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
An Abundant Time of Year: How-to Food Preservation
Our house is in the midst of putting summer in jars. All winter we'll recall the sights and scents of summer as we open jars of home-canned fruits and vegetables. “Putting food by" is much more than just filling the larders for winter consumption—it is an elixir for...
Bugs in your Garden: How to Identify Pests
Manage pests in your garden by observing and catching them early. And know your good from bad bugs.
5 Summer Activities for the Organic Garden
Gardening in the summer should be relaxed and easy. Here are some tips to make it so.
2020 Harvest Conference Press Release
Organic Growers School Moves to Online Programming for 2020, Hosts the 7th Annual Harvest Conference Asheville, NC— Organic Growers School (OGS), an Asheville-based 501c3 nonprofit offering affordable classes on organic growing and sustainable living, has...
Why OGS is “Getting Political”
Our Black Lives Matter Message We’ve had some responses about our Black Lives Matter message, and in the spirit of education we would like to share the most common one. This question has come from a handful of people in various iterations; unsubscribing from our...
New Leadership at OGS
Facing a Leadership Change The staff of OGS is facing an internal restructure as a result of a big leadership change. As the Executive Director of OGS for the last 6.5 years, my leaving the organization in June of 2020 has created a leadership hole that needs to be...
BIPOC-led Organizations to give to in NC
We want to amplify the work of BIPOC-led organizations and businesses across our region, and ask for you to support them with your attention and money. During this time, it is NOT helpful to ask people of color what they need or how you can help. Direct financial...
Lee Warren’s Legacy – Bob Turner Article – Laurel of Asheville
By Bob Turner Originally published in the Laurel of Asheville Magazine, in print and online. https://thelaurelofasheville.com/lifestyle/food/eat-your-view-lee-warrens-legacy/ Food • Sustainability Eat Your View: Lee Warren’s Legacy Add Comment Organic Growers School...
The Homesteader’s Guide to Surviving the Pandemic Homesteaders were ready for this
Here's how to kick your self-sufficiency skills into high gear. by Allison Braden May 20, 2020 Reprinted with permission from the original article here. Sow True Seed had to post a bouncer at the door. The garden supplier’s small storefront in Asheville, North...
Pest Prevention And Control: The Organic Way
As recent research finds that non-organic pesticides are amongst the biggest causes of cognitive decline, even those who haven’t yet embraced organic gardening and farming will be keen to find less toxic solutions to the problem of pest control. Fortunately, there are...