NC Cooperative Extension - Buncombe County

09/24/2026

We were excited to be able to host a group from NCA&T State University and farmers from across the state in Buncombe County for a day of farm tours. This was an opportunity for farmers, Extension specialists, Extension Agents, and university administration to see some of Western North Carolina's farms and learn about growing techniques, opportunities the mountains provide, as well as some of the growing challenges for our area. We are grateful for The Never Ending Flower Farm, Burley Stick Farm, and the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Incubator Farm for allowing us to visit and tour. It was a great opportunity for all who attended.

09/22/2026

We are excited to have started training our 28 new Extension Master Gardener volunteers of Buncombe County! These 28 students are learning horticultural identification, pests, disease, and more so they will be fully prepared to support the community through educational activities and the Garden Helpline. They will be participating in weekly trainings through December. We are grateful for their commitment to the training and look forward to having them involved in our program for years to come!

09/21/2026

Are you a farmer, homesteader, or gardener? We want to hear from you! Tell us what workshops or resources are needed to help your farm or garden thrive. Take our survey here.https://ncat.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aibvhwmrmjkjoRE?Source=111

09/19/2026

If you haven't made your way out to the WNC Mountain State Fair, you still have a couple of days to get there! Make sure to stop by the Expo building to check out the arts and crafts, food preservation, and horticulture/agronomy entries as well as the Cooperative Extension booths including the History of Agriculture display. You can also learn how to make butter at the 4-H booth! And don't forget to check out the livestock events as well. So many of our 4-H and FFA youth from Western North Carolina are exhibiting their projects that they have put many, many hours into.

09/19/2026

When you buy local beef, you're directly supporting North Carolina farmers. 🥩

Through MeatSuite.com — a platform administered by NC Choices, which is an initiative of N.C. Cooperative Extension and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) — North Carolina shoppers are connecting with local farmers to fill their freezers.

“We have seen a 30% increase in inquiries, store visits and sales the last month,” said Beth Rhyne, co-owner of R&B Rhyne Farms in Angier, North Carolina . “The greatest request has been for locally sourced beef. Our bulk beef inquiries and sales have gone up significantly. Customers want to know exactly where their meat comes from.”

Learn more about MeatSuite and the North Carolina beef industry at the link in our comments.

09/18/2026

We would like to wish all of our 4-H’ers showing in the poultry show tomorrow at Mountain State Fair the best of luck! This is Leia getting her bird from our 4-H Pullet Project ready for the show!

09/18/2026

We were happy host the Regional Ginseng Production Update today at the Buncombe Ag and Land Resources office. Today's workshop was coordinated by Extension and included the latest updates on regional ginseng production and marketing. The workshop presenters included Dr. Jeanine Davis and Dr. Jim Hamilton of NC State Cooperative Extension.

09/01/2026

Join us tomorrow from 10am - 2pm in Mills River for a Free Pesticide Disposal Collection Day. More details can be found at the link below.

What: Free Pesticide Disposal Collection DayWhen: Wednesday, September 2nd at 10:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.Where: Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension Center, 74 Research Drive, Mills River,…

08/31/2026

Veterans Employment Base Camp and Organic Garden (VEBCOG) and Farmer Veteran Coalition of North Carolina (FVC NC) Educational Conference will take place on Friday, October 16, 2026. The event will run from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM (0800–1500) at the NC A&T Educational Farm, located in Greensboro, NC.

This conference is entirely free for veterans and their family members. It will feature valuable educational sessions, networking opportunities, and resources tailored specifically for military veterans who are farming, ranching, or interested in entering the agricultural industry.

While the event is free, registration is required for all attendees. Registration can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JKRLSP7 There are 60 seats available. See details below.

08/28/2026