As the average age of American farmers surpasses 60, a growing number of young Americans are leaving desk jobs for the rigors and rewards of farming. A new documentary, Farmers for America, examines young farmers’ challenges and triumphs, and a free public screening...
On Saturday, March 17th, the Field School took a field trip to Clover Creek Farm in Jonesborough and enjoyed ruminating over small ruminants. Chris Wilson, the farm’s owner, shared her story of how she came to raise her flock of Katahdin/Dorper cross hair sheep. Chris...
March 10th’s Field School was at Harbin Hill Farms in Mountain City, TN, and we discussed season extension and year round growing using high tunnels. High tunnels (also called hoop houses) are unheated, plastic-covered structures that protect rows of in-earth planting...
At February 8th’s Field School, we explored markets and marketing methods. A farmer panel of Adam Borden of Sunset View Farm, Jamie Dove of River Creek Farm and Main Street Pizza, and Rodney Webb of Salamander Springs Gardens discussed their personal experiences with...
...may not be our sexiest Field School workshop, but getting a handle on your farm’s finances is crucial for the long term sustainability of your farm. A small farm is a small business! While financial planning may seem daunting, knowing what resources are available...
from Emily Bidgood, Executive Director Highlights and many Thank Yous to follow.... What an exciting year for us who have the privilege of working and volunteering through the Appalachian RC&D Council! This year has shown me that by working together with...
On December 14th, the Livestock track of our Field School took a look at the ups, downs, and intricacies of farming poultry on a small scale. A farmer panel consisting of Elizabeth Malayter (JEM Farm, Rogersville), David Banks (Free Reign Farm, Elizabethton), and Tony...
On December 7th, we here at the field school were fortunate to host Pam Dawling as our speaker for a workshop on Crop Planning and Year Round Production. Pam has almost 40 years of experience in sustainable agriculture and authored the book Sustainable Market Farming,...
Appalachian RC&D Council –Awarded $500k to Boost Farmers Markets Across the Region November 30, 2017 Johnson City, TN Farmers Markets in Northeast TN and Southwest Virginia just received a big boost through a grant award of almost half a million dollars under the...
The days are short and the desire to sit on the couch while sipping a cup of hot cocoa is very strong! Don’t just watch TV, however, with seed catalogs filling up your mailbox, it’s time to start planning your crops for next year! (Okay, maybe watch a little TV...