Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy

2023 Community Farm Tour - April
2023-04-22
Date: Saturday, April 22
Time: Starting at 2:00pm
Where: SAHC Community Farm
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines are present on the trail.
Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members.

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail!
Our Community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, and education center, there is always something new to see.
Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 3-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to the parking area. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the farm and surrounding mountains.

Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. The majority of this hike is not disability accessible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to katie@appalachian.org.

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Virtual Lunch and Learn: Women in the Wilderness
2023-04-20 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
What: Virtual Lunch & Learn: Women in the Wilderness – Safety, Communication and Awareness
When: Thursday, April 20 | 12 p.m.
FREE and open to the public
Presentation by Katie Gray, SAHC Community Engagement & Education AmeriCorps member.
As a woman who has spent a great deal of time in some of the country’s most remote wilderness areas, Katie Gray will cover topics about how to stay safe, comfortable and aware in the backcountry. Learn topics such as self defense, communication techniques, and Wilderness First Aid to keep in your back pocket on your next outdoor adventure.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

2023 Bill Popper Memorial Hike
2023-04-14
Date: Friday, April 14th
Time: Starting at 10:00am
Where: Popper Tract
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines
Cost: FREE
Registration: Pre-registration is REQUIRED

We invite you to join us for a memorial hike to honor and remember our friend Bill Popper and his dedication to preserving the 573-acre property in Yancey County that he loved so much. This hike is a perennial favorite, taking participants through our Price’s Creek Preserve with numerous wildflowers this time of year, including May Apples, Blood Root, Lark Spur, and much more. We will hike through mature northern hardwood forest and make our way to a lovely spot on Price’s Creek for lunch, then loop back to the beginning, all the while enjoying the flowery splendor of Mother Nature!
We will be carpooling to the Price’s Creek Preserve. If you are willing to be a driver, please let me know in the comments section of your registration. If you would like to learn more about Bill Popper and his passion for this land that he loved, please read our recent memorial here.
NOTE: Due to limited parking availability, we will be hard capping this hike at 11 participants. Please register each party member individually to ensure we do not go over this number.
If you would like to learn more about Bill Popper and his passion for this land that he loved, please read our recent memorial here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to katie@appalachian.org.
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2023 Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park Hike
2023-03-24 | Rocky Fork State Park
Date: Friday, March 24th
Time: Starting at 10:00am
Where: Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park
Distance: 8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines
Cost: FREE

Come join SAHC and folks from the Friends of Rocky Fork for a guided hike in this stunning Tennessee state park! This special hike will begin in the parking area, hike along crystal clear streams, traverse mountainsides, cross historic sites, and ultimately hit the Appalachian Trail before returning to our starting point. This unique route will use the Rocky Fork Trail, Flint Creek Trail, Appalachian Trail, Blockstand Creek Trail, and the Blockstand Access Trail. These trails are all beautifully designed and crafted by the Rocky Fork Gorillas and members of the Friends of Rocky Fork. These members have also volunteered to lead the way through this wild landscape and highlight historic events.
Rocky Fork State Park is named after the cool waters that run down its center and is located along the Appalachian Trail corridor and the Tennessee-North Carolina border, between Johnson City, TN and Asheville, NC. In January 2019, the park was renamed in honor of TN Senator Lamar Alexander. The property is adjacent to more than 22,000 acres of U.S. Forest Service-designated wilderness. Before Rocky Fork’s acquisition by The Conservation Fund and U.S. Forest Service, it was one of the largest unprotected tracts in the southern Appalachian Mountains. From 2006-2012, SAHC lobbied congress to secure funding to protect 10,000 acres of the Rocky Fork watershed that was previously slated for development. With help from Senator Lamar Alexander and many other partners, SAHC secured funding and the property was acquired from a timbering company. Come join us for this hike as we celebrate all that we’ve accomplished together!
If you have any questions, please reach out to travis@appalachian.org.

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Aleblazer Festival at Highland Brewing Co.
2023-03-18 12:30 - 16:30 | Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC, 28803, United States
Thanks to our partners at Highland Brewing Company for supporting Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy through the first ever Aleblazers Beer Festival!

Tickets on sale here.
Aleblazers Beer Festival takes place March 18, 2023 at the Event Center and Barrel Room at Highland Brewing Company.
This festival celebrates +25 North Carolina breweries and creativity in craft beer. It will feature new creations and some tried-and-true favorite from Birdsong Brewery, Resident Culture, Mother Earth, NoDa Brewing, Archetype Brewing, and more!
Proceeds from festival ticket sales will be donated to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
We need approximately 18 volunteers to help out with this event.

The Festival will take place from 12:30 – 4:30 pm, however some volunteers will need to be on hand early to help set up the SAHC tent and table with information and there is also a later shift where volunteers will need to stay to help breakdown. SAHC has three volunteer shifts available consisting of five people each shift that will help pour beer.
We sincerely appreciate your help! We will provide either a shirt or hat to each volunteer.

Farm Workshop: Planning and Planting Agroforestry Systems on Contour
2023-03-11 09:00 - 17:00 | SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue), 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
Please join us, rain or shine, for any part of the day so that you’re able to learn, observe and take part in PLANTING DAY of our first phase (8 acres!) of what will be a long standing vision at our Community Farm property: the first and only demonstration project currently in NC which will be open to the public and managed in perpetuity, so that we can all learn about the numerous benefits and beauty of a perennial agroforestry and silvopasture system on conservation land.
Contour Lines is the nonprofit we’re fortunate to be working with for this workshop series. They have planted over 7,000 agroforestry systems in three countries and offer a multitude of expertise of this fascinating, progressive farming practice.
Folks will get a good introduction on how to plan and plant a silvopasture agroforestry site that includes thousands of fruit and nut trees (hazelnut, mulberry, and several others) on a berm and swale contour system which will be grazed in future.

SAHC received a Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant to support this project; the ultimate goal of the effort is to increase ecosystem sustainability and diversity by scaling up agroforestry practices on historic livestock pastures like ours.
Suggested donation: $20 (No one turned away for inability to pay)

Lunch will be provided midway between our morning classroom portion and then the rest of the day will be hands-on work in the adjacent field learning as we plant with the team from Contour Lines! Again, we want everyone to feel welcome, so if you leave early/come late or just observe the team during the active planting, please feel free. Children welcome as well, and if you register after 3/8 please BYO lunch as that’s the date we’ll place orders, thanks!

Please bring a waterbottle, gloves, raincoat/work clothes if you’re planting, tools will be provided.

Location: SAHC Community Farm Education Center on Mag Sluder Rd in Alexander, NC (20 minutes from central Asheville)

Register for This Workshop
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Silvopasture at the Community Farm
SAHC received a $6,000 Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant to support this project, and Contour Lines is donating plant material, design and expertise for hands-on workshops to help execute a silvopasture project on the SAHC Community Farm. This demonstration agroforestry plot is designed as an educational tool that will demonstrate regenerative agriculture and soil conservation techniques. This site will serve as a model for larger scale land restoration projects including native species reforestation, diversified fruit and nut production, and silvopasture farming.
The Catalyzing Agroforestry Grant Program is focused on implementing silvopastures and forest farming practices; the ultimate goal of the effort is to increase ecosystem sustainability and diversity by scaling up agroforestry practices. SAHC’s project is part of a growing Agroforestry Regional Knowledge (ARK) Exchange that serves as a framework for future growth of agroforestry adoption. The ARK Exchange will support ecocultural learning, workforce development, and networking of producer peers, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and governmental and nongovernmental partners.
Our aim with the silvopasture acreage on the SAHC Community Farm is to make productive and educational/demonstrative use of our hilly pasture, which sees a lot of visitors (both adults and school groups from the community). We currently have no agroforestry or silvopasture production open to the public in our community, and SAHC feels it will be a valuable learning site for current and future growers in the area! Carbon sequestration, value added products and perennial/no till crops are just a few of the beneficial environmental and economic factors which lead us to initiate this specific multi crop plan, and we are confident it will be a great fit for our farm and the needs of our region.
During our first phase we will begin converting 8 acres of pasture land into silvopasture by cutting in swales slightly of contour. We will be planting a multi-species perennial crop of trees and shrubs for multiple outputs. Varieties being planted include locust, mulberry, paw-paw, hazelnut, sycamore, indigo, cottonwood, elderberry and others. We will produce food, fodder, fuel, shade, habitat, water conservation and other positive impacts.

2023 Community Farm Tour - March
2023-03-04 13:00 - 15:00 | SAHC Community Farm (Incubator Program), 24 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
Date: Saturday, March 4th
Time: Starting at 1:00pm
Where: SAHC Community Farm
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines are present on the trail.
Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members.

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail!
Our Community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, and education center, there is always something new to see.
Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 3-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to the parking area. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the farm and surrounding mountains.

Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. The majority of this hike is not disability accessible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to travis@appalachian.org.

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Farm Workshop: Navigating Food Safety on Small Farms with NC Cooperative Extension Part 2
2023-03-02 14:00 - 16:00 | SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue), 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
In this two-part workshop, we’ll review aspects of food safety and post-harvest handling suitable for small and micro farms, whose scale necessitates creative solutions for recommended best practices. Participants will gain an understanding of practical ways to maintain general food safety, and the requirements farms must follow under the FSMA Produce Safety rule. You must register for the webinar on March 1 in order to participate in the on-farm portion of the training. Presented by NC Cooperative Extension, Buncombe County Center.

Wednesday, March 1, 2023. 6pm – 8pm – Online Workshop
Day 1 offers a webinar format that will address important aspects of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and highlight required actions for farms of any size.
Thursday, March 2, 2023. 2pm – 4pm – In-person Workshop in Alexander, NC
Day 2 will be an on-farm workshop at the SAHC Community Farm in Alexander, where we will walk through a small-scale wash/pack facility and discuss design considerations.

Farm Workshop: Navigating Food Safety on Small Farms with NC Cooperative Extension Part 1
2023-03-01 18:00 - 20:00

2023 Bailey Mountain Preserve Hike
2023-02-24 10:00 - 13:00 | Bailey Mountain Park, 885 Forest St., Mars Hill, NC, 28754, United States
Date: Friday, February 24th
Time: Starting at 10:00am
Where: Bailey Mountain Preserve
Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines are present on the trail.
Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members.

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy as we visit the beautiful Bailey Mountain Preserve on Friday February 24th. This hidden gem consists of adjoining properties under a conservation easement that the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy monitors each year. The Preserve is open to the public and encompasses over 250 acres. Bailey Mountain is the highest peak visible from the Town of Mars Hill, and this mountain figures prominently in the history of the Town and Mars Hill University. The preserve offers six contiguous miles of hiking trails, masterfully built and maintained by the dedicated volunteers and the Friends of Bailey Mountain. For more resources and news regarding Bailey Mountain, follow this link: https://libguides.mhu.edu/Bailey
On this hike we will be joined by a few members of the Friends of Bailey Mountain who will orient us with the preserve and share their passion for this awesome place!

Please note that this property is open to the public but if you wish to join this guided hike it is critical that ALL participants pre-register for this event. You will receive a follow-up email with specific information about where to meet at the preserve and other necessary details 24-48 hours prior to the hike. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. This hike is not disability accessible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to travis@appalachian.org.

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Deep Dive into Farmland Access
2023-02-23 13:00 - 15:00 | SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue), 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
When: Thursday, February 23 from 1-3 pm
Where: SAHC Community Farm at 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC 28701

Join SAHC’s Community Farm Manager Chris Link and SAHC staff for a 2-hour, in-person “deep dive” question and answer session paired with a walking tour of the farm. Learn about different aspects of SAHC’s farmland access initiatives, including start-up and funding, challenges, and partnership opportunities. In 2015, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy launched a Farm Incubator Program to help farmers gain access to land and grow agricultural businesses. Our program has graduated 10 farmers since its inception. We often receive requests from folks interested in learning more about how to start, run, and troubleshoot their own programs — so this is your opportunity to ask questions and learn more in-person! This free opportunity in a relaxed atmosphere will be tailored for landowners, growers, and private/non-profit/public organizations who are interested in learning how to help farmers access land.

FREE and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Rain or shine (we have an indoor classroom space for discussion in the event of inclement weather).

To attend, please fill out the Registration Form below:
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"For Love of Beer and Mountains" Berryful Release
2023-02-17 | Highland Brewing Company, 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC, 28803, United States
Join us and our partners at Highland Brewing Company for the release of the new Berryful fruit ale, part of the “For Love of Beer and Mountains” seasonal brews. Enjoy live music, and 3 Eggs Cakery will provide some sweet treats.
Highland Brewing Company will donate $1 per pour of Berryful sold at the release party; their donation supports ongoing land and water conservation efforts with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
Berryful is a lightly tart and refreshing fruit ale made with all-natural blueberry concentrate. Light, fresh, fruity, and fun, it’s like springtime in a glass!

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Roan Highlands Visitor Use Management
2023-02-14 12:00 - 13:00
Do you love the Highlands of Roan? Join Marquette Crockett (Roan Stewardship Director at Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy), Jen Barnhart (District Ranger at U.S. Forest Service, Pisgah National Forest, Appalachian Ranger District), Morgan Sommerville (Director, Visitor Use Management at Appalachian Trail Conservancy), and Jerry Kyle (High Country Regional Manager at Appalachian Trail Conservancy) for a special presentation on visitor use management in this fragile landscape.
The Roan Highlands are one of the most unique landscapes in the Eastern United States – How Can We Keep It That Way?
Our public lands have become even more popular than in years past with the readily available information online and social media. We want folks to get outdoors, connect with their public lands, and hopefully become stewards of those lands. Unfortunately, this can also cause visitor use management issues that can have negative ecological impacts, loss of character of that landscape, and/or decreased visitor experiences. What are land managers and stakeholders to do? Come learn what the US Forest Service and partners are doing to address these issues in the Roan Highlands through the collaborative efforts of the Roan Highlands Visitor Use Management committee.
Click HERE to Register in advance for this webinar:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
To learn more, check out this PDF about the Roan Highlands Visitor Use Management Committee: Roan Highlands_VUM_Committee_About.Us_1.27.2023

2023 Community Farm Tour - February
2023-02-12 | SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue), 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
Date: Sunday, February 12th
Time: Starting at 1:00pm
Where: SAHC Community Farm
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several steep inclines are present on the trail.
Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members.

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on our beautiful Community Farm to hike along our Discovery Trail!
Our Community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, and education center, there is always something new to see.
Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 3-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to the parking area. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the farm and surrounding mountains.

If you are currently participating in our 3rd annual Winter Hiking Challenge this is a great way to accrue miles with friends!

Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. The majority of this hike is not disability accessible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to travis@appalachian.org.

Thank you for taking interest in our outing with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy!

I am sorry to say that our outing is currently full and we cannot accept any more attendees at this time. However, if you are still interested in the hike, please contact me at travis@appalachian.org and your name and email will be put on a wait-list. I will contact you if a spot becomes available. If you have any questions, you can contact me at travis@appalachian.org.
Thank you for your interest in hiking with SAHC!
Travis Bordley

2023 Coldest Day Of The Year Hike - Elk Hollow Preserve
2023-01-27
Date: Friday, January 27th
Time: 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
Where: SAHC’s Elk Hollow Preserve
Distance: 5 Miles
Difficulty: Moderate (6/10)
Cost: The hike is FREE for SAHC members, 10$ for non-members

Join us on Friday, January 27th, for a pleasant stroll through the Elk Hollow Preserve on the Everett J. Bowman Memorial Trail and warm up on historically one of the coldest days of the year! The trail will lead us through beautiful forests of oaks, maples, and beech trees, as well as early successional meadows perfect for bird spotting. The Preserve boasts a bounty of rare wildlife, including Golden-winged Warblers, Southern Appalachian brook trout, and Gray’s lilies. Additionally, SAHC has installed a camping platform, intact trail system, and a moldering privy which will leave you excited to visit us again. This hike is part of our “For Love of Beer and Mountains” partnership with Highland Brewing Company, celebrating the final release of Thunderstruck Coffee Porter. The walk will be co-led by Jay Leutze, author and SAHC Senior Advisor to the Board, who will talk about the history of the tract. Continue with us after this hike for additional miles as we press further up Roaring Creek along the Overmountain Victory Trail to Yellow Mountain Gap. Here at the intersection with the AT we will reflect on the significance of this Nationally Historic trail that commemorates the journey of Revolutionary War heroes and be grateful it is only cold weather we are battling.

Please expect COLD weather on January 27th. Wear study hiking clothes and pack extra layers including hats and gloves. Pack food and water to sustain yourself for multiple hours in the woods. There will be time to revisit your car between visiting Elk Hollow Preserve and continuing on the Overmountain Victory Trail. The Elk Hollow Preserve is an hour and a half drive north of Asheville NC and an hour from Johnson City TN. Please plan accordingly!

FREE for SAHC members, $10 for non-members. If you are not a member but would like to become one, click here!

Thank you for taking interest in our outing with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy!

I am sorry to say that our outing is currently full and we cannot accept any more attendees at this time. However, if you are still interested in the hike, please contact me at travis@appalachian.org and your name and email will be put on a wait-list. I will contact you if a spot becomes available. If you have any questions, you can contact me at travis@appalachian.org.
Thank you for your interest in hiking with SAHC!
Travis Bordley

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Alphabet Soup - Navigating Government Farm Programs
2023-01-25 12:00 - 13:00
Lunch & Learn: Alphabet Soup – Navigating Government Farm Programs
Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 12:00 p.m.
USDA, Extension, FSA, NRCS, Rural Development – at times, the acronyms and jargon associated with farming programs can seem overwhelming. Hosted by our partner Stephen Bishop, NC FarmLink Western Director, this presentation will provide a brief overview of the most common government farm assistance programs, as well as tips and advice on applying for assistance and where to get started.

Register in advance for this FREE webinar:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

2023 Community Farm Hike - January
2023-01-01 | SAHC Community Farm (Event Venue), 180 Mag Sluder Road, Alexander, NC, 28701, United States
Date: Sunday, January 1st
Time: Starting at 1:00pm
Where: SAHC Community Farm
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate. Several inclines are present on the trail.
Cost: Free for Members. $10 for non-members.
Help the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy kick off our 2023 Winter Hiking Challenge on the first day of the new year at our beautiful Community Farm! Accrue miles for the challenge along our Discovery Trial or come out just for the fun of catching fresh air with new friends. You do not need to be a part of the challenge to attend this tour.
Our Community Farm is a 140-acre educational and working farm just outside Asheville. The farm is a continually evolving home for conservation projects and agricultural production. Highlighted by our stream restoration project, shortleaf pine reforestation project, farm incubator program, and education center, there is always something new to see.
Participants will hike The Discovery Trail in a 3-mile loop allowing us to view all of the amazing farm projects before returning to our education center. Participants are welcome to bring a packed lunch to enjoy while overlooking the entire farm and surrounding mountains. This tour will likely be cold so please plan accordingly with warm clothes, sturdy shoes, and water.
Please note that our Community Farm is an active farm not open to the public unless accompanied by SAHC staff. To ensure safety, staff capacity, and a positive experience for everyone involved it is critical that ALL hike participants pre-register for events before visiting the farm. You will receive an email with specific information about where to meet on the farm and other necessary details. If you do not receive this email, as well as a confirmation email following your registration, we do not have you registered for the hike. The majority of this hike is not disability accessible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to travis@appalachian.org.

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