Homestead Tours, Workshops & Events

What We Grow

Guided Tours of The Little Half Acre

Fridays and Saturdays beginning May 10, 2024
Session #1: 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM (45 minutes)
Session #2: 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM (45 minutes)
Bakersville, NC
Cost: $30 per person
More info about The Little Half Acre
Get a Google Map

I will take you through the property and show you what and how we’re able to do some intense gardening here– despite the rocky, hilly landscape and the red clay soil. We use organic polyculture and permaculture techniques on our half acre homestead and we’d love to share our growing methods with you and encourage you in your own efforts. If we can succeed under these difficult circumstances you can too! We’ll also discuss keeping chickens and ducks and how rabbits and quail could work well on a small plot. We have some great handouts to give you that will prove invaluable as you grow your own food or make plans to purchase your own homestead property.

Sensible shoes are a must since our homestead is on a somewhat rocky slope. No public restrooms are available.

More info about The Little Half Acre

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Use this form to make your booking request. Then you’ll be taken to the Pay Now page.

Note: a date will not display as “Booked” until all 6 available bookings are completed. You may book from 1 to 6 people.

Self Guided Tours of The Little Half Acre

We’re really sorry, but self guided tours are no longer available due to prohibitive insurance costs.

Gardening Workshop – Planning Your 2024 Garden

Saturday, April 6, 2024
2 PM – 3:30 PM
$35.00
Free veggie plant starts included!
Get a Google Map here.

Join us under the pergola for snacks and beverages while we talk about a w-i-d-e range of topics for planning your 2024 garden space. We’ll cover all aspects of getting the most out of your available growing space.

New and experienced gardeners welcome!

We’ll cover location, soils, sun requirements (you can actually grow in less than five hours of sun!) companion planting and seed starting. A bit of “hands on” seed starting tips will give you a head start (excuse the outrageous pun) for your own spring planting.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

“Brunch-and-Learn” Workshop – What Does Your Dream Garden Look Like?

Saturday, April 13, 2024
10:30 AM – 12 Noon
$35.00
Get a Google Map here.

Let’s talk about going beyond the basic Market Garden. Have you tried Polyculture? Permaculture? Do you prefer a beautiful and productive French Potager garden?

We’ll offer a lovely brunch under the pergola served from our own homestead abundance. Quiches, Cast Iron Frittatas, fresh fruits, salads and pastries. Vegetarian options included. A tour of our market/potager garden and our permaculture guilds will give you some great ideas for your own garden spaces.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

“Brunch-and-Learn” Workshop – Going All Out: No till, No Pesticide, Intensive Gardening

Saturday, April 27, 2024
10:30 – 12 Noon
$35
Get a Google Map here.

This workshop will build on what we’ve already covered in previous workshops as far as growing abundant foods, fruits and flowers in your own growing space. We’ll show you how you can get the maximum yield from your gardens no matter how small or how large. Brunch will be served under the pergola as we share our own homestead abundance for your eating pleasure. Quiches, fruits, pastries, soup and salads. Vegetarian options included.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

“Free Brunch and Volunteer Day” – Constructing an English Dead Hedge

Saturday, May 11, 2024
10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Free
Get a Google Map here.

We’ll feed you a delightful complimentary brunch under the pergola in exchange for an hour or so of volunteer effort as we construct an English Dead Hedge. You may find this natural fencing enchanting on your own property. Our finished hedge will be approximately two feet wide by twenty-five feet long so this will not be a particularly arduous task.

Our delicious brunch will give us a great start to the day. Your NC advanced gardener will join you and answer any gardening questions you may have before we start construction on our hedge. No experience necessary. Bring gloves.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

Yes! I will work for food and to learn the art of the English Dead Hedge. I’ll fill out the convenient registration form below!

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Edible Landscaping and Stealth Gardening During Hard Times

Saturday, May 18, 2024
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
$35
Get a Google Map here.

By special request, we will cover edible landscaping and growing foods that are “hard times secure.” Our prepper friends have asked for a session on growing those foods that are not easily recognizable as edibles but we’ll also discuss edible landscaping for gardeners who only have borders, typical suburban landscapes or restrictive HOAs. We will also send you home with seed starts for your own growing areas.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

Soup and Salad Bar Lunch & Learn – The Pesticide Free Garden

Sunday, June 2, 2024
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
$45
Get a Google Map here.

How many standard pesticides do we use here on our homestead? None. How many organic pesticides do we use? None. So the real question is – how the heck do we do that? We’ve battled asparagus beetles, squash beetles, flea beetles, stinkbugs, Mexican bean beetles, cabbage loopers and more. Yet we still have real abundance in our growing areas and each year we deal with fewer and fewer pests. Come find out how to reduce pests to a minimum (no, you will never be completely pest free but there is a way to live without the pesticides that infect your foods and kills the good bugs along with the bad ones).

We’ll also talk about other pest pressures – like deer, rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and roaming neighborhood dogs. It’s gardening in the mountains! Come join us!

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

Farm to Table Dinner

Saturday, June 8, 2024
6:00 – 7:30
$65
Get a Google Map here.

Come enjoy a delicious dinner under the pergola prepared by Chef Matt Hanbury. Chef Matt trained under a Cordon Bleu graduate. His delicious creations will be crafted from local proteins sourced from “humane methods” farms along with fresh, organic produce from our own homestead. Optional: Join Jackie in a guided tour after dinner. Casual dress. Apologies, but refunds not available.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

“Brunch-and-Learn” Workshop – Fall and Winter Gardening

Saturday, August 3, 2024
10:30 – Noon
$35
Get a Google Map here.

You can grow your own produce even in the cold months! We’ll show you how using simple, inexpensive products from your local hardware store. We will teach you what foods to grow so you can enjoy fresh greens even in February and we’ll send you home with a few vegetable starts to transplant into your own winter garden spaces.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

Microgreens Workshop (Includes a “Grow-Your-Own” Kit)

Saturday, August 17, 2024
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
$40
Get a Google Map here.

After twelve years of growing microgreens commercially, we’re ready to share our knowledge with you so you can have access to nutrient-dense microgreens in your own home. Microgreens are full of mighty phyto-nutrients and have been found to be anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.

Our in-depth workshop includes your own “Grow-Your-Own” kit, retail value of $38 which includes growing supplies and a detailed how-to manual. The small class will offer almost one-on-one instruction.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.

Gardening Workshop – Fall and Winter Gardening

Saturday, September 14, 2024
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
$35
Get a Google Map here.

You can grow your own produce even in the cold months! We’ll show you how using simple, inexpensive products from your local hardware store. We will teach you what veggies to grow so you can enjoy fresh greens even in February and we’ll send you home with a few vegetable starts to transplant into your own winter garden spaces.

Also see my Microgreens Workshop. You can grow microgreens indoors in winter next to a window.

Jackie Wall is a certified advanced North Carolina Gardener. She also teaches gardening and permaculture classes at local colleges and community-sponsored events.

Note:
Sorry, but no children. And please wear sensible shoes.