GREENING MY PLATE MONTH
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Celebrating Spring & OUr Growing Season

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Leading up to the opening day of the Watauga County Farmers’ Market, Greening My Plate Month is a time to celebrate spring and our growing season. This year features 27 unique events, including:
  • 22 FREE events
  • 8 Cooking Demonstrations & Classes
  • 7 Community Garden Workdays
And, fun for everyone! 

Please scroll down to learn more about each event.

Saturday, May 2nd

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Farmers' Market Opening Day

Join us on the first Saturday in May for the opening day of Watauga County Farmers' Market. Spring will be in full bloom as the market opens with live music from local musicians, cooking demos from local food enthusiasts, activities in the kids corner, and the unbeatable atmosphere that makes the market "Boone's Town Square Since 1974!"

When: 8 am until noon
Where: Horn in the West Parking Lot - 591 Horn in the West Dr. Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: info@wataugacountyfarmersmarket.org
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Farmer's Market: Cooking Demo

Stop by the Appalachian Student Dietetic Association booth to sample a great kale pesto on top of crunchy and refreshing cucumber slices! This demo is highlighting a quick and simple way for people to incorporate heathy local greens into their diet! 

When: 8 am - noon 
Where: Watauga County Farmers' Market - 591 Horn in the West Dr. Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free 
Contact: Chloe Paddison, chloe@baretobountiful-personalchef.com 
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Farmers' Market Kids' Corner: 
Wheel of Green

Kids can taste fresh vegetables after they spin the veggie wheel.

When: 9 - 11:45 am
Where: Kids'Corner at theWatauga County Farmers' Market - 591 Horn in the West Dr. Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Susan Miller, pharmnboone@gmail.com
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Village Vision Community Festival

Boone Community Network is excited to announce the inaugural Village Vision Festival this Spring! Village Vision is a community collaborative event that seeks to raise funds for the purchase of High Country Community Supported Agriculture shares for families in need of food. Come enjoy music, workshops, kids' activities, and more!

When: 1 - 8 pm
Where: Horn in the West and Daniel Boone Native Gardens - 591 Horn in the West Dr. Boone, NC 28607
Cost: $35 (or 3 hours at a community service project)
Contact: email villagevisionfestival@gmail.com for inquiries about vending, service projects, or anything else and also see www.boonecommunitynetwork.com/pages/vv for early bird ticket prices and more information.
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Past Events


Sunday, March 29th

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Hospitality House: 
Chicken Coop Construction

Come help the Hospitality House finish up their new chicken coop and start seeds for their community garden's next season! This is one of the service projects for the Village Vision festival on May 2nd.

When: 2 - 6 pm
Where: Hospitality House of Boone's Garden, 338 Brook Hollow Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: villagevisionfestival@gmail.com to register and for more information.
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Tuesday, March 31st

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Open House & WIld Game Dinner At The Hospitality House

Thanks to some generous donations and the Hospitality House's partnership with Earth Fare Boone, the Hospitality House is offering an Open House Wild Game Dinner, serving Venison, Wild Caught Salmon and Pheasant. The Advent Christian Church of Boone will provide delicious and homemade side dishes. And, there will be vegetarian options!

When: 5:30 - 7 pm
Where: Hospitality House of Boone, 338 Brook Hollow Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings, foodservice@hospitalityhouseofboone.org
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Wednesday, April 1st

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Plant a Kitchen Herb Garden

As part of the Hospitality House's Gardening Workshop series, the Hospitality House will be offering an opportunity to plant a kitchen herb garden to take home. Come create your own Kitchen Herb Garden to watch, grow and enjoy!

When: 2 - 4 pm
Where: Hospitality House of Boone, 338 Brook Hollow Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings, foodservice@hospitalityhouseofboone.org
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Thursday, April 2nd

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Plant a Kitchen Herb Garden

As part of the Hospitality House's Gardening Workshop series, the Western Watauga Food Outreach Project will be offering an opportunity to plant a kitchen herb garden to take home.

When: 4 - 6:30 pm
Location: Western Watauga Community Center, Sugar Grove
1081 Old US Hwy 421
Cost: Free
Contact: Anna Marie Holmes, holmesannamarie1@gmail.com
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Wednesday, April 8th

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Terra Firma Film Screening

Terra Firma is a sensitive, intimate look at three women who joined the service in the mid 90’s in order to improve their lives, ended up as support soldiers in a battle zone, returned home with PTSD and eventually found healing through farming. Follow up the film with a Farm Workday through ACT on April 11th.

When:
 6:30 PM
Where: IG Greer Auditorium on Appalachian State University's Campus
Cost: Free
Contact: Suzanne Fleishman, suzanne@brwia.org
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Thursday, April 9th

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Hands-on Seasonal 
Cooking Classes

We will use as many fresh, local ingredients that we can find in April to advance our cooking skills. Then, we’ll enjoy our creations for dinner! On April 9th, we will practice knife skills by cutting up veggies for stir-fry and soup. We’ll learn basic stir-frying and soup making by cooking several recipes.

When:
 5:30 - 7 pm
Where: Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd in Boone
Cost: $20 for the 2 classes for adults, $15 for kids ages 12 – 18. 
Contact and/or RSVP: Margie Mansure, (828) 264-3061
More Information: Class size limited so register in advance by calling NC Cooperative Extension at (828) 264-3061. Send a check to 971 West King Street or stop by to pay.
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Friday, April 10th

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Lettuce Learn Elementary
School Garden help

Lend a hand at a local school garden.  Join the Lettuce Learn team at one of our three learning gardens: Parkway Elementary, ASU Child Development Center, or Mountain Pathways as we prepare beds for spring, build raised beds, improve compost bins, retrofit greenhouses, and mend fences. This is one of the service projects for the Village Vision festival on May 2nd.

When: 12:30 - 4 pm
Where: Meet at Ag Conference Center Parking Lot, 252 Poplar Grove Road
Cost: Free
Contact: email villagevisionfestival@gmail.com to register and for more information.
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Cooking Matters: 
Spinach & Herb Frittatas

Join the Hospitality House's Cooking Matters class as we make Spinach and Herb Frittatas!

When: 2 - 4 pm
Where: Hospitality House of Boone, 338 Brook Hollow Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings, foodservice@hospitalityhouseofboone.org
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Saturday, April 11th

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Women & Veteran 
Farmer Workday

A fun day on local farms owned and run by women and veterans! From morning til afternoon, we will be dividing out to farms across the High Country in an effort to help out our local heroes and learn more about agriculture and local food. Not to mention the food is ridiculously good. This workday is paired with the Terra Firma film screening on April 8.

When:  8:30 am - 2 pm, on-farm lunch included
Where: Students, Meet in the ASU Stduent Union. Community members, contact suzanne@brwia.org for carpool instructions
Cost: Free
Contact:  Students register to parshleygp@appstate.edu. Community members register to suzanne@brwia.org
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Playhouse Build Fest

Looking for a fun filled day to engage your kids? Let them sell produce at a play farmers market and paint with fruits and vegetables to learn about eating healthy and buying locally. There will be many other hands on activities for them to engage in, offered by community groups, businesses, and ASU organizations. For kids aged 2 – 12 accompanied by their parents. 

When: 10 am - 2 pm
Where: Parkway Elementary, 160 Parkway School Drive, Boone. Off of Old 421
Cost: Free
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Bryk House Fundraiser at AMB

On February 22, the Bryk family home burned down while they are away at church. They have put down roots in Boone, making it their home and place of business. You may know the Bryk family from New Life Farm and their delicious duck eggs, pork and chicken. Now it is our turn to come together as a community and support some of our own. Music from: Hilltop Riot (formerly Cougar Bait)
and the NYC band The Bones of J.R. Jones.  

When: 5 pm - 10
Where: Appalachian Mountain Brewery, 163 Boone Creek Dr, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Donations accepted, and a portion of the bar/food truck sales go to the family.
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Thursday, April 16th

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Cooking Workshop Series: 
Kale & Apple Salad

As part of the Cooking Workshop Series, the Western Watauga Food Outreach Project will be offering samples of a healthy, locally grown Kale and Apple Salad.

When: 4 - 6:30 pm
Where: Western Watauga Community Center
Cost: Free
Contact: Anna Marie Holmes, holmesannamarie1@gmail.com
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Hands-on Seasonal 
cooking classes

We will use as many fresh, local ingredients that we can find in April to advance our cooking skills. Then, we’ll enjoy our creations for dinner! With gardening and shorts season coming up, on April 16th, we will make a couple of pickle recipes, then continue to use our knife skills by cutting up a variety of salad combinations, entree worthy salads. We’ll whip up come delicious salad dressings to top it with. 

When: 5:30 - 7 pm
Where: Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd in Boone
Cost: $20 for the 2 classes for adults, $15 for kids ages 12 – 18. 
Contact and/or RSVP: Margie Mansure, (828) 264-3061
More Information: Class size limited so register in advance by calling NC Cooperative Extension at (828) 264-3061. Send a check to 971 West King Street or stop by to pay.
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Friday, April 17th

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Cooking Matters: 
Shopping in Season

Join the Hospitality House's Cooking Matters class as we tour a grocery store and learn how to shop in season.

When: 2:30 - 4 pm
Where: Ingles Grocery Store, 2575 NC-105, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings, foodservice@hospitalityhouseofboone.org
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Saturday, April 18th

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Springtime in Appalachia

Fun, hands-on potting and agricultural activities for kids to learn about springtime planting and agriculture in the Appalachian Mountains. Afterwards, take a stroll through our galleries and downtown Blowing Rock!

When: 2 - 4 pm
Where: The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM), 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock, NC
Cost: Free
Contact: Leila Weinstein, BRAHM Educational Programs Coordinator, 828.295.9099 ext. 3006 or leila@blowingrockmuseum.org
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Monday, April 20th

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Hunger & Health Coalition
Hugelkultur Building

The Hunger & Health Coalition is constructing a 90 foot long hugelkultur mound as the first step of their new permaculture production garden! Come help assemble the mound and help the Coalition get ready for the first round of planting when the frost breaks. This is one of the service projects for the Village Vision festival on May 2nd.

When: 10 am - 3 pm
Where: Future Hunger & Health Coalition Garden Site, 
2823 Old 421 South
Cost: Free
Contact: villagevisionfestival@gmail.com to register and for more information.
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Monday, April 20th

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Wednesday, April 22nd

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Roots, Stems, and Flowers at STEAM Expo

Are you, your children, or students in 6th -10th grade? Come take “selfies” at our photo booth with plant part costumes. You may be a root, stem, flower, seed or fruit. Learn about eating healthy and buying locally. This is one of many tours, demos and activities at the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Expo.

When: 9 am - 1:15 pm
Where: STEAM Expo at ASU's Convocation Center
Cost: Free
Contact: Tracey Tardiff, tardiffta@appstate.edu to book your class or homeschool group for the Expo!
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Hospitality House:
Garden Prep Day

Join the Hospitality House in our community garden as we prepare the soil and begin spring planting.

When: 2-4pm
Where: Hospitality House of Boone's Garden, 338 Brook Hollow Rd, Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Free
Contact: Sam Brown, samuelmonroebrown@gmail.com
or Anna Marie Holmes, holmesannamarie@gmail.com
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Thursday, April 23rd

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Watauga High School: 
Greens Culinary Contest

On Thursday, April 23rd, students in two Foods II Enterprise classes will compete in groups, preparing dishes featuring locally grown greens for the faculty and staff to judge.  All recipes will be made available for the judges. Prizes will be awarded on April 28th.

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CANCELED: Friday, April 24th

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Solar Green Pizzas 
in a Learning Garden

Construct your own solar oven using pizza boxes and bake your own pizza using fresh greens from our learning garden and power from the sun!  Learn how to make a healthy pizza that even the pickiest and youngest eaters will enjoy.

This event has been canceled. To find out more about the organizations involved or be notificied if it is rescheduled, contact: pachapaag@email.appstate.edu or online at LettuceLearn.org
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Sunday, April 26th

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F.a.r.m. Cafe Garden Spot:
Spring Maintenance

Help the F.A.R.M. Cafe garden managers get the space cleaned up for spring planting to grow as much food for the King Street location as possible!

When: 11 am - 4 pm
Where: F.A.R.M. Garden Spot (behind Mast General Store), NC 194, Valle Crucis, NC
Cost: Free
Contact: email villagevisionfestival@gmail.com to register and for more information.
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Monday, April 27th

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Wonderful Worms

Did you know that a worm can live up to 10 years? Learn more about our burrowing friends at the Watauga Library.

When: 
  • Worm Stories at 11 am 
  • Worm Friends at 11:20 am 
  • Worm Painting (No real worms used)
  • Worm Racing
Where: Watauga County Library Story Time Area
Cost: Free
Contact: Judith Winecoff, jwinecoff@arlibrry.org or 828 264-8784
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