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: Ashley Chambers

I began gardening 3 summers ago (not including the many little plants I was gifted at various points and always ended up killing). It wasn't until last fall that I got a desire to really try. When I went online and into books, there was so much information that I felt...

Gardener Story: Nicolle Family

We as a family have really enjoyed the Build it Up program. Our family has gotten to work together to plant a beautiful garden and learn about organic crops, food preservation (canning, dehydrating, freeze dried and fermenting), and how much land it takes to feed a...

Gardener Story: Emily Searcy

Gardener Story: Emily Searcy

One of the most rewarding things about gardening is enjoying the fruits of your labor - that first ripe organically-grown tomato that you started from seed, nurtured under grow lights, hardened on the porch, strung up from trellises, and then watched and waited as it...

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...