FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/15/2019
Contact: Chelsea Goulding, Agriculture Education Program Manager
276-623-1121
cgoulding@asdevelop.org
ABINGDON, Va. – Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD), a nationally known and respected non-profit working to transition Appalachia by supporting local agriculture, exploring new economic opportunities and connecting people to healthy food, has been awarded $22,000 from Grow Appalachia, https://growappalachia.berea.edu/, to continue its Grow Your Own program which empowers families to grow their own food and earn income from home grown produce sales.
This year, ASD aims to expand programming to serve a total of 45 families: 30 home gardeners and 15 market gardeners. Prior gardening experience is not necessary. Applicants from Smyth, Washington, Sullivan, and parts of Johnson County are encouraged to apply by 2/22/2019. Educational workshops will be held in Abingdon, Blountville and Saltville. The first workshops will be held 2/25/2019 through 2/27/2019. A family-fee of $15 for new members and $10 for returning members will be accepted at the first workshop. Workshops for non-members, 18 years+ are $5. Scholarships and fee waivers are available. Register at: https://asdevelop.org/growyourown or contact Chelsea Goulding: cgoulding@asdevelop.org or (276)623-1121.
Grow Your Own is one of ASD’s most impactful food access programs. Since 2012, participating members have grown over 113,000 pounds of produce. ASD provides seasonally appropriate training, technical support, seeds, plants, tools, and tilling services. Hands-on workshops held February through October teach members basic nutrition, how to plan, plant, grow, cook and preserve their home-grown produce. Members have two program tracts available to them. Market gardening families learn how to supplement their income through sales of their harvests. Home gardeners often grow food for their
households and share their bounty with neighbors and local food banks. Most members end up freezing or processing their excess produce for use in the winter months.
Chelsea Goulding, ASD’s Agriculture Education Program Manager explains how “We greatly appreciate Grow Appalachia’s faith and continued financial commitment to ASD’s Grow Your Own program.
On-going commitments like this allow us to make real changes in our region, to directly impact our neighbors. In 2019, the Grow Your Own program enters its sixth year of building partnerships, cultivating health, and empowering families. ASD relies on the support of individuals and organizations committed to furthering food access and sustainable agriculture in our region.”
About Grow Appalachia
Grow Appalachia was created in 2009 through funding from John Paul Dejoria, co-founder and owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS) and Patron Tequila, to address the problem of food security in Appalachia. A natural entrepreneur and problem-solver, John Paul began cultivating a unique vision for tackling food insecurity. He believes that the best way to help people is to empower them to help themselves—even when facing steep, structural challenges. Grow Appalachia’s goal is to teach families in Central Appalachia how to grow food for themselves and their families, cook the produce in heart-healthy ways, preserve excess for the winter and sell at the farmers market. Learn more: https://growappalachia.berea.edu/.
About Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD)
Since 1995, Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) has been working in 15 counties in Central Appalachia. ASD’s reach has expanded to include eastern WV and KY and southeast OH. ASD uses 6 strategies to accomplish its work: education, increasing local food production, developing markets, increasing distribution of local agriculture products, engaging strategic partners, and researching/consulting and advising. ASD operates programs that create jobs in farming and agriculture and address food insecurity. For more information, go to: https://asdevelop.org/, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.