Harvest Festival | Song & Seed Swap with William Ritter

Join us for an evening of live music, storytelling, and seed sharing at Foothills Watershed! Hosted in partnership with McDowell County native Jordan Laney (Slow Down Sound), this gathering celebrates Appalachian resilience and heritage through song and seed. Led by William Ritter — an old-time fiddler, seed-saver, and ballad singer from Mitchell County — this event invites you to connect through shared stories, traditional music, and community seed exchange. William’s work bridges performance and preservation, building community through both song and soil. This event is part of Song to Seed, an initiative co-led by Ritter that celebrates and advocates for traditional Appalachian seed saving and folk music. Expect historic regional crops, community storytelling, and seed exchanges that root us in local resilience and tradition. Seed saving is more than gardening — it’s cultural preservation, biodiversity, and food sovereignty in action. With 93% of U.S. vegetable varieties lost since the early 1900s, local efforts like this help protect the ecosystem and keep our flavorful, nutritious food traditions alive. What to Expect: Traditional music (5–7pm) Community seed exchange — bring seeds to share or take some home! Learning, connection, and celebration of Appalachian culture Come early to join in on our ribbon cutting event at 2pm and spend the day with us!