Annual Growing Appalachia gathering offers way for people to save money and boost the local economy

Learning about ways to save and earn money through small-scale farming, energy efficiency and renewables will be the focus of the fifth Growing Appalachia Conference to be held March 8 in Prestonsburg.

The day-long conference will provide information and skills for healthier living and greater self-sufficiency. Workshops will have three tracks: Production, which is geared toward home production methods and techniques; Entrepreneur, which is oriented toward community-scale business; and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which is energy related.

“Growing Appalachia is an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in getting more out of their garden and also folks who may be thinking about expanding into farming or a new business,” said Bev May, one of the conference planners.  

One of the workshops scheduled for this year is on bio-intensive gardening, which will be taught by Cathy Rehmeyer of Pikeville. Rehmeyer grows a ton of produce each year on a hillside garden that is less than a tenth of an acre. She will share her methods for growing organically and intensively in challenging spaces and under adverse conditions.

“Each year I've gotten lots of useful garden tips, learned strategies for saving energy and been encouraged to see how many new small farms and creative businesses are starting up right here at home,” added May, who is attending for the fifth year.

Growing Appalachia is sponsored by the Big Sandy Chapter of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth with the Community Farm Alliance, Floyd County Farmers Market, Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, and Grow Appalachia.

It will take place on Saturday, March 8 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Jenny Wiley Convention Center. The conference is free, but a $10 donation is requested. Pre-registration is appreciated so that there will be enough locally-sourced food for lunch.

Register online at www.kftc.org/growing or by calling 606-263-4982.

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