Happy Friday Grow Appalachia family! I don’t know about you, but these cooler temperatures that have swept through Berea/Richmond this week make me want to stand up and cheer! I. LOVE. It! (And my scarves, sweaters, and boots are getting some much-needed love too!)
Since we’ve changed our program calendar for next year and final proposals for 2017 are due October 1 (tomorrow!!!), I thought it would be beneficial to devote this week’s blog to sharing some listservs/blogs/newsletters/websites/other resources that we at Grow Appalachia dig into for all things gardening, food, agriculture, and more! For those of you that are going to be new partner sites for 2017, I hope this list proves to be of some use for you as you embark on your new journey as a Grow Appalachia site coordinator. For the rest of you, call it a little glimpse into the minds of those at the Mothership. Interpret that however you wish. (I am totally kidding).
- Mother Earth News: A collection of articles, videos, and blogs dating back to the mid-70’s, Mother Earth News is coined as “the original guide to living wisely”. Guys, if you need absolutely ANYTHING related to food preservation, homesteading, gardening, recipes, any sort of DIY project…you name it, it’s probably there.
- High Tunnel Listserv: I had to explain to my sister recently what a listserv is, and I think I may have gotten it pretty close, but just to keep for future reference: A listserv is an electronic mailing list, delivered through email, that operates almost like a forum, in that members of the listserv can share information and comments back and forth. For this particular listserv, based out of the University of Kansas, producers from all experience levels post questions, share information about conferences and other events, share successes and failures of different crops, share advice regarding pests and disease management, and advice on reputable manufacturers. Although many of the contributors are based outside of our region, it’s still valuable information for producers who are growing in high tunnels.
- A Way to Garden: I’ve referenced this website several times in previous publications. The author, Margaret Roach, brings lively, delightful, and jovial writing on a myriad of topics including organic gardening, flowers, landscaping, and cooking. She’s based in upstate New York, has written and published several books, and also hosts a weekly podcast in “the smallest NPR station in the nation”.
- Center for Crop Diversification newsletter: A once-monthly newsletter published by the University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification, the CCD is a partnership between the university’s Department of Agricultural Economics and the Department of Horticulture. Their newsletter highlights upcoming events in the eastern Kentucky region, as well as agricultural topics including cover crops, growing in high tunnels, funding opportunities, webinars, and more. Email Brett Wolff to sign up.
- The Seed Hopper Blog from High Mowing Seeds: High Mowing Seeds, a very popular organic seed company headquartered in Vermont, puts out a regular blog about different vegetable varieties, planting methods, crop rotations, and…giveaways! Yes, they have giveaways rather frequently and they’re pretty spectacular.
- Mother of a Hubbard: Probably the most successful four-season gardener in Eastern Kentucky, Mother of a Hubbard (aka Cathy Rehmeyer) gained ample notoriety and reputation when she grew a ton of vegetables each year for several years on a garden size of less than half an acre (11 x 40). And yes, a literal ton. Nowadays she does most of her posting on her family farm’s Facebook page, Four Petal Farm. Look for their goods if you’re in the Floyd/Pike County area.
- ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture: Managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (headquartered in Butte, Montana), ATTRA is a multi-faceted website that provides farmers, producers, and anyone else invested in agriculture with a wide variety of information, such as livestock management, pest management, crop management, funding opportunities, workshops, internship opportunities, publications, and interactive features such as a Question of the Week and Ask an Ag Expert. There are also educational videos and tutorials that cover sustainable agriculture topics on a more in-depth level. They also release a newsletter, aptly titled “The Weekly Harvest”; you can access the archives at this link.
- USDA Blog: All things food and agriculture from the Department of Ag itself! The regularly updated blog also provides information about funding opportunities.
- Appalnet listserv: Not necessarily related to food or agriculture, but for the second half of our namesake, Appalachia. The Appalnet listserv is operated out of the University of Kentucky; subscribers receive news gleaned from various news outlets and sources about current issues and events in the Appalachian region. Many of the listservs’ subscribers are professors or university/college employees, scholars, and authors, although any are welcome to subscribe and join. Sometimes what we share on our social media pages come from Appalnet.
- You Grow Girl: Candace and I subscribe to this website/newsletter/blog written by Gayla Trail, a very successful semi-urban gardener in Toronto, Canada. She is also a very creative chef, coming up with many unique (and beautiful!) recipes that feature flowers, weeds, and vegetables from her gardens. P.S. She’s also friends with Margaret Roach, the author from A Way to Garden, item 3 in this list!
- Central Appalachian Network Policy Update: In addition to a quarterly newsletter, the Central Appalachian Network is comprised of six nonprofits here in Berea, southwestern Virginia, and southeastern Ohio. Their mission is to “work with individuals, community leaders, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and others to develop and deploy new economic strategies that create wealth and reduce poverty while restoring and conserving the environment.” They also award small grants every year; that program started in 2013.
Whether you’re a Grow Appalachia affiliate or not, what’s invading your inbox with know-how? We would love to hear about it! Until next time, happy reading! And get outside and go on a hike or something! (Something I fully intend upon doing this weekend)
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