Home Care In Mills River, NC

MILLS RIVER, N.C. (WLOS) — For 50 years, one greenhouse company has been bringing color into many Western North Carolina homes.

Half a century in bloom: Van Wingerden's poinsettias color homes across the Southeast

Right in Mills River lies the Van Wingerden International Greenhouse that has grown and provided poinsettias all over the Southeast for the last 50 years.

Erica Merrill and Mitchell Cantrell are the third generation family members of the greenhouse. They say it all started when their grandfather immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands.

“He started many greenhouse locations across the United States and landed here,” Mitchell said.

Their grandfather opened the greenhouse in Mills River back in 1973.

“It went from my grandparents to now my dad owns it and now me and my brother are in it,” Erica explained.

As a kid, growing up in the greenhouse was always exciting for them.

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“There’s a lot of places to ride bikes and run around and all sorts of places to hide," Erica said. "We spent a lot of time down here in our childhood."

Erica explained how they’re a wholesale greenhouse company that provides flowers anywhere from big box retailers like Lowes, Ingles and Target, to independent garden centers.

As they head into the Christmas season, Erica explained how they’re a bit busier this year than usual. Typically, Erica said that most of their peak weeks are Thanksgiving and after, but this year is the first time it’s happened the week before Thanksgiving.

They sell locally all the way to cities such as Kansas City, Missouri.

“In the last 50 years that we’ve been here it has grown from around three acres to about 40 acres inside and outside growing,” Erica said.

Mitchell said they’ve grown poinsettias every year they’ve been in business and expect to always grow them. For poinsettias, the growing season starts in July.

“We stick them in July and root them out until they grow for five weeks," he explained. "We pinch them and then we space them and then we just wait."

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While they currently have a greenhouse full of flowers and color, Mitchell said that they will have a greenhouse of concrete in just a few weeks but that won’t last for long.

He said that their greenhouse remains 85% full all year long and that after the poinsettias, they will start with their spring crops and then be right back to poinsettias come July.

Erica said it’s a full circle moment from being a kid herself running around the greenhouse to watching her own kids do the same.

“My kids come down here now, kind of reliving the same childhood we got to live," she said. "It's also really special to be able to work with your family everyday and see them and accomplish the same goals together,” she expressed.

Erica added that it’s fun to see the next generation like it as much as they have.

With poinsettias being known to many as the Christmas flower, Erica said it luckily makes the Christmas season last a lot longer.

“It adds an element of being magical when you’re in here all alone and there’s just red and white poinsettias everywhere,” Erica said.

“It’s always magical, every year is magical,” Mitchell expressed.

To learn more about the Van Wingerden Greenhouse, you can check out their Facebook page here.

MILLS RIVER - The co-owners of Conosur Latin Fusion, a restaurant located at 4195 Haywood Road in Mills River serving Latin cuisine, said they are closing next month due to the N.C. 191 road widening project, but the North Carolina Department of Transportation said that isn't the case.

"We knew for a couple of years that they were going to widen the road. What we heard is that they were going to tear everything down around here and build a new road. Our lease ends in July, and we have to leave in September they told us," Conosur co-owner Patricio Vera told the Times-News on May 30. "We tried talking to people, but we never got a straight answer ... so it was just time to move on to the next thing."

NCDOT anticipates putting the contract for the $112.6 million project out for bidding in July 2024, according to David Uchiyama, the communications officer for the mountain region of the NCDOT. He also said the project doesn't require businesses located in the corner of N.C. 191 and N.C. 280 (Airport Road) to be relocated.

"The businesses at the intersection of NC 280 and NC 191 are not being relocated by the N.C. Department of Transportation or for any work associated with an upcoming project in the area," Uchiyama told the Times-News on May 30. "The right of way necessary for easements are minimal and do not impact the buildings or property necessary to operate a business.”

Vera, who is from Lima, Peru, said he worked at Grove Park Inn for 14 years before opening the restaurant in 2018 with Sergio Castro, who is from Quintero, Chile. The two met while Vera was at Grove Park.

More:Conosur fires up Peruvian chicken, authentic pan-Latin cuisine

The restaurant has been serving traditional Chilean and Peruvian food with a blend of American dishes for the past five years. Just three years after they opened Conosur, Vera said he and Castro began looking for other locations after learning about the road-widening project.

"We looked for two years for a different place around here and in West Asheville, but we couldn't find anything available. Anything that was available was big money," Vera said. "I never say never, but at the moment, we've both made other plans. I'm going back to Grove Park to work, and (Castro) is going to start a catering business in Asheville."

Vera has lived all over the world, including Peru, Puerto Rico, Italy and Canada and found his most recent home in Arden 23 years ago, he said. Vera said business at the restaurant remains steady, and that customers who have heard about the closing say they are sad to see it go.

More:Dining review: Cono Sur adds Peruvian food to Mills River

"The community has been nothing but great to us," he said. "We are very grateful for the community. Our customers have been fantastic. We have a very loyal community here. They are very sad. They don't want us to leave."

The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and is closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information or to place an order online, go to https://www.conosur.net/.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at [email protected]. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

July 2023 - 'Funguy' Greg Carter has been cultivating incredible mushrooms since 2006. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he had to morph his Mills River, NC business to agrotourism -- Deep Woods Mushrooms now offers hunt tours and cultivating classes for anyone interested. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)

MILLS RIVER, N.C. (WLOS) — A man in Mills River is passionate about fungi and he loves to share his mushroom knowledge.

'Funguy' with passion for mushroom cultivation shares knowledge & harvest with community

In 1999, Greg Carter - we will call him "Johnny Mushroom Spore' - was looking for unique Christmas gifts for friends and family. A neighbor asked if he'd ever thought about mushroom logs.

She sent him home with fresh shitakes plucked from those logs and after he cooked them up, he went online to order 30 logs as gifts. The next year he did 100 logs, then 300 the following year, then 700!

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"By 2006, it mushroomed into a business - pun intended - and there's no turning back," Carter said. "It is so interesting. I realized what I'm doing is one of the oldest forms of mushroom cultivation in the world. They were doing this 1,500 years ago. Hacking into logs, packing the spores in there, wrapping them in banana leaves or whatever to grow mushrooms. We have power tools now to make it easier, but this is not new by any means."

Local chefs in the mountains flocked to Johnny Mushroom Spore to purchase all kinds of mushrooms, then the pandemic hit. With restaurants struggling, he had to morph his business to agrotourism. Deep Woods Mushrooms now offers hunt tours and cultivating classes -- all thanks to “The Funguy.”

"This is the most biodiverse area in the world," Carter said, describing just how unique Western North Carolina is. "There's more species of everything here than anywhere else. Why is that? Millions of years ago the Appalachian Mountain chain was bigger than the Himalayas. The polar ice caps came down and they stopped here. When they receded, they left behind seeds and spores and animals and all sorts of stuff."

When Carter cultivates mushrooms on his farm, he is mimicking Mother Nature. It is labor intensive, but he says you won't find a fresher mushroom anywhere. He takes his to the Transylvania Farmers' Market in Brevard every Saturday.

They have health benefits, like vitamin D and cancer-fighting properties, but the mushrooms Carter grows and hunts can be a tasty treat.

"Most people that say they hate mushrooms grew up with those white, slimy, white button mushrooms in a can or they picked them off a pizza or pulled them out of spaghetti," he said. "If you could taste some of the culinary treats out there such as the Shaggy Stalked Bolete or the Beefsteak Mushroom - they're phenomenal! It's a culinary treat that very few people will ever get to experience because you won't find them in the grocery store and it's very rare unless you're paying top prices for your entrees in local restaurants."

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Many people who have taken his classes have gone on to do great work with mushroom cultivation in laboratory settings, like cloning. Others have simply improved their health and put a new, fresh treat on the table.

"To see people who take my classes, and then go far beyond what I'm doing, it's very exciting! But I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing."

Click here to check out more Uniquely WNC stories!

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Less than a week after the city of Hendersonville issued a Stage 1 water shortage advisory to all water customers, officials announced the city has upgraded its advisory to a Stage 2A alert, effective Thursday, Oct. 5, at midnight.

As of Oct. 5, four North Carolina counties have been placed in a Moderate Drought Advisory by the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. Tryon was placed under a voluntary water restriction on Oct. 2, and Franklin was placed under a Stage 1 water shortageas of Oct. 6 at midnight.

“We are experiencing a drought in our area, and we are urging our customers to be water wise,” said City Manager John Connet. “Our team at Hendersonville Water & Sewer has been diligently monitoring the water levels in the Mills River, and we, unfortunately, have not received any substantial rain events to replenish the levels in the watershed. We have instituted a Stage 2A Water Shortage Alert to eliminate non-essential water use.”

In Stage 2A, all 80,000 of Hendersonville's water customers are expected to reduce their water use by 20%. The upgrade from "advisory" on Sept. 29 to "alert" on Oct. 5 comes as drought conditions have worsened and the Mills River continues to see lower-than-normal flow levels.

If drought conditions continue to worsen, the city utility has the authority to charge fees to customers who are in violation of the ordinance.

All water customers are strongly requested to conserve water using the following recommendations:

All residents, businesses, and institutions are requested to temporarily delay new landscape work until the water shortage has ended.

The following restrictions apply during a Stage 2A water shortage alert:

“Since we issued a Water Shortage Advisory on September 28th, our treatment facility operators have seen a slight reduction in water use," said Utilities Director Adam Steurer. "We appreciate our customers voluntarily taking steps to conserve; however, with levels in the watershed continuing to lessen and with no substantial rain in the forecast, the utility has a responsibility to its customers to upgrade to a Water Shortage Alert to ensure that essential water uses can occur without interruption.”

Hendersonville offers a free service calledAquaHawk Alerting for water customers, which provides information about water usage, allows customers to receive alerts when usage indicates a leak and gives more control over household water expenses.Customers can monitor how their water conservation efforts are reflected in their usage totals.

More information about the Water Shortage Alert and conservation tips can be found at www.hvlnc.gov/watershortage.

Mills River – To celebrate National Park and Recreation Month, the Town of Mills River has planned many activities for those in the area in July. These will be held at the 48-acre Mills River Park, located at 124 Town Center Drive, just off Route 191 (Haywood Road).

Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail

On July 13th, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail at Mills River Park will be opened at the boat launch ramp. This is one of ten pilot sites opened by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Snorklers of any age will be able to see all sorts of aquatic life in the French Broad. “River snorkelers will get to experience our rivers through the fish’s eyes and explore all of the unique and beautiful species that are hidden just under the surface.” Snorkeling is quickly becoming a popular alternative to the traditional uses of rivers and lakes, and participation has increased dramatically over the years with different businesses and organizations leading groups of people on guided trips. According to the Western Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Luke Etchison, Ph.D., of the Wildlife Commission’s Inland Fisheries Division, “You’ll get the chance to see crayfish, mussels, aquatic snails, salamanders, aquatic insects, and fish you don’t normally see, even if you fish.”

Wednesday Professional Showcases

Each Wednesday in July, beginning July 12 to August 2, the following professionals will bring the equipment they use for guests to learn more about that profession. Kids of all ages love to meet and interact with the firemen and their fire trucks, chat with the deputies, sit in the Sheriff’s cars, and learn more about the farming in the area. Each event begins at 11:30 a.m.

– July 12, 2023: Mills River Fire Department

– July 19, 2023: Henderson County Sheriff’s Office

– July 26, 2023: North River Farms

– August 2, 2023: Ascendum Construction Equipment

Outdoor Movie Screenings

Then a full screening of a movie will be held outside at Mills River Park. This starts in August. All movies are free and open to the public; light concessions (cash only!) will be available.

– August 26, 2023: Top Gun Maverick (PG-13) starring Tom Cruise

– September 30, 2023: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (PG-13)

– October 14, 2023: Ghostbusters (1984) (PG)

Camping in the Park

Following the screening of Guardians of the Galaxy on September 30th, the Town is hosting Camping in the Park. Bring your tents and camp under the stars! Registration is required for this event: $12 for residents per family and $15 for non-residents per family, with s’mores and breakfast included. No portable grills or pets are allowed. Call 828-890-2901 for more information.

Mills River Park Amenities

Mills River Park has grown and improved over the years. The park is located at 124 Town Center Drive, just off Rt. 191 (Haywood Road). There is a scenic 1.2-mile open-air walking trail, an enclosed dog park that separates the larger dogs from the smaller ones with a covered bench for the owners, four recently resurfaced tennis courts and pickleball courts, a basketball court, a baseball/softball field (home of Rugby Middle School baseball team) a canoe/kayaking launch, and a handicap-accessible fishing pier, a wildflower meadow, and recently planted butterfly garden. There are multiple tables for picnicking,some covered and some in the open air near the river.

About Mills River

The Town of Mills River is situated within minutes of Pisgah National Forest, Interstate 26, and the Asheville Regional Airport. It was incorporated 20 years ago, and since that time, businesses and developments have continually opened. In a very short distance from each other, you can find a large brewing facility for the East Coast Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, an incredible bike park and adventure center called the Riveter, a well-stocked Valley Ag Center, a festive Bold Rock Cidery with daily cider tastings, as well as the Mills River Creamery with fresh, delicious local dairy products. Businesses are continually opening in the area. Lately, on June 7th, the Appalachian Mountain Brewery opened another taproom, and in May, Ohalo Genetics opened their genetically engineered potato and corn bio-tech greenhouse operation.