Of course the big news from this past weekend was all about the Obamas vacationing in Asheville.  I wasn’t out and about much this weekend, but did keep up-to-date on the comings and goings of the President and First Lady through other local media outlets (lots of good reports on the Ashvegas blog if you’re interested).  Though they didn’t make it to Weaverville for the Art Safari, according to this Citizen-Times article and Karen Chavez’s Girls Gone Outdoors blog, a Friday afternoon hike along the Mountains To Sea Trail began at Ox Creek Road (about 5 miles from downtown, off Reems Creek Road). A photo from that hike was also the April 23 White House Photo of the Day.

Lenore’s Natural Cuisine has published their spring schedule of raw and living foods preparation classes.  Classes are run by cookbook author Lenore Baum out of her home kitchen in the Ox Creek Community.  Visit the cooking classes page of her website for more information or to register.  Seating is limited so they encourage early registration.  Here’s more:

Lenore’s Natural Cuisine is a cooking school featuring raw and living foods preparation. Every class is jam-packed with indispensable information and includes a meal prepared with organic, garden-fresh vegetables and herbs harvested in the morning.

Spring Class Schedule

Live Foods Class Series
(Series $150  Single Class: $55)

• April 11: “Whip It Up” Raw foods overview with preparation using a blender. Recipes include a yummy Breakfast Pudding, Sensational Smoothies, Divine Green Goddess Dressing, Salad Secrets, and a Dreamy Chocolate Dessert. Superfoods like Chia and Hemp Seeds will be featured. Enjoy a garden tour, too!
• April 18: “Crank It Out” Juicer and food processor techniques highlighting Green Juices, Sprouting, Patés, Sandwich Stacks, Lettuce Roll-ups, Hand Rolls and Ruby Red Turnip Pickles.
• May 2: “The Heat Is On” Focus on dehydration techniques with Sprouted Onion Bread, Dragon Flax Crackers, Thai Patties, Carrot Almond Spread, Kale Crunch and menu planning simplified.

Tasty Treats and More
(Class Fee: $55)

• May 9: Almond Granola, Home-made Tahini, Italian Carob Bliss Balls, Sun-Fired Tomato Crackers, Perky Pickled Salad and Almost-Salmon Pate´

Seating is limited so send in your class fee to register early!

What you can expect this week at Ballard Branch Farm:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Baby Spinach
• Baby Swiss Chard
• Bright Lights Swiss Chard
• Green and Red Kale
• Broccoli
• Snow Peas
• Sugar Sanps
• Onions
• and for the first time of the season: Carrots

As always, we will be at the barn from 9 – 12 Saturday morning.

Their farm stand is open 9 a.m.-Noon on Saturdays. To find it, take Reems Creek Road to Ox Creek Road (towards the parkway) and look for the “Fresh Vegetables” and “Farm” signs. They will lead you to the stand, just off Ballard Branch Road. For more information or if you’d like to place an order ahead of time, call 712-4644.

Ballard Branch Farm has new, locally-grown organic vegetables ready to harvest.  This Saturday you’ll find:

• Spring Onions
• Snow Peas and Sugar Snaps
• Broccoli
• Basil
• Spinach
• Red and Green Kale
• Romaine Lettuce/Green Leaf Lettuce
• Swiss Chard
• Pac Choi

Their farm stand is open 9 a.m.-Noon on Saturdays.  To find it, take Reems Creek Road to Ox Creek Road (towards the parkway) and look for the “Fresh Vegetables” and “Farm” signs. They will lead you to the stand, just off Ballard Branch Road. For more information or if you’d like to place an order ahead of time, call 712-4644.