Navitat Canopy Adventures (242 Poverty Branch Road, Barnardsville) is located in nearby Barnardsville.  They opened last month and though I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet I hear it’s a ton of fun.  They’re offering a 20% discount to local residents on Tuesdays. Here’s their press release about it:

Navitat Offering Locals-Only Discount
WNC residents get 20-percent off Tuesday tours

NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES, a world-class zip line canopy tour near Asheville, is offering a special tour price discount to residents of western North Carolina.

Throughout the season, locals who book Tuesday tours receive a 20-percent discount on the regular tour price. An ID showing proof of residency is required.

“We’re so excited to be able to offer this special locals-only discount,” said Abby Burt, Marketing Manager of NAVITAT CANOPY ADVENTURES. “We want our western North Carolina neighbors to experience our mountain home in a new and exciting way, and we hope this discount will make it possible for even more folks to come visit us.”

Regular tour price is $85 for adults, and $75 for children ages 10-17. Tours last approximately 3 ½ hours. To book your tour, call (828) 626-3700 or visit www.navitat.com.

NAVITAT also offers these special discounts:
N.C. ARBORETUM MEMBER SPECIAL: Members of the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville, N.C., can show their Arboretum IDs and receive a 10-percent discount on the regular tour price throughout the season.

GROUP DISCOUNT SPECIAL: Throughout the season, groups of eight or more receive a 10-percent discount on the regular tour price.

One of the three entrances to Weaverville’s Main Street Nature Park. This one is off Pine Street (across from the First Baptist Church parking lot). The other two entrances are located behind the Public Parking Lot and in the lower level parking lot behind Town Hall (to the left). All the usual town ordinances apply at the Nature Park, including dogs must be on leash, no littering, and it’s closed after dark.

More photos from a recent walk I took through the Nature Park can be viewed here.

I recently stopped by the Vance Birthplace State Historic Site (911 Reems Creek Road ) and learned they have a Picnic Pavilion which is free for public use. For information or to reserve the shelter, stop by the Vance Birthplace or call them at 645-6706. Here’s some info from the Picnic Shelter Request application:

Equitable Use
Facility reservations are accepted as equitably as possible on a first-come, first-served basis to ensure all lawful groups have access to the picnic area. Department of Cultural Resources and the Vance Birthplace will have priority in scheduling the use of the picnic facilities.

Reservations
The picnic area may be reserved up to three months in advance. Facilities are not intended to be used as a regular meeting place or base of operation. Facilities may not be used for an activity which will result in monetary gain for an individual or private group.

One other note about reserving the picnic shelter – it can only be used during the regular operating hours of the Vance Birthplace, which are currently Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m – 5 p.m.

Here’s some of the festivities planned around Weaverville this Saturday for Independence Day:

Kiwanis Firecracker 5k Race
8:30 a.m., NBHS
More info…

Beech Community’s 125th Independence Day Celebration
10 a.m.-early afternoon, Beech Community Center
More info…

MPAC July 4th Block Party
10 a.m.-10 p.m., NBHS Soccer Fields.
More info…

If you’re wondering why there’s nothing listed for Main Street or Lake Louise, read this.

No fireworks in Weaverville this year. If you’re looking for fireworks, try Barnardsville. Their July 4th celebration starts at 2 p.m. at the Big Ivy Community Center and includes a parade, food, and music. Fireworks begin after dark. For other celebrations and fireworks displays options in the area, check out this list from Mountain Xpress.

If you’ve hiked any or all of the Appalachian Trail this poster of AT symbols, available locally at Curtis Wright Outfitters (24 North Main Street ), might be of interest. It’s by photographer Sarah Jones, who took the photos when she hiked the trail northbound in 2008.  A little more from Sarah about the origin of the poster, art exhibition, and her upcoming book:

A native of Winchester, VA, the trail was always close by and I used to take day hikes on it in high school. I lived in Jupiter and Asheville, NC for three years after college. I also worked in Hot Springs where the AT is the downtown street. My friend and I vowed to hike the trail together after we completed graduate school. We hiked the trail northbound from Georgia to Maine in 2008. I took pictures every single day of our six month journey and when my camera died, I used hers. I had an art exhibition, Footpath: A Photographic Journey on the AT this May in Damascus, VA and will be showing the work again in Maine in September. The book will be published in Spring 2010. The poster was something that just happened organically along with shooting for the book. It contains every AT symbol I saw on my travels and the poster is arranged in chronological order. Footpath can be viewed at thesarahjones.com.

A Volunteer Work Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 18 at the Main Street Nature Park. Here’s the details:

Saturday, October 18th, from 9:30 until noon you are invited to join your neighbors in creating a quiet sitting area in the nature park. We will meet behind Town Hall (30 South Main Street ).

Barbara Joshi has donated a site-built walnut bench in memory of her husband Bhairav Joshi.   Barbara selected a bench location at the confluence of the two creeks, in good bird habitat with a nice view upstream.  We will clean up the area and plant a dozen bird-attracting trees: service berries and dogwoods.  Bring work gloves, water, lopping shears, rakes and planting tools. Long pants are helpful – there is poison ivy in the area.

This volunteer workday is sponsored by the Weaverville Garden Club, the Weaverville Tree Board, the Weaverville Weed Team and Quality Forward/Asheville GreenWorks. Randy Burroughs, RLA will be directing.

Please contact Mayor Bett Stroud to register at 645-3912 or sign-in on the morning of the event.  Your registration helps win funding grants for park projects.

Certified as a Wildlife Habitat that is. The Weaverville Wildlife Habitat project has a goal of certifying 51 Weaverville homes as wildlife habitats. The Habitat Team was recently informed by the National Wildlife Federation that they have reached the halfway point towards that goal with 26 homes now certified. In addition, all three of our local Bed & Breakfasts (Secret Garden, Inn on Main Street, and Dry Ridge Inn) are now certified. For further information check out the project website, www.myweaverville.com/weavervillewildlifehabitat

Bears in the Neighborhoods
I’ve heard about a number of bear sightings in the area lately, so here’s a good reminder from the WNC Nature Center:

What do I do if I see a bear in my back yard?
Nothing – do not panic. Bears are not aggressive by nature and most are fearful of man, but if a bear has been accustomed to being around humans, they may appear to be more aggressive. Shout, make loud noises, face the bear, do not run from it, and walk slowly away from the bear. Running could trigger the bear to run after you, much like our pet dogs do when playing with us.

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Still looking for a gift for Dad for this Sunday?

• Curtis Wright Outfitters has their fly fishing combos on sale for Father’s Day.
• MVP Barbers & Style Shop is offering 25% off on American Crew Products thru June 20.
• If he’s into gardening, Reems Creek Valley Nursery & Landscaping has all kinds of Buy One, Get One Free specials. Check out their What’s New page for details.

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New Volunteer Opportunities
Art in Autumn is looking for volunteers to help with the September 20 festival and the Brian Center has a long list of volunteer opportunities. Check out the Volunteer page for information.

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New Websites
Here’s some recent additions to the Links Directory:

• Weaverville Wildlife Habitat
• North Buncombe Kiwanis Club
• Brian Fox
• Arts for Life (newly redesigned)
• Dina DeSantis
• Health Department Reports
• The Fields at Blackberry Cove

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June Contest is Open
ONE person will win $50 worth of gift certificates this month:

• $20 to Blue Mountain Pizza
• $20 to Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Shop
• $10 to Preservation Hall

Enter online at www.myweaverville.com/contests

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Finally, Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there. Hope everyone has a happy and safe weekend.

If you’ve driven along Reems Creek Road you may have seen some of these pieces of furniture. They are the work of Reems Creek Cobbler, who can make just about anything from a tree — mantles, benches, coffee tables, side tables and more. Pictured here are a bench made of cedar (now sold), and a small bench made of red oak (I picked up a couple of the latter to use as seating around a fire pit). If you want to take a closer look you can now find them at 17 Parker Cove Road (off Reems Creek Road), or call 645-1045 for more information.

From Buncombe County News:

Everyone looks forward to the warmer weather, more activity and more fun that the summer season brings. However, because of all the increased activity, summer can be one of the most dangerous times of the year for kids, increasing the risk for broken bones, water accidents and other injuries. To help educate kids and parents on ways to prevent summer injuries, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, Buncombe County Parks and Rec and WNC Safe Kids are teaming up to present a Safe Summer program. Let us help you have the safest summer possible!

Kids will receive hand-outs on bike safety and other safety information designed just for children, the Sheriff’s Office will be issuing free kids’ ID’s and the local fire departments will have fire equipment on site for children to view.

Programs will be offered at the following pool sites through the month of June:

• Cane Creek Pool, June 10 from 12 noon – 4:30 pm
• Erwin Pool, June 12 from 12 noon – 4:30 pm
• Hominy Valley Pool, June 17 from 10 am – 2 pm
• North Buncombe Pool, June 19 from 10 am – 2 pm
• Owen Pool, June 24 from 12 noon – 4:30 pm

For more information, call 250-4260 or contact Grace Young at grace.young@buncombecounty.org.

Sights and sounds of the 17-year Cicadas in the Beech Community. Warning: if you don’t like bugs, you probably don’t want to watch this video. You also probably don’t want to stand still around them with a video camera for any period of time, or you’ll be forced to edit the section of video where you scream because you realize one of them has landed on your shoulder.

June 16, 2009:  I’ve seen a lot of visitors to this page lately, but the information below is for the 2008 season. You can find the 2009 season information here.

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North Buncombe Park Pool (and all Buncombe County Swimming Pools) will be open weekends only beginning Saturday, May 24. They officially open for the Summer season on Friday, June 6. Hours and admission information below. The North Buncombe Park Pool is located at 892 Clark’s Chapel Road.

Admission:

• $3 per person per visit
• 10 visit pass for $20
• 25 visit pass for $40
• Family Fun Fridays (new this year!) – Every Friday evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m., take the whole family swimming at any county pool for only $2 a person
• Super Sunday Specials – from 1-2 p.m. on certain Sundays, you may be eligible to get in FREE!
  • May 24 – Welcome Students Day (all students get in free)
  • June 1 – Mother’s Day (all Mothers get in free)
  • June 8 – Baby Day (all infants 3 and under get in free)
  • June 15 – Father’s Day (all Fathers get in free)
  • June 22 – Kid’s Day (all kids get in free)
  • June 29 - Pet Day (bring a picture of your pet and get in free)
  • July 6 - Independence Bathing Suit Day (wear a red, white or blue suit and get in free)
  • July 13 – County Resident Day (bring proof of residency and get in free)
  • July 20 – Manna Food Bank Day (bring a canned food item and get in free)
  • July 27 – Grand Parents Day (all Grand Parents get in free)
  • August 3 – Teen Day (all Teens get in free)
  • August 10 – Back to School Day (all students get in free)

Hours:

• Saturdays – 11 a.m.-6:45 p.m.
• Sundays – 1-6:45 p.m.
• Monday-Friday (starting June 6) – 12 noon-5:45 p.m.

Weaverville’s Arbor Day Celebration takes place beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 18 at Lake Louise Park (or, if it’s raining, at the Weaverville Municipal Building at 30 South Main Street). Festivities include:

• Presentation of the 18th Tree City USA Award to the Town of Weaverville
• Presentation of Mayor’s Community Service Award, Tree Board Community Stewardship Award and Beautification Awards
• Recognition of Tree Board Poetry and Poster Contest Winners
• Tree Planting Ceremony in honor of Robin Smathers
• Special Entertainment provided by Robin Smathers and Weaverville Elementary School Students and North Buncombe Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Mary Jo Sparrow

Everyone is invited to attend.

Happy Mother’s Day!

There’s been a lot of debate about the issue of bringing loaded guns into National Parks, so here’s a chance to let the government know how you feel about it. The Department of the Interior has opened the public comment period on the proposed regulations which would allow carrying loaded concealed weapons in National Parks. Go to edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-9606.htm for the full proposed regulation and to www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=090000648053d497 if you’d like to comment online. Comments will be accepted through June 30. More details:

SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, through the National Park Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, proposes to amend regulations presently codified in 36 CFR part 2 and 50 CFR part 27, which provide guidance and controls for the possession and transportation of firearms in national park areas and national wildlife refuges. The proposed amendments would update the regulations to reflect current state laws authorizing the possession of concealed firearms, while maintaining the existing regulatory provisions that ensure visitor safety and resource protection such as the prohibitions on poaching and limitations on hunting and target practice.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted through June 30, 2008.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the number 1024-AD70 by any of the following methods:

• Federal rulemaking portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Public Comments Processing, Attn: 1024-AD70; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 222; Arlington, VA 22203.
• Hand-deliver: 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 222, Arlington, VA 22203.

Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment–including your personal identifying information–may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Photo by Metta Pry

Upcoming classes, presentations, and demonstations at Reems Creek Nursery & Landscaping (check out their newly redesigned website). Pre-registration is required for all classes. You can register at the nursery or by calling 645-3937.

Dealing with Drought ~ Tough Plants & Drought-proofing Techniques for your Garden
Wednesday, April 16, at 10 a.m.
Maintain a beautiful garden despite dry conditions. Drought-tolerant plants, natives, and water-wise cultural practices will be discussed. Master Gardener credit for this class. Free.

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Organic Gardening Basics
Saturday, April 26 at 10 a.m.
Great soil produces plants that are healthier and more naturally resistant to insects and diseases. Learn about soil building, good cultural practices, and planning a season of bountiful harvest.

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Tree / Shrub Planting Demo
Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m.
Proper planting goes a long way toward your gardening success. Aftercare of your trees & shrubs will also be discussed. Hands-on demonstration. This seminar is co-sponsored by the Town of Weaverville Tree Board.

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Go Wild – Plant Natives
With Peter Loewer ~ The Wild Gardener
Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m.
Peter Loewer is a garden writer, artist, passionate plant-person, native plant authority, and author of many gardening books including “Native Perennials of the Southeast”. This lecture and slide show is sure to be inspiring. Free.

It’s off again.  Open Burning is allowed.

If you need to obtain an open burning permit, the online application is here:  http://www.dfr.state.nc.us/burn_permit/burn_intro.htm

For the fishing enthusiasts, here’s a press release from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission about the opening of Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters on April 5.  Since I’m mentioning fishing, I’ll throw in a specific Weaverville connection and also mention Curtis Wright Outfitters offers both fishing lessons and guided fishing trips (I can even personally recommend the latter, having taken my Dad out on one for Father’s Day a few years ago).  Check out their website or call the Weaverville store at 645-8700 for information.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open approximately 1,120 miles of “Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters” in 25 western North Carolina counties at 6 a.m. on Saturday April 5. The season will run until one-half hour after sunset on Feb. 28, 2009.

While fishing on Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters, anglers can harvest a maximum of seven trout per day, with no minimum size limits or bait restrictions.

Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters are marked by green-and-white signs. This year, Commission personnel are stocking hatchery-supported waters starting this month under a shortened stocking schedule. The Commission implemented a shortened stocking schedule in response to drought conditions forecasted for this spring and summer.

If the drought continues, biologists expect that stream conditions will be less favorable later this summer than they are now because water temperatures will be higher and flows lower.

The Commission plans to stock more than 791,500 catchable-sized trout in streams designated as Hatchery-Supported and Delayed-Harvest Trout Waters. The ratio of stocked fish for most streams is 40 percent brook trout, 40 percent rainbow trout and 20 percent brown trout. Ninety-six percent of the stocked fish average 10 inches in length while the remaining fish exceed 14 inches in length.

Commission biologists remind anglers to respect the property where they are fishing. A vast number of the waters currently available to hatchery-supported stockings are privately controlled, and anglers need to be aware that these fishing opportunities are only through the continued support of the private landowners.

For trout fishing maps and weekly stocking summaries on Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters, click here. Note that stocking information appears online for only seven days, and updates are posted only after fish are stocked.

http://www.ncwildlife.org/

“Appalachian Xeriscaping: Landscaping Ideas for Water Efficient Gardens” will be presented at 10:30 a.m.-Noon on Saturday, April 5 at the Weaverville Library.

The presentation features a slide lecture by Randy Burroughs, Landscape Architect & Naturalist, and a walk through the Main Street Nature Park.

The focus of this talk will be useful ways for homeowners to have healthy attractive gardens in a time of low rainfall. We’ll discuss plants, garden planning, soil ammendments, water catchments systems, and things you can do to make a lower maintenance, more entertaining garden.

In the park we’ll see how nature sorts out plants into communities and what you can learn about the place you live from reading these patterns.

The talk should last about an hour, with the Main Street Nature Park walk until Noon. This event is provided by the Weaverville Tree Board.

The Weaverville Library is located at 41 North Main Street. The talk will take place in the Program Room.

Since this volunteer workday was rained out last Saturday, March 15, it will now take place on Saturday, March 22, beginning at 10 a.m. All other details remain the same:

The goal is to save the great white oak which has overlooked the town for centuries but is now in competition for rainfall from invasive exotic plants and young saplings.

Volunteers will help cut and pull the English Ivy from the old tree and clear its root zone of the heavy undergrowth, giving it a better chance at another 100 years. Volunteers should meet in the lower Town Hall parking lot at 10 a.m.. Wear jeans and sensible shoes, and bring work gloves, your favorite pruners, and a bottle of water. Participants automatically become members of the Weaverville Weed Team and will receive a commemorative color group photo with the spruced up tree if name and address are provided.

This community activity is sponsored by the Weaverville Tree Board, the Weaverville Garden Club, the Weaverville Weed Team, and Quality Forward.