Growing Appalachia: Building Farms & Community

In this episode of Hort Culture, the hosts chat with Kayla Preston from Grow Appalachia about the growth of high tunnels and sustainable farming in Appalachia. Kayla shares how Grow Appalachia evolved from a community gardening program into a major resource for farmers through education, technical assistance, and conservation support. The conversation explores the early days of building high tunnels in Eastern Kentucky, the challenges growers face with season extension, soil health, and tunnel maintenance, and how organizations like Grow Appalachia help farmers succeed beyond simply installing structures. The episode also highlights the importance of community partnerships, practical farmer education, and the growing impact of protected agriculture across Kentucky. GROW Appalachia [https://growappalachia.berea.edu/] Resource Library [https://growappalachia.berea.edu/resource-library/] Contact Page [https://growappalachia.berea.edu/contact/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] UK Center for Crop Diversification [https://ccd.uky.edu/] UK CCD High Tunnel Resources [https://ccd.uky.edu/resources/systems/hightunnel?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Questions/Comments/Feedback/Suggestions for Topics: [email protected] Check us out on Instagram! [https://www.instagram.com/hortculturepodcast/]