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
Irrigating Vegetables & Livestock at Bluebird Farm – WNC CRAFT
The WNC CRAFT farmer network visited Bluebird Farm where Marie and William have been running raising vegetables and livestock for going on ten years. They raise hogs, piglets, laying hens, and beef cattle in addition to managing 3.5 acres of diversified vegetable...
Social Justice & Agriculture Twilight Talk – WNC CRAFT
OGS is a historically white-led organization, comprised of mostly white leaders and constituents. We are currently doing racial equity and social justice training, examining how white supremacy culture shows up in our work, and acknowledging the impact of dominant...
Intensive Vegetable Production & Alternative Energy w/Thatchmore Farm – WNC CRAFT
Thatchmore Farm is nestled in the mountains in Leicester, NC, with enough flat land for only one acre of intensive annual vegetable cultivation. Because the rest of the farm is on sloped acreage, the rest of the enterprise is focused on perennial fruits and...
Creating A Dog-Friendly Organic Garden
Growing your own organic food is rewarding, environmentally kind, and healthier — organic produce contains between 20% and 40% more antioxidants than conventional fruits and vegetables, NPR reports. And if you’re wondering if organic gardening can be both safe and...
Apprentice & Farm Hand Orientation w/New Roots Market Garden – WNC CRAFT
The WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (WNC CRAFT) is a farmer network dedicated to training the next generation of farmers by building community, collective education, networking, and support. There is a place for every level of farmer in CRAFT,...
New Staff & Student Profile: Dallas Robinson, Farm Beginnings
: Dallas is new Farrmer Programs Coordinator at OGS who is working in partnership with Certified Naturally Grown, a grassroots organization that centers farmers’ control for the standards of their products. Dallas is responsible for facilitating and implementing a...
Organic Produce Proven To Help Keep Cancer At Bay
Spring and summer in the Appalachians involve planting specific fruits, vegetables, and herbs such as corn, beans, broccoli, and brussel sprouts. If you have opted to grow these organically, there is good news to discover. Studies have shown that organic produce...
Why Gardening Should Be Your New Retirement Hobby
Retirement is something many look forward to, yet somehow it’s been found that 10% of retirees feel bored or even depressed after giving up work. However, a great solution to that is picking up a hobby that helps you engage with the outdoors and work on a fulfilling...
Low Till Vegetables w/Goldfinch Gardens – WNC CRAFT
The first CRAFT farm tour of the year brought us to Goldfinch Gardens, a Certified Naturally Grown and low till farm outside of Burnsville, NC. Cedar and Ben have been farming small-scale vegetables in the South Toe Valley since 2010. Since then, they have...
Student Profile: Warren Lee Farm Beginnings
When Warren Lee applied to the Organic Growers School’s year long farmer training, Farm Beginnings, they spoke about the pull and draw of their family land in Roswell, Georgia as a motivating factor. It was their great grandfather’s land and had been passed down in...
