Our executive director Constance just wrapped up a week of touring gardens with Grow Appalachia — a program John Paul created more than 16 years ago in partnership with Berea College to help people grow their own food. The program has taken on a lot of forms and helped a lot of people grow a lot of food since then — more than 7,306,523 pounds grown! They use the average that organic food is about $2 a pound, so that’s more than $14 million in food produced by people for themselves and their communities. They have accomplished this amazing work by partnering with more than 70 nonprofits in the region spanning 5 states. For the 2025 growing season, they have 24 partner sites. This year’s tour took us to four sites across Kentucky and Tennessee, and we wanted to share some of the beautiful gardens and gardeners!
Owsley County, KY
We visited three market gardeners, a couple of whom sell at the Owsley County Farmer’s Market. Market gardeners have been able to grow enough food to sell at local markets. Just about every gardener will preserve (can, freeze dry) food and they also end up giving food away to neighbors.
Karin of Chabbit Farms
Mary and Ben Mulholland of Wild Willow Farms
Derek and Danielle Whitaker of Dark Holler Farm
Woodland Land Trust, TN
Sarah in her backyard garden
With the Woodland Land Trust team
Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council, TN
In the garden of Shakti in the Mountains ran by Cleo and Judy
Dr. Megan Tewell in a garden she’s growing in an abandoned lot she bought and refreshed
The Blevins Family
It’s life changing. We’ve learned so much about pest control, land management… getting seeds we might not have ever tried out. You can try these things without sinking a bunch of money into it. We are so thankful.
- Becca Blevins, Motte & Bailey Farm
Rooted East, TN
We visited home gardeners in this new-to-Grow-Appalachia program in East Knoxville.
That is my goal - to eat out of my land. To feed people out of my land.
Alician Batts
When I come out here and see those cucumbers, it does something to my heart. It’s my first time growing.
- Blenda McCrary, first time gardener
Nacira Hall in her garden
PLH, Grow Appalachia and Rooted East in Deidra Harper’s garden
This really makes me feel like I’m doing something. I’m accomplished. Just to be nurturing, taking care of something.
Deidra
Thank you to all the site coordindators, Grow Appalachia staff and gardeners for letting us come visit!