Archived Outdoors
Jackson farmers roll out the welcome mat
A staggering 15 farms and gardens will open their fields and greenhouses to the public during the Jackson County Farm Tour held from 1 to 5 p.m. on July 10 and 11.
Tour-goers will recieve a map and descriptions of the farms and drive from one to next at their leisure. Mini-tours are then given by the growers. Get advice from expert gardeners, gather ideas for your backyard and capture an inside look at local food sources.
The diverse tour includes small organic hobby gardens to large-scale farms. Learn techniques like crop rotation, terraced hillside gardening, raised-bed growing, mushroom cultivation, organic soil care and how to raise pigs, goats and chickens.
Two of the larger farms on the tour are run by full-time farmers harvesting dozens of crops over the course of the growing season to supply “farm shares,” where locals pay a flat rate for a year’s worth of produce off the farm.
Also on the tour is Appalachian Homestead Farm & Preserve, a 65-acre historic mountain non-profit farmstead devoted to the preservation of mountain lifeways.
Maps are available at Spring Street Cafe, City Lights Bookstore, Guadalupe Cafe, Annie’s Bakery, the Mad Batter, Soul Infusion and at the library.
Cost per carload is $30 for both days, $20 for one day, $5 for one farm or $10 for students for both days.
Get tickets at any of the farms or the Jackson County Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to noon on farm tour day.
Farm tour sampling
A Local Foods Social to kick-off the farm tour will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at Spring Street Café in Sylva.
Enjoy hors d’oeuvres made with ingredients found at the Jackson County Farmer’s Market, live music, and mingle with local farmers. $10 per adult, kids free.
