Community Food Project     Appalachian Native Plants is taking the lead in the Johnson County Community Food Project which is community and assets based. This project is in the formative stages beginning with a community food assessment that will result in a comprehensive and long-term plan for community food security.  We want to be clear where our food security stands and find comprehensive and long-term solutions to achieve food self-sufficiency in our community.   Challenges and opportunities are being inventoried to coordinate best approaches to addressing our food self-sufficiency needs.  The aim of this project is to make affordable quality foods more readily available to low-income members of our community, expand employment and business opportunities in the food sector, and to create a more self-reliant localized food system.  The vision is to incorporate as many aspects of the food system and people in our community as possible.  Food producer, distributor, and consumer needs will be balanced and leverage points evaluated as to what approaches will have the greatest effect for the majority while paying special attention to low-income populations.  The assessment and planning process naturally leads and assists individuals in finding connections within the food system where they can seize opportunities.  Appalachian Native Plants will support these individuals and organizations with implementation of projects that will provide affordable quality foods to low-income members of our community, expand employment and business opportunities in the food sector, and to create a more self-reliant localized food system.

ANP - A Local Initiative Now, on top of the hill and beside the landfill sits Appalachian Native Plants, Inc. (ANP), a non-profit corporation that has entered into collaboration with Johnson County TN, Appalachian State University, University of Tennessee and the local school system, with the intent of starting a regional horticultural “Native Plant” and “Organic Vegetable/Fruit” Initiative. To date, the project has been supported by Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), the State of TN, and the Johnson County Government. Greenhouses have been donated by two Johnson County residents and a UT research agent. J Jackson, Joe Savery, and Tom Anderson have been elemental in the creation of ANP. A Board of Directors guides the work of the project. ANP’s greenhouse serves as a seed, of sorts, for opportunities for other local residents interested in joining the azalea and organic gardening revolution. According to Tamara McNaughton, executive director of the project, “We currently grow native azaleas for a wholesale market. The graded areas of expansion are for additional greenhouses and a storage/classroom building. One structure, a cold frame/shade house, will be for additional azalea production. Two other greenhouses will be for sustainable/organic food crops including containerized blueberries and other food crops (vegetables, salad greens, etc.). With these facilities we will also be able to provide workshops and other educational experiences for the public. We would very much like to see people of Johnson County producing azaleas and food crops for market and want to provide technical and marketing assistance.”  While ANP is already in full production growing native azaleas from harvested wild seeds, there is also work going into the Community Food program which will coordinate efforts from several local Johnson County groups and family farmers. At July’s meeting of the Sierra Club’s Watauga Group, McNaughton said, “The TN Farm Fresh program is new this year and operates under the Farm Bureau. It is mostly a marketing initiative to assist TN growers. This is the first year of the program and 64 farms statewide are participating so far. TN Farm Fresh will be running ads on TV, billboards, newspapers, etc. to help get the word out. We would also like to be a provider of certified organic materials. These materials would come from 7 Springs Farm in Check, VA. The purchasing of these materials would work on a cooperative basis where we would place one large order together in order to lower delivery fees and increase our purchasing power.” After getting a tour of the Watauga Group’s community garden, McNaughton said, “Food crops would come from similar gardens. Crops will be determined by the Johnson County Food Assessment and Planning Project for which I am currently seeking funding. This is a community led project.” A few key requirements from the funders include: ·    Profile of community socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, ·    Profile of community food resources, ·    Assessment of household food security, ·    Assessment of food resource accessibility, ·    Assessment of food availability and affordability, and ·    Assessment of community food production. “But,” McNaughton continued, “It is also important to the funders that the community determine the essential aspects to focus on. So, this project is open ended and intends to inspire community members to be active participants in the process, who will also help to plan and coordinate future projects by taking the time to determine best approaches. The way I’ve been explaining it to people in the county is that the assessment and planning project gives us the opportunity to inventory what assets we have in the county, what opportunities there are to explored and what challenges there might be in achieving these opportunities/goals. It’s an open-ended project that will hopefully provide a venue and inspire people to discover opportunities in agriculturally-related businesses for themselves. “The lunch scheduled for October is intended to generate community support for and involvement in the project.” Gloria Griffith, chair of the Watauga Group, was impressed by McNaughton s extensive experience and the scope of her vision for Johnson County. “It was a joy learning of the greenhouse’s roots, from Zo Warner to Jay Jackson, who are champions of the native azaleas,” said Griffith. “I’m glad the potential funders of the project, Community Food Project, are interested in community gardens like ours. I believe our new farmers market will gain community support and grow with other agriculture programs due to McNaughton’s efforts. Appalachian Native Plants is really making it happen.”   (reprinted with permission from www.badideanews.com)

Helping Create a Local Food System in Johnson County Ten people gathered Thursday November 6 at the Community Center to discuss how they have been and want to be involved in the creation of a local food system in Johnson County. Over the last year there were two farmer's markets; Trade Mill and Sierra Club. Members of Sierra Club shared the success of their community garden and farmer's market with the group. “The important thing with a market is that it is ‘anchored’,” said SC member Gloria Griffith. “A market needs to be consistently attended by growers who have produce, so customers will continually show up. It's a chicken and egg scenario.” SC member Gabby Call helped with promotion of the Trade Mill farmer's market and said it also was successful for a first year's go at it. It was determined unanimously that there is a need for a consistent farmer's market in the county. Ralph Stout Park was determined as the most centralized location; in addition, combining efforts into one farmer's market would be helpful to all interested farmers and consumers. In the spirit of combined efforts, a second concept was determined as a need in setting the ground work for a local food system. The idea of a farmers' cooperative was talked about as much as the need for a farmer's market. To begin building the groundwork for a cooperative Tamara McNaughton, of Appalachian Native Plants, offered to compile group orders for organic seed and for organic (OMRI listed) materials for the upcoming year (contact Tamara at 727-4264 or appnativeplants@gmail.com if you are interested in joining these orders). The seed order should be in by December 5. Organic materials will be ordered in February ‘09. FedCo Seeds is a cooperative of farmers in Maine who combine their efforts to supply seeds by mail order. FedCo offers discounts for bulk orders. Maine has a similar climate to Johnson County, so their seeds are better adapted for local planting than a seed supply that comes from a warmer climate. They also offer a variety of heirloom/heritage and organic seeds. Most of the people in attendance at the November 6 meeting were providers of quality food for the community. Seven of the ten produce meat and/or vegetables for their home and for sale. One attendee, Bill, is a member of another cooperative that allows him to sell his products to Food City. Having made the connection of wanting to make quality affordable food more readily available, people discussed their reasons for wanting to know if the foods they eat contain chemicals, Genetically Modified Organisms, and other undesirable food additives. Further education in nutritional and agricultural options were noted. The voice of people in need, and those that serve them, are crucial to this conversation. It is essential to consider the needs of low-income families in the development of a local food system. The Ministorial Alliance was mentioned as an important support network and distribution point for local food. Governmental officials were also mentioned as important participants who have been supportive of the idea of investigating local food and our community food security. The group will meet again in the first week of December. The exact date and time will be announced in BIN’s Things To Do and by email. Please contact appnativeplants@gmail.com if you would like to be involved in further conversations.   (reprinted with permission from www.badideanews.com)