Beginning Farmer Support

Offering workshops, mentoring, and support for beginning farmers across northeast Tennessee

The Quilt Trail

A folkart movement across America, to tell the story of place and community and promote local farm businesses

Sowing Seeds of Success

“Sowing seed, helping feed, inspiring youth to take the lead” with Build It Up through weekly after school programming for little kids and capacity building and teen employment at local high schools

Land and Water Conservation

Helping farmers and families conserve working lands and waterways for the benefit of future generations

Gardener Story: The Kopp Family

Gardener Story: The Kopp Family

From it's HUMBLE beginnings to its BOUNTIFUL state, our family garden has been a source of joy, learning, and blessing for us all.  Our family has always had something growing in a pot or two wherever we've lived...an we've lived in many states. When we relocated here...

Gardener Story: George and Cathy Carey

Gardener Story: George and Cathy Carey

      My wife Cathy and I are in the middle of our second year with the Build it Up garden program. The program was highly recommended to us by some friends who had participated in the past. We were not disappointed. We had been wanting to have a productive...

Gardener Story: Jaime Jones

Gardener Story: Jaime Jones

      This is our second year in the build it up program, and we are grateful for the experience. This program has given me a reason to get into the garden every day, even on the days I don't feel like it. Some days I don’t do much but water and watch. The birds and...

Gardener Story: Audra Holmes

Gardener Story: Audra Holmes

We are now part way through our second year of the Build It Up Backyard Gardeners Program. What does the second year mean for us?  Confidence.  Confidence that we can grow food for our family. Confidence that we can tend a garden. Confidence that we can cook and eat...

Gardener Story: Kitty Michael

Gardener Story: Kitty Michael

I have been knocking my head against a wall to think of something to say. I am Kitty, a second year BIU participant. I am, like many of you, still feeling very uncertain of myself even as a second year gardener. Am I doing this right? Did I pay enough attention in the...

Gardener Story: Kirstin Blackburn

Gardener Story: Kirstin Blackburn

Anxious hopeful anticipation.  That’s what I always feel at the May stage of the gardening season.  You’ve prepped the soil. You’ve pulled weeds, added compost, and dug holes.  You’ve made your garden plan by researching and selecting your plant and seed varieties....