At last, the season for flip flops, barbecues, and fresh fruit is here! Take advantage of the weather, and visit one of the many pick-your-own-produce farms open for business. If you’re in the Charlotte area, find a farm near you with the Observer’s map to farms in the area. If you’re outside the area, find a pick-your-own farm in your [...]
South End Charlotte continues to grow into an eco-foodie delight. In addition to the all-local farmers market and Healthy Home Market, the area boasts a new green shopping option: Vin Master, offering natural and organic wines. Vin Master is an attractive shop with couches, a tasting bar, and two adorable pups who greet customers at the door. Wine [...]
Last summer, I signed up for my first CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture. The deal was simple: I paid $250 and volunteered one afternoon at the farm, and in return, Cold Water Creek Farms kept my kitchen stocked with organic produce for fifteen weeks in the late summer and fall. I opted for the half-share CSA, [...]
Recently I entered a FROCK Shop trunk show for some casual browsing, but I left with a moral dilemma as big as my shopping bag: Do I blog about this to get FROCK Shop every bit of attention it deserves, or do I keep this tip for myself to minimize the shopping competition? Don’t make me regret this. [...]
Local artist Stephen Owen sees art where others may miss it: in local fallen trees. By using these reclaimed trees as material for his work, Stephen transforms this wood — otherwise destined for the landfill — into gorgeous pieces of art.
Wrapping paper? Photo cards? Christmas trees? The rules can be confusing, so learn what you can and can’t recycle this holiday season.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and both far and near; my closets were full from gifts from last year.
Bath products unused, the lotions still capped; and even a present still sat in its wrap!
When out in the yard there arose a big mess; trash cans overfilled, Santa looked quite depressed.
“You have enough stuff, yet I keep piling more! Time to get creative and not be a gift bore.”
Local raw honey — at last, those of us with sweet tooths can claim a health food!
It’s a startling statistic. In 1981, the number of seed varieties in catalogs was 5,000; today that number has dwindled to about 500. That decline is a stark representation of the effect of corporations’ greater control over the supply and distribution of seeds. Their concern? Bottom line. Enter JW’s Farm. JW’s is a micro-farm that brings fresh, local produce to Charlotte while preserving heirloom varieties of plants and supporting genetic diversity.
How clean is clean? How green is green? I don’t mean to wax Suess-ical, but during the hunt for a green dry cleaners in Charlotte, these questions evolved from the seemingly obvious to the somewhat infuriating.