Magical Manure: Using a Fungi Filter to Compost Chicken Manure
Decompose and Recompose Those of us seeking to reduce waste and close the nutrient loop have a lot to learn from the original decomposers (or as I like to call them, “recomposers”): Fungi. While the study of the fungal queendom is relatively new and underdeveloped in...
Stinging Nettle Pesto
Stinging Nettle demands your attention! This prickly spring weed is cursed by many, but loved by Indigenous people, herbalists, and curious foodies. Stinging Nettle is incredibly medicinal and nutritious, bringing ease to seasonal allergies with its natural...
2021 Spring Conference Highlights
Conference Highlights Our 28th Annual Spring Conference took place from March 13-21, 2021. We met VIRTUALLY for the first time, and enjoyed hosting speakers and attendees from across the United States (as far away as Alaska!).One of the things our staff enjoyed...
Where Wild Hopes Come True
The Apprentice Link database connects people who are serious about learning the sustainable farming trade with farmers who are willing to teach them in an apprenticeship setting. Our programs’ emphasis is specifically in the Southern Appalachians, with a focus on...
2021 Spring Conference Schedule & Registration Available!
Since its inception 28 years ago, the OGS Spring Conference has provided a one-of-a-kind venue for knowledge exchange and community building among growers in Appalachia while remaining practical, affordable, and accessible. This year, as we take the event online for...
Spring Conference Keynote Speakers
Introducing our 2021 Spring Conference Keynotes We are thrilled to welcome such accomplished and knowledgeable Keynote Speakers to our 28th Annual Spring Conference. The educators featured in our Keynote Talks and Track Workshops are sure to inspire and equip you with...