Greening My Plate Month is a time to celebrate spring and our growing season. Events were organized by the ‘Greening My Plate Gang’, a coalition of non-profits and individuals. This coalition is dedicated to improving the economic and personal health of our community by encouraging the consumption of fresh, locally produced food.
The very first Greening My Plate took place from April 27th – May 4th, 2014, when over a dozen community groups joined together to put on a farm tour with greens harvested by high school students, a greens culinary contest and tasting at the high school, film viewings, educational workshops, children’s book readings and activities, and even county and town proclamations. Now in its THIRD year, Greening My Plate Month will feature over 26 unique events, including: 22 FREE events, 13 Cooking Demonstrations & Classes, several Community Garden Workdays, and fun for everyone!
For more information, see the list below or click here for events in Watauga.
Tuesday, April 5th
Know Watts Cooking: Science of Energy Efficient Cooking
Description: Join Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture and Carla Ramsdell for a lively cooking workshop to discuss the best way to prepare food with our earth in mind.
When: Noon until 2:00 PM
Where: Agriculture Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd, Boone, NC
Who: All are welcome
Cost: $10 Regular Admission, $8 Student Admission
Contact: Sadikshya Aryal at sadikshya@brwia.org
Website: http://www.brwia.org/know-your-watts.html
Cooking Matters Class
Description: Join the Hospitality House for a Cooking Matters class! All are welcome to attend! Cooking Matters centers on the MyPlate nutritional guideline, which uses a place setting to illustrate how to balance the five food groups during meals. Building on the MyPlate eating plan it teaches people the basics of reading food labels, choosing the correct portion size and kitchen safety.
When: 2:00 PM
Where: Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Thursday, April 7th
Western Watauga Food Outreach: Cooking Demo
Description: Join Western Watauga Food Outreach & Appalachian Student Dietetic Association for a Cooking Demonstration!
When: 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM
Where: 1081 Old US Highway 421, Sugar Grove, NC 28679
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Watauga-Food-Outreach-398913350316840/
Friday, April 8th
Food Waste Tabling Event
Description:Educating the public on ways to reduce food waste, while giving out kale salad samples in the produce section of Food Lion.
When: 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM
Where: Food Lion at 350 Watauga Village Dr. in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Samantha Gladden at gladdensk1@appstate.edu
Hospitality House Open House
Description: Greening My Plate Open House Meal at Hospitality House. Emphasizing food recovery and eating locally.
When: 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM
Where: Bread of Life Dining Room at Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Saturday, April 9th
Playhouse BuildFest
Description: 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: 9:00AM until 2:00PM
Where: Watauga High School
Who: Ages 2-12 accompanied by parents
Cost: Free
Contact: Kathy Parham at kathyparham@gmail.com
Tuesday, April 12th
Cooking Matters Class
Description: Join the Hospitality House for a Cooking Matters class! All are welcome to attend! Cooking Matters centers on the MyPlate nutritional guideline, which uses a place setting to illustrate how to balance the five food groups during meals. Building on the MyPlate eating plan it teaches people the basics of reading food labels, choosing the correct portion size and kitchen safety.
When: 2:00 PM
Where: Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Thursday, April 14th
Western Watauga Food Outreach: Cooking Demo
Description: Join Western Watauga Food Outreach & Appalachian Student Dietetic Association for a Cooking Demonstration!
When: 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM
Where: 1081 Old US Highway 421, Sugar Grove, NC 28679
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Watauga-Food-Outreach-398913350316840/
Friday, April 15th
Food Waste Tabling Event
Description:Educating the public on ways to reduce food waste, while giving out kale salad samples in the produce section of Food Lion.
When: 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM
Where: Food Lion at 350 Watauga Village Dr. in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Samantha Gladden at gladdensk1@appstate.edu
Saturday, April 16th
Village Vision Service Day: “Lettuce Learn”
Description: Join the Village Vision Team as they will be prepping the garden for the Lettuce Learn Project. This Service Day supports Village Vision (5/7), a community collaborative event that seeks to raise funds for the purchase of High Country Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for families in the county in need of food. By doing so we wish to support local farmers and feed our community with healthy, fresh food.
When: Noon until 3:00 PM
Where: Parkway School
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Christina Bailey at villagevisionfestival@gmail.com
Monday, April 18th
Farm Transition & Estate Planning Workshop
Description: Attorney Andrew Branan will lead a workshop on Farm Transitions and Estate Planning.
When: 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM
Where: Watauga Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Road, Boone 28607
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Dave Walker at craft@brwia.org
Tuesday, April 19th
Cooking Matters Class
Description: Join the Hospitality House for a Cooking Matters class! All are welcome to attend! Cooking Matters centers on the MyPlate nutritional guideline, which uses a place setting to illustrate how to balance the five food groups during meals. Building on the MyPlate eating plan it teaches people the basics of reading food labels, choosing the correct portion size and kitchen safety.
When: 2:00 PM
Where: Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Thursday, April 21st
Western Watauga Food Outreach: Cooking Demo
Description: Join Western Watauga Food Outreach & Appalachian Student Dietetic Association for a Cooking Demonstration!
When: 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM
Where: 1081 Old US Highway 421, Sugar Grove, NC 28679
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Watauga-Food-Outreach-398913350316840/
Monday, April 25th
SEAM Micro-grant Dinner
Description: Supporting Economic Alternatives in the Mountains (SEAM): A locally-sourced dinner that unites innovative business ideas with local investments, providing a platform for emerging entrepreneurs to pitch their project to a room full of community members.
When: 6:00 PM
Where: The New Public House, Blowing Rock
Who: All are welcome
Cost: $30
Contact: Dave Walker at seamnc@gmail.com
Tuesday, April 26th
Village Vision Service Day: The Hunger & Health Coalition
Description: Join the Village Vision Team as they will be prepping the garden for the Lettuce Learn Project. This Service Day supports Village Vision (5/7), a community collaborative event that seeks to raise funds for the purchase of High Country Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for families in the county in need of food. By doing so we wish to support local farmers and feed our community with healthy, fresh food.
When: Noon until 3:00 PM
Where: Parkway School
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Christina Bailey at villagevisionfestival@gmail.com
Cooking Matters Class
Description: Join the Hospitality House for a Cooking Matters class! All are welcome to attend! Cooking Matters centers on the MyPlate nutritional guideline, which uses a place setting to illustrate how to balance the five food groups during meals. Building on the MyPlate eating plan it teaches people the basics of reading food labels, choosing the correct portion size and kitchen safety.
When: 2:00 PM
Where: Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Thursday, April 27th
Greens Culinary Contest
Description: Students in the Foods II Enterprise class 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.
Where: Watauga High School
Who: Students, faculty and staff at the high school
Cost: Free
Contact: Margie Mansure at margie_mansure@ncsu.edu
Western Watauga Food Outreach: Cooking Demo & Community Meal
Description: Join Western Watauga Food Outreach & Appalachian Student Dietetic Association for a Cooking Demonstration and Community Meal!
When: 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM
Where: 1081 Old US Highway 421, Sugar Grove, NC 28679
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Western-Watauga-Food-Outreach-398913350316840/
Friday, April 30th
Hospitality House Open House
Description: Greening My Plate Open House Meal at Hospitality House. Emphasizing food recovery and eating locally. This meal will be hosted by an Appalachian State University Community Nutrition Class.
When: 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM
Where: Bread of Life Dining Room at Hospitality House, 338 Brook Hollow Road in Boone.
Who: All are welcome
Cost: Free
Contact: Allison Jennings at foodservice@hosphouse.org
Saturday, May 7th
Farmers Market Opening Day!
Description: 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: 8:00 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
Village Vision Festival
Description: The Boone Community Network is excited to host the 2nd 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 (CSA) shares for families in the county in need of food. By doing so we wish to support local farmers and feed our community with healthy, fresh food. Themed “Local Food and Community”, the festival will appropriately take place right after the first Farmers Market of the season at Horn in the West and the Daniel Boone Gardens.
When: 12:30 PM until 8:00 PM
Where: Horn in the West Parking Lot – 591 Horn in the West Dr. Boone, NC 28607
Cost: Donation based
Contact: villagevisionfestival@gmail.com