Programs will celebrate agriculture in Transylvania County

The N.C. Cooperative Extension in Transylvania County has put together three events for the public celebrating agriculture in the county.

The first program, Introduction to Beekeeping, will be held from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday, Nov. 18 in the Transylvania County Library Rogow Room. The program is for anyone who has ever thought about becoming a beekeeper but is unsure where to begin. The one-hour presentation by local beekeeper Holly Votaw will cover what someone needs to get started including training, tools and equipment. Participants will learn what goes on inside a honeybee hive during a typical year and discuss some of the pleasures and problems of keeping bees.

Votaw took her first beekeeping course in the South Carolina Lowcountry in 2010 and fell in love with it from the moment she picked up her first package of bees. She and her husband Al moved to Pisgah Forest in April 2019 and started three hives on their 2-acre property. She has continued to learn about keeping bees in the mountains from local beekeeper groups. Votaw is a Transylvania County Master Gardener and oversees the Pollinator Demonstration Garden at Silvermont, as well as a home garden full of native pollinator plants.

A complimentary lunch will be provided after the program. Registration for this program is required. Visit BeekeepingTC.eventbrite.com to register online or call the Cooperative Extension at (828) 884-3109.

For the second program, Gaia Herbs Director of Farm Operations Kate Renner will discuss regenerative organic production in Transylvania County from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20 in the Rogow Room.

Gaia Herbs is rooted in the history of Transylvania County since 1997, both as one of the largest county employers and as an agricultural land steward of 350 acres. This presentation will dig into the history and the evolution of the company with Renner providing specific details about what inspired Gaia Herbs to become the first and only regenerative organic certified farm in the Carolinas.

Ag Week wraps up with an agricultural appreciation breakfast sponsored by the Cooperative Extension and Transylvania Farm Bureau from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 22 at the Mary C. Jenkins Community and Cultural Center.

Featured speakers at the breakfast include NC Farm Bureau Federation representative Jimmy Cowan presenting on the state of agriculture in western North Carolina. Kelly Springs, the Farm Service Agency county executive director, will discuss Hurricane Helene assistance for farmers.

Registration for the breakfast is required. Call (828) 884-3109 or register online at tcagbreakfast24.eventbrite.com.

For questions or to register for the Beekeeping Program or the Ag Breakfast, contact the Transylvania Cooperative Extension at (828) 884-3109 or email mmickew@ncsu.edu.