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
Ask Tom – How to Buy Organic Produce at Farmers Markets
How can I tell which farmers are organic at tailgate markets? I want to support local but I am also concerned about chemical sprays on my food.
WNC CRAFT – Doubletree Farm – Sorghum Syrup & Draft Horses
As October brought the relative cool to Marshall, we gathered for our last CRAFT tour of the 2016 season at Doubletree Farm. Migrating from Tennessee in 1999 with a team of horses, Cathy Bennett settled in the Western North Carolina mountains and began Doubletree, an...
The Burton Street Agricultural Fair: Reviving the Spirit of Our Agricultural History
On September 17, the Asheville Community Garden Network, local non-profits, and regional businesses set up booths for the Burton Street Agricultural Fair.
Ending Violence Against People of Color in Food and Farming: A statement from the board and staff of the National Young Farmers Coalition
Ending Violence Against People of Color in Food and Farming: A statement from the board and staff of the National Young Farmers Coalition We at the National Young Farmers Coalition are stricken by the persistent violence against black people, including the recent...
WNC CRAFT – East Fork Farm – Poultry Processing
Our September CRAFT tour was held at the picturesque East Fork Farm in Marshall, a beautiful property run by Stephen and Dawn for the last 20 years. Their original 25-acre-plus-farmhouse property purchase has grown over the years to include 14 adjacent acres and two...
WNC CRAFT Farm Tour – Flying Cloud Farm – Berries Through the Seasons
The summer heat (and, I’d venture, the veracity of the weeds we’ve been experiencing due to the late-season rain) caused our August CRAFT tour at Flying Cloud Farm to be our most intimate yet. This allowed us to get into the dirty (and sweet) details of “Berries...
WNC CRAFT Farm Tour – Balsam Gardens – Scaling Up
Balsam Gardens has a great perspective on “Scaling Up,” the theme for our eighth CRAFT tour of the 2016 season. The initial inception of Balsam Gardens seemed to be that of many small-scale farms in the WNC region; growing from an 1/8 of an acre, selling at farmers...
Farm Beginnings Graduates start Red Scout Farm in Black Mountain
Red Scout Farm is a beautiful secret garden nestled among the trees in Black Mountain, NC. Mary Carroll and Griffin Dodd, the farm owners, started by planting cover crop in March after their completion of the Farm Beginnings course on their then-fallow plot of family...
WNC CRAFT Farm Tour – Gaia Herb Farm – Growing Medicinal Herbs
CRAFT Farm Tour - July 16th, 2016 Gaia Herb Farm - Growing Medicinal Herbs Our July WNC CRAFT tour was held at Gaia Herb Farm just outside of Brevard, NC. Gaia is an internationally known manufacturer in the herbal products world. Unlike many herbal product makers...
WNC CRAFT Farm Tour – Ivy Creek – Irrigation Strategies
CRAFT Farm Tour Ivy Creek Family Farm - Irrigation Strategies Thursday - June 30th, 2016 The CRAFT tour at Ivy Creek Family Farm was our first swing at a Twilight Tour – a weeknight gathering of the CRAFT Cohort – and that night our focus was on “Irrigation...
