In the hills of Appalachia, where the soil carries stories and medicine, I have always felt a deep connection to what grows freely and with purpose. My journey started in the gardens of my grandmother and has led me through years of studying traditional folk herbalism and Appalachian plant wisdom. Still, even with that background, joining the Build It Up program has opened new ground beneath my feet. Appalachian Alchemy was selected to be a member of the ARCD, Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council's Build It Up Program. The blog below is a reflection of my first few weeks with the program and the dream that is forming.
There is something profoundly hopeful about growing your food, especially when you learn in community. From the very beginning, I was impressed by the care that goes into supporting first-year growers. The binder they give us is incredible. It holds almost everything a new gardener needs to stay organized, plan the season, and feel empowered instead of overwhelmed. And the scuffle hoe I received? It may not sound poetic, but it has truly changed the way I work in the garden. It has saved me hours of labor that would have been spent pulling weeds and helped move on to mulching to prevent them in the future.
However, more than the tools or techniques, it is the people who have left the most significant mark. I was surprised and delighted to see so many familiar faces in the program. Each workshop begins with an invitation to connect with someone you do not yet know. We are asked to spend a few minutes learning about their experiences, challenges, and goals. These simple conversations feel like planting seeds of friendship and collaboration. They remind me that growing food and growing community are not separate things. They are the same practice.
As the founder of Appalachian Alchemy and an educator, my work is rooted in sharing herbal knowledge and making plant medicine accessible to families in our region. Through my Community Supported Apothecary, I offer seasonal boxes filled with handmade herbal products that support individuals throughout the year's rhythms. It is similar to a traditional CSA, but instead of vegetables, it is full of herbal care products, including tonics, teas, salves, and rituals, carefully crafted to nourish both the body and the spirit.
Participating in Build It Up has been a gift. Even with my experience in herbalism, I have learned new growing techniques that I plan to integrate into my teaching. My long-term dream is to one day have a land where people can learn about gardening and herbalism side by side. I aim to create a space where individuals, particularly those from underserved communities, can feel empowered to cultivate their food and medicine, thereby taking control of their health. I imagine a teaching garden filled with raised beds and open arms, a place where knowledge is shared freely and people feel at home in the earth and with one another.
Build It Up is helping me take real steps toward that dream. The skills I am learning, the community I am joining, and the vision I am nurturing all feel rooted in something larger than myself. This is not just about food. It's about remembering how to care for one another.
And just like the plants we tend, this work grows slowly. But it grows strong. And if we care for it with intention, it will continue to bloom for years to come.