There is just something about this time of year!!! Daffodils are blooming, trees are budding, and frogs serenade us all night long. It’s a season of rebirth and renewal, a reawakening of the soul. This year, I am even more excited for Spring, and the opportunity to safely see our ever growing Grow Appalachia Family.
Spring is in the air on Troublesome Creek and folks are itching to get ground turned, feel the moist soil on their hands, and see sprouts emerge. After a trying and tiring 2020, I am grateful this spring in bringing a sense of renewal and hope and with that comes opportunity; the opportunity to make
Well, it’s finally October. The leaves are exploding with color, the air is getting cooler, and no denying the year is quickly fading away. 2020 has undoubtedly been one for the history books for the chaos, trouble, and destruction it has left in its path, but amongst it all, we see signs of hope, prosperity,
We love when our gardens grow abundant and our shelves overflow. 2020, although being outright challenging, is proving to be fruitful. Our gardens have been overflowing with produce and the families in Grow Appalachia have been busy filling their cabinets and freezers with all their glorious bounty. Members are happy to share pictures and jar
It seems like every August, we get a few days reprieve from the sweltering summer heat and get excited that cool temps, falling leaves, and pumpkins are just around the corner. This week has been a dream of working about the farm and enjoying outside. But I know, all too soon, the heat and humidity
Needless to say, 2020 has been a rough one; Australian wild fires, COVD19, murder hornets, protests, riots, volcanic threats, a Saharan dust storm and more and more and more… We have been isolated, quarantined, and the world we lived in turned upside down in an instant. The chaos of it all has made the simplest
Shortly after starting at Hindman Settlement School, I was put to task with sourcing a local feast to be prepared in honor of renowned agrarian and author, Wendell Berry. I set to work with the menu and started calling local producers to source every ingredient possible. I was out of town leading up to the
In January, I jotted down topics for upcoming blogs, the resounding theme through all of them was the disconnect between Americans and their food supply. Dairy farms were in crisis, major milk brands were in bankruptcy, and lab grown and vegetable-based meats were gaining popularity in every fast food establishment, while farmers struggled to make
Recently, I was lucky enough to attend the Grow Appalachia All-Hands Gathering. We spent the better part of two days sharing successes, trading tricks and tips, and getting up to date with all Grow Appalachia has to offer. Somewhere in the middle of that, David Cooke referred to the program as true community development.
