Local is Life – from the Executive Director

A letter from the Executive Director (above picture from Mountain Masala Curry Fundraiser):

What does it mean to be LOCAL? It may be a buzz word, but “Local” still means a great deal; it means everything to those who depend on their land for their living. For our friends like Adam and Abby Borden of Sunset View Farm, Jonesborough, local is life. Adam and Abby did so much for us this year– donating the fruits of their labor, teaching a workshop, and hosting teen interns.

I am so thankful to the many local hands, like the Bordens, that supported our organization in 2016. It astonishes me that volunteers gave over 1,500 hours this year, doing what they love: mentoring youth, teaching new farmers, expanding the Quilt Trail, and so much more.

Local is certainly what gives life to RC&D organization. From Local volunteers to the Local businesses who are integral to our big events– like Sunset View Farm; Linda and Brenda at Tennessee Quilts who were instrumental in the National Quilt Trail Gathering; Pat and Johnny at Farmhouse Gallery & Gardens for hosting a quilt turning story event; Jamie & Elise at Main Street Pizza Company for hosting Mountain Masala; and, our new all-local grocer, Boone Street Market, that catered monthly workshop meals. Local chefs put on over a dozen events to promote farmers’ markets and local produce. We were awarded new grants from Local foundations Washington County Community Foundation and the Greene County Fund.

We are so grateful and thankful for all of your Local care and support, especially to the following businesses and partner non profits:

AccelNOW

Appalachian Sustainable Development

Boone Street Market

Brushy Fork Environmental Consulting

Conservation Legacy VISTA Team

Drop Collaborative

Downtown Farming

Emerging Technology Center at East Tenn. State University

ETSU Medical Library – Elaine Evans

ETSU Dept. of Anthropology – Lindsey King

ETSU Dept. of Art and Design – Kelly Porter

Extension Service of UT

Extension Service of TSU

Farm Bureau Jonesborough

First Bank & Trust Ag Lending

First Frontier Quilters, Kingsport

General Morgan Inn

Green Earth Connection / Dana York

Greene County Fund

Greeneville Partnership-Tourism

Greeneville-Greene County History Museum

Harbin Hill Farms

Heavenly Stitches Quilt Shoppe

Jennings Accounting Group

Johnson City Parks & Recreation

Johnny and Pat Lynch / Farmhouse Gallery & Gardens

Main Street Pizza Co.

Myers Farm & Pumpkin Patch

NRCS – TN and all counties

River Creek Farm

River House Farm

Rural Support Partners

Rural Resources

Second Harvest Food Bank

Seeyle Coombs Catering

Serenity Knoll Farm

Still Hollow Farm

Sunset View Farm

Tennessee Quilts

TN RC&D Council Assoc.

Yee Haw Brewing Company

Washington County Community Foundation

Washington County Soil Conservation District