…immigrants are fertile ground. So I think that our communities are fertile communities. They’re communities that produce a lot, that work a lot, and that are capable of change. And in my 44 years, I understood that one of my purposes was to reconnect with the earth, to reconnect with something that is essential in our lives, as Hispanics, as indigenous people, as immigrants. No, no, I didn’t want to be a farmer! Because sadly in our countries bei…
https://youtu.be/LTcm2Nt0qg4 Meet Loretta Ball, the farmer and floral designer at The Never Ending Flower Farm in Barnardsville, NC. Loretta runs the farm with help from her husband, mother, and two sons, Quinn and Ledger. Loretta’s farming roots go back to her family’s tobacco farm. She and her family also grew a vegetable garden for many years, which gradually transformed into the u-pick flower farm business they run today. Watch our interview…
…arm Tour. This year, 31 farms are participating in counties across WNC: Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, and Yancey. The tour runs 1-6 pm Saturday and Sunday, and one pass admits an entire carload of family and friends into all farms both days. Farms will serve up samples of their farm-fresh products, talk about what it takes to grow food and raise livestock, open their barns and pastures so that children can interact with their an…
…me Charlie asks to play with a new group of animals, he’s told he’s not welcome—because he’s ugly. As winter approaches, Charlie spins himself a cocoon. When spring arrives, the cocoon opens and out comes Charlie—transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Now everyone wants him to be part of their group. What will Charlie do about these fair-weather friends? Watch a read-aloud on YouTube to find out. Find more books Looking for more garden-themed ch…
…g Minds, Posana owner Peter Pollay replies, “Understanding where your food comes from is very important for anyone, but especially young children, to know. I give to the Growing Minds program because I think every child should be provided with local food and farm to school experiences.” So, if you agree with Peter, come out and show your support for the Growing Minds program. Growing Minds has been a leader in the farm to school movement since it…
…tists divide plants into families based on their characteristics and their common ancestors. Plants in a family share common characteristics, just like humans inherit or develop shared characteristics with their own family members. Along with Nightshades, other well known vegetable families include the mustard or brassica family (examples: broccoli, collards, and cabbage), legume family (examples: peas, beans, and peanuts), and cucurbit family (ex…
…/2 cup boiling water to the gelatin mixture and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the corn syrup and whisk until combined. Add the birdseed and mix well. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes until the liquid firms up enough that it won’t leak out from under the cookie cutters. Set your cookie cutters onto a parchment lined baking sheet and fill them with spoonfuls of the birdseed mixture. Using the back of the…
…A great singalong, complete with a CD or access audio singalong and video animation online at barefootbooks.com/drivetractor. Learn about farming through the seasons. Sung by SteveSongs….
…es investigates the eating habits of other creatures in the swamp–until he comes upon a big green one with lots of teeth who finds wide-mouthed frogs simply delicious. Watch a librarian-led read aloud of this pop-up book on YouTube. It’s Mine! Our next book is It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni. In this fable, three frogs spend their days fighting over air, water, and land. When a heavy storm brings them together in fear, they learn how important it i…
…liday came to be? Learn more about the history of Groundhog Day at History.com. Coloring Sheet In our region, groundhogs may be frequent (if not entirely welcome) visitors to gardens throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Despite their cute appearance, groundhogs can be a pest to farmers and gardeners when they start nibbling (or devouring) the leaves of vegetables and other crops. While groundhogs can be a nuisance to humans, groundhogs also pl…