New Farmer Bus Visits Four Farms On the High Country Farm Tour

As part of the 2012 High Country Farm Tour, NC Cooperative Extension and Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture are organizing a ‘New Farmer Bus’, which will visit four High Country organic vegetable farms on Sunday, August 5.  The ‘New Farmer Bus’ will visit Creeksong Farm and Mountain Works Farm in Ashe County, NC, as well as Maverick Farms and the FIG Farm in Valle Crucis.  The ‘New Farmer Bus’ tour will provide a great opportunity for new farmers to share ideas en-route, as it visits four leading examples of local and sustainable crop production in this region.

Area Extension Agent Richard Boylan, who has worked with organic growers and local food producers in the region for more than eleven years, will lead the ‘New Farmer Bus’ tour.  Recognizing that both time and money are in short supply for new farmers, this tour will make the most of the afternoon and will cost only $5 per participant.

The ‘New Farmer Bus’ tour will meet at the Watauga office of NC Cooperative Extension (971 W. King St., Boone, NC) at 1:00 PM on Sunday, August 5, 2012.  It will return by 7:00 PM.

Space is limited on the ‘New Farmer Bus.’  To gain a place on board, e-mail Courtney Baines at courtney@brwia.org.  Please include the following information in your e-mail:

- What type of farming are you interested in?

- How long have you been farming?

- What do you hope to learn at the farms visited by the ‘New Farmer Bus’ and the trip itself?

More information about the farms on this ‘New Farmer Bus’ tour and the whole High Country Farm Tour can be found at farmtour.brwia.org.