5 Reasons to Come to Asheville, NC in the Winter: Reason #4 Organic Growers School

So I'm cutting it close, but March 6 & 7, 2010 is still considered winter, and the Organic Growers School
is one of my favorite events held here in Asheville (check out my past winter blogging for reasons 1-3)! The weekend is a gathering of growers young and old, from near and far, to learn and celebrate growing and harvesting your own food. I have been the last two years and find it not only informative, but lots of fun!
Classes range over many topics, such as Growing Communities Through Gardens, Soil Ecology 101 and Down to Earth Biodynamics- there is so much to learn here, even for the seasoned gardener, that it is definitely worth your while. There is a weekend pass available, or you can pay by the day. To top it off, there is childcare! Tasty food is sold by local vendors, products ranging from books to seeds to trowels are available for purchase, and many very kind and knowledgeable people are present for some great talks. The School has grown so much over the years that this is the first time it will actually be held in Asheville, at UNC-A (in the past it was held in Hendersonville at Blue Ridge CC). This makes for a perfect venue- large enough to hold all of the participants, and close to all of the fun you can have afterward in Asheville proper.
To add to it all, Carolina Mornings is offering a discount to all School participants: $35 off of any property that is not already having a special, and we are waiving the early check-in/ late check-out fee for the event (as long as there is no schedule conflict)!! Not to mention our other winter specials, which can be utilized for the School weekend! And, then there are the freebies!! This really is a perfect weekend to bring the family and enjoy Asheville!

Amazing New Packages For Carolina Mornings' Guests!

2010 will be the year of positive change for travelers staying at Carolina Mornings' vacation rentals. Why you ask? Well let me share some wonderful changes that will be coming down the mountains and settling in our office. 

Updated MDP
Our MDP (Mountain Discovery Pass) is free with every reservation. Each reservation receives passes for all available activities each night of their stay.  We started this awesome and exclusive  value added amenity about about 18 months ago.  Now with feedback from  our guests we needed to offer year round activities. For now, we needed to say good bye to Lake Lure Cruises. On the flip side, we were lucky the stars were aligned and we found Ghost Hunters of Asheville! They offer a myriad of incredible yet revealing tours throughout Asheville with rave reviews! Stay tuned......

New Packages  and Additional Tours -TBA

The Downtown Market in Asheville, NC

Today is another day for exploring the indoor spaces of Asheville, NC, so I thought I'd share one of my favorite new places: The Downtown Market, located in the heart of downtown Asheville on S. French Broad St. (click on the link where you can also watch their commercial). Calling themselves a "bazaar community," the Market is an eclectic blend of food and wares- whether they be re-sale items or crafts made by the vendors. Two major businesses are also within the market- Amazing Savings discount grocer, and, my favorite coffee shop in town, hifi coffee cafe (website coming soon). The market had their ribbon- cutting ceremony on January 8th, 2010, so the business is relatively new and on it's way to exploding. Open Friday thru Sunday from 10am-5pm (*NOTE: hifi coffee cafe is open 7 days a week, at 7am!*), you can start your adventure with a cup of delicious warmth, whatever your preferred drink may be. hifi serves farm-direct, fair trade organic coffee (as close to local as you can get with a cuppa joe!); many options of espresso/ coffee drinks; and other delicious, non-coffee drinks for those of us who enjoy a good cup of chai or homemade hot chocolate, not to mention some yummy treats to go with your liquid warmth. Sit back and relax, listening to the live music playing there every weekend-Asheville is known for it's local musicians (The Downtown Market keeps an updated list of who is playing). then, peruse the vendors of the market; new ones are joining in the fun every week! I have been visiting the Market almost every weekend, and these are the wares I have seen: antique items, handmade jewelry, herbal remedies and bodycare, organic baby clothing, books, toys, etc. etc. And, now that we are in the winter months, farmer's from the closed-for-the-season outdoor markets are heading indoors, making it a great place to pick up local food products as well as discount groceries from Amazing Savings.
Winter is a great time to visit Asheville and take advantage of Carolina Morning's winter specials
(don't forget about the Mountain Discovery Pass freebies you get with your stay as well!!!). Choose a beautiful mountain retreat, explore the great town of Asheville, then cozy up by the fireplace (or better yet, the hot tub!) in your home away from home. You will not regret the break you know you need!!

The Scoop on Poop in Asheville, NC

If your child is like mine, they are at their wits end by this time of year with staying indoors. My son, only 7 months old, has entered into his first illness and can't stand that we haven't left the house in 2 days. He stares out the window longingly, wishing for something, anything, to come and drag us out into the rain of today. Gratefully, Asheville is full of things to do in the wintertime, many of which are indoors (and are a lifesaver for Mama's like me with recovering-from-illness little ones). One such place that straddles the line of great-for-nice-outdoor-days and great-for-not-so-nice-indoor-days is the North Carolina Arboretum. I am particularly wanting to share their exhibit opening tomorrow, The Scoop on Poop. This exhibit really is interesting for the whole family, covering the subject of what we humans choose to do behind doors, but what most of the natural world does out in the great wide open. As a newer Mama, I don't expect my little guy to understand or take much with him from the exhibit, but it interests me enough to bundle him up and carry him around in our wrap to visit the exhibit, be it a nice, cold or rainy afternoon. This will help us both with our cabin fever!
The exhibit, which they say is hands on, is a traveling one, and it will stay in Asheville until May 9, 2010. Plan your trip now, in the winter, and enjoy one of the many winter specials that Carolina Mornings has to offer in our cozy vacation rentals. Curl up next to a fire and relax in your getaway one day, and visit the Arboretum for a taste of WNC outdoors and The Scoop on Poop the next. Carolina Mornings has a mountain retreat just for you!

A Holiday Taste of the Town!

Looking for a holiday trip that will help this time of year slow down and allow you to enjoy the holidays?

You're looking in the right place. As you know, Asheville is home to some of the most majestic landmarks of the holiday season (see here and here and here). And by all means, when you come to Asheville for a day trip or hopefully for longer (i.e. weekends in beautiful Asheville cabins!), check out the Biltmore, the Grove Park Inn's Gingerbread houses and the beautiful lights around town!

BUT don't forget about all those local hideaways and secrets! Check out the Asheville City Market in Pack Square from 10am-2pm THIS WEEKEND for a great taste of the holidays in the mountains of NC.

Image via Wikipedia

For example: THIS Saturday, check out live music from Galen Kipar AND a cooking demo by Chef Tres from the Lobster Trap to help you get ready for holiday cooking!

Still need Christmas gifts-- look no further than the local and handmade crafts like wreaths and arrangements, baked goods, handmade jewelry and so much more.

Lacking a tree for your Asheville cabin rental? Don't fear... THREE farmers tailgate markets in the Asheville, NC area will be offering local Christmas trees THIS weekend!

The best way to experience the holidays like a local? Grab your family, your coats and leave technology and hassle behind, and come stay at any of the beautiful Carolina Mornings Asheville cabin rentals! Experience the beauty of the mountains with the twinkle of the stars, the quiet of the country and the bustle of the city! Everything you could ask for in an Asheville holiday vacation!