Dig In is hosting another season of events and workshops designed to bring folks together around food and farming skills. We had great success last year with our “Saturdays in the Garden” series, and this year we’re renaming it “Resilience in the Garden” as we deepen the focus around building food resilience.
The spring unit of events have been planned, and we’re excited to announce them. Our workshops span a variety of topics that build skills for beginner gardeners to experienced farmers alike. We’ll gather to connect on these topics at either our farm or various locations throughout Burnsville, so be sure to confirm event details on our Events Page. All of the events are free, and most are family friendly. Some require free registration so we know how many folks to expect.
Our fall event block will be announced in June.
Individual event descriptions below. All are free and require advance registration at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR . Most of the events are all ages and family friendly!
Soil Test Practicum
Saturday March 28 from 10-12
Reconciliation House meeting room- 20 Academy St., Burnsville, NC
Let’s learn soil basics and interpret our test results together with Mark Dempsey, the Organic Technical Service Provider at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. Mark will cover the basics of soil management, nutrient testing, and share recommendations for organic amendments to balance the chemistry and biology of our living soils. After the presentation, we will break into small groups to discuss individual soil test results, so please come prepared with your printed test results. (The tests may be from the NCDA or another lab. Ask for expanded version of test results.) Pat Battle will also join us to contribute to the conversation with his decades of organic growing experience.
Attendance is free. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Limit 15 people
Foraging Wild Greens & Making Herbal Vinegars
With Abby Artemisia
Saturday April 4 from 12-2 PM
Reconciliation House meeting room- 20 Academy St., Burnsville, NC
The spring greens have awakened from their slumber, serendipitously right at the time we need them. Spring clean the winter stagnancy in your organs and rejuvenate yourself for the year ahead. Learn how to identify these wild greens, (often thought of as “weeds” in the garden, until we realize their value), along with tips and tricks for harvesting them. After some foraging, we’ll make our own wild vinegars to take home. Herbal vinegars are not only a great way to preserve wild greens, but also a way to make a non-alcoholic medicine, salad dressing, or a myriad of other uses. Taught by Abby Artemisia, botanist, herbalist, and forager at www.thewanderschool.com
Attendance is free. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Dahlia Digging Party
Saturday April 18 from 2-4 PM
Dig In! Yancey Community Garden- 744 Blankenship Creek Rd., Burnsville, NC
Digging them up, dividing, replanting– we’ll do what it takes to grow one of the most stunning flowers in the garden! Our resident flower expert Pat will lead us in digging up the dahlias to refresh them anew. Pat is an amazing resource on all things flowers, so bring your flower gardening questions for her to answer. Please wear gardening clothes and bring water. Extra dahlia bulbs will be available to send home with folks.
Attendance is free and open to all ages. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Weeds and What they Tell Us
Saturday May 9 from 2-5 PM
Dig In! Yancey Community Garden- 744 Blankenship Creek Rd., Burnsville, NC
Weeds are great teachers, so let’s get down and listen! We will be looking how uninvited plants can help us understand our soil by showing us nutritional needs, compaction, and soil health. We will also discuss “invasive” plants and the challenges and opportunities they bring. We will also discuss possible solutions for weed control without chemicals. Taught by Jim Smith, local agricultural consultant.
Attendance is free and open to all ages. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Growing Fruit & Nut Trees
Saturday May 23 from 4-6PM
Healthy Plantet Homestead, 128 Academy St., Burnsville, NC
Join us for a tour of Healthy Plantet Homestead’s fruit orchard led by farmer Rachel Haimowitz. We’ll discuss successful strategies for growing fruit and nut trees using organic or conventional methods. We’ll also cover the basics of “plant guilds,” which is planting supportive companion plants around each tree. Topics include site placement (sun, water, spacing), variety and rootstock selection, annual care such as pruning, feeding, watering, and pest management, and common problems affecting popular fruit trees. We’ll also explore lesser-known and native fruit and nut options, along with reliable resources for ongoing support.
Attendance is free and open to the public. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Sizzlin’ Summer Series: Garden Time
Saturday June 13 from 10-12
Burnsville Town Square
Dig In will be partnering with Blue Ridge Healthy Families, Yancey County NC Cooperative Extension, and other regional organizations to bring the book “Garden Time: A Book of Plants and Gardening for Kids” to life on the Town Square as a part of PATH’s Summer Sizzling Series. Dig In will be hosting a kid-friendly display all about earthworms and composting, with activities and an opportunity to take your own worms home.
Attendance is free and open to all ages. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
Garlic Harvest Party
Saturday June 27 from 10-2
Dig In! Yancey Community Garden- 744 Blankenship Creek Rd., Burnsville, NC
Join us at Dig In! Community Garden on Saturday June 27 to harvest our garlic crop and celebrate summer. We will harvest garlic, clean it up a bit, hang it in the barn to dry, and then have a potluck lunch. Come to help, learn about growing garlic, or just visit!
Attendance is free and open to all ages. Please register at https://signup.com/go/ocUMKWR
We look forward to learning with you this year! If you need help registering for any of these events, please contact Krista@diginyancey.org