Our Work
Since 1995, ASD has been working to grow a stronger Appalachia through agriculture. We do that through five different focus areas: Food Access, Agriculture Education, Workforce Development, Resource Management, and Economic Development.
While the footprint of our work started out primarily in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, we have expanded a great deal over the last several years. We now support producers in eastern KY, Appalachian OH, and WV and work with buyers ranging from Atlanta, GA, to Landover, MD, and even some herb buyers on the U.S. west coast and in Canada. Our virtual trainings have had attendees from as far away as Australia.
Our Goal:
Develop the workforce through paid, on-the-job training, technical assistance, wraparound support, and skill building.
Current Programs and Initiatives:
- Agribusiness pathway (Bristol & Tazewell)
- Warehousing & Distribution pathway (Duffield)
- Commercial Kitchen pathway (Bristol)
Our Impacts to Date:
- 64 Groundwork participants trained since 2020.
- Recidivism rate of <5% among applicable Groundwork participants.
Our Goal:
Provide training, resources, and opportunities to help people of all ages and abilities succeed in agriculture.
Current Programs and Initiatives:
- Learning Landscapes
- Grow Your Own
- Field School
- F.A.R.M.
- Good Agricultural Practices training & support
- Technical Assistance
- Shared Use Tools & Equipment
Our Impacts to Date:
- 150,000+ pounds of food grown by gardeners in the GYO and Garden Box programs.
- 80+ raised beds installed and managed at regional school gardens and clubs.
- 100% pass rate for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training.
Our Goal:
Connect individuals to fresh, nutritious food through programs that meet their level of need and ability.
Current Programs and Initiatives:
- Food Box Program
- Virginia Fresh Match
- Healthy Tazewell
- Community Gardens in Abingdon & Tazewell
Our Impacts to Date:
- 7+ million pounds of food donated to area food pantries. This includes 20k pounds of food grown by our community gardens in Tazewell and Abingdon.
- $58,071 in VA Fresh Match incentives redeemed in SWVA since 2018.
Our Goal:
Cultivate a thriving food and agriculture economy that brands Central Appalachia as a model agriculture hub.
Our Programs and Initiatives:
- Appalachian Harvest brand vegetables, beef, & value added products
- Late Bloomers Greenhouse
- Appalachian Harvest Burgers & Bowls Food Truck
Our Impacts to Date:
- $37M in produce sold and distributed for regional farmers to date.
- 300+ new farm startups supported through training and resources.
- 3 social enterprises launched to provide economic impact plus training & ag support.
Our Goal:
Model and share solutions that help every generation live abundantly while also respecting the planet.
Current Programs and Initiatives:
- Agroforestry training on silvopasture, forest farming, and alley cropping
- Point of Harvest
- Food Waste Reduction Training & Awareness
- Regenerative Ag Workshops & Trainings
Our Impacts to Date:
- 6,000+ acres of forestland preserved.
- 74 wild harvesters and buyers trained in Point of Harvest best practices for sustainably harvesting woodland roots, barks, and herbs.