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: Jamie Shamblin

Gardener Story: Jamie Shamblin

Then our hardest battle yet came with the summer heat and dry weather. We had caught hundreds of gallons of rain water to help water the garden but it wasn’t enough for how hot and dry it was this year. Luckily we learned from the class that mulch works great to help hold moisture for the plants.

Gardener Story: Winnie Li

Gardener Story: Winnie Li

I felt so good when I saw our freezer filled up with vegetables from the garden, especially during the wintertime, I appreciated every bite of the food that came from the garden. I am so proud that I can share some of my food with the neighbors and friends.

Gardener Story: Amy & Zane

Gardener Story: Amy & Zane

The sequencing of BIU’s workshops unrolled in a helpful way, specifically when it came to the two workshops on Pests & Diseases. Those have been immensely helpful and we contact the folks who led those workshops almost weekly for a “HELP! What’s this bug/disease? How do we fix it ASAP?” style check-in. Each workshop helped us recognize the importance of the season and what you can do with it.

USDA and the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center Make Available $3.32 Million to Farm and Food Businesses in First Round of Business Builder Subawards

USDA and the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center Make Available $3.32 Million to Farm and Food Businesses in First Round of Business Builder Subawards

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Appalachia Regional Food Business Center (ARFBC) today announced the availability of $3.32 million in Business Builder subawards to support food and farm business development, market access, and processing, aggregation, and distribution infrastructure.