Participation Type
Panel
Session Title
Engaging the Appalachian Landscape: From Food to Forestry
Session Abstract or Summary
Allegany County, Maryland, is investing in creative place making and asset based development which recognizes the value of the natural landscape while preserving the region’s rich cultural and environmental history. Participatory based initiatives cross multiple sectors in the region- including academic programs, small businesses, and non-profit organizations. This panel features three cooperative oriented programs introduced in the county over the last five years- Frostburg Grows, a sustainable agriculture training center operating out of Frostburg State University, SHIFT, a Farm to Table Restaurant in Frostburg supported by a strong network of local food producers, and Home Ground, a non-profit organization committed to increasing knowledge of Allegany County’s natural assets, inspiring citizens to support sustainable use and conservation of its land and water resources. As each program gains a foothold in the region, collectively they encourage collaboration and community building by providing participants with the opportunity to engage in the bounties of the mountain environment.
Presentation #1 Title
From Farm to Table: Shifting Community Consciousness
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
This ethnographic-based presentation features SHIFT, Frostburg’s newest dining establishment and Allegany County’s first Farm to Table Restaurant. Opening its doors in the Fall of 2014, the business relies on a solid network of local food producers, all of which are located in western Maryland or the adjacent mountain counties of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Operated by Jes Clay and Jason Yowell, SHIFT is dedicated to serving local, organic, and homemade food harvested by area farms. With the menu reliant on the availability of local ingredients, its offerings change with the seasons. In addition to sampling the savory flavors of the restaurant’s inventive dishes, its patrons are provided with an educational experience-each menu item is associated with its local producer providing its diners with a local alternative to conventional industrialized food production. Based on a series of interviews with the restaurant’s owners and staff, food producers, and patrons, this paper explores how SHIFT uses the local food movement as a nexus for creating community engagement in the mountain region.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
A Folklorist, Kara Rogers Thomas is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Frostburg State University.
Presentation #2 Title
Dan Fiscus
Presentation #2 Abstract or Summary
Frostburg Grows is a sustainable agriculture training center located atop a former strip mine in Frostburg, Maryland. A program of Frostburg State University, its mission is to build the local food system by increasing the number of local growers in the region and supporting existing growers. The facility aims to create more jobs, improve environmental quality and human health, and foster food security in Western Maryland. Taking seriously the concept of sustainability and closed loop production, the center grows fruits and vegetables in raised beds that are made from recycled highway sign material and collaborates with the city of Frostburg, Chartwells (FSU’s Food Service Provider,) and several local restaurants to turn food scraps and raw material into compost that is used to fertilize its crops. When possible, the facility uses renewable energy resources such as solar power to fuel its farm. This presentation focuses on the founding of Frostburg Grows and its outreach efforts in the regional community.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Dan Fiscus is Development Director for Frostburg Grows and also serves as Sustainability Liaison with Frostburg State University.
Presentation #3 Title
Embracing the Wild with Home Ground: Experiential Narratives Finding Value in Nature
Presentation #3 Abstract or Summary
As participants in the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Teaching Project, students in “Folklore in Appalachia” and “Sociology of the Environment” at Frostburg State University have been documenting the experiences of members of the fledgling organization Home Ground. A non-profit dedicated to increasing knowledge of Allegany County’s natural assets and inspiring area citizens to support sustainable use and conservation of the region’s land and water resources, the organization provides nature programs and outdoor recreational activities for Allegany County residents and visitors. As a relatively young organization, Home Ground has struggled with building its audience and volunteer base. Using the query, “Who is Home Ground” as the project’s jumping off point, FSU students are working with Home Ground members to document their outdoors experiences and to develop digital and stationary exhibits featuring that material. Presented in various venues in Frostburg, Maryland, the documentation is intended to assist the organization in expanding its reach in the Mountain Maryland. This presentation features this project and the organization that inspired it.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #3
Shana Fischer is a Junior at Frostburg State University majoring in Education and the Social Sciences.
From Farm to Table: Shifting Community Consciousness
This ethnographic-based presentation features SHIFT, Frostburg’s newest dining establishment and Allegany County’s first Farm to Table Restaurant. Opening its doors in the Fall of 2014, the business relies on a solid network of local food producers, all of which are located in western Maryland or the adjacent mountain counties of West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Operated by Jes Clay and Jason Yowell, SHIFT is dedicated to serving local, organic, and homemade food harvested by area farms. With the menu reliant on the availability of local ingredients, its offerings change with the seasons. In addition to sampling the savory flavors of the restaurant’s inventive dishes, its patrons are provided with an educational experience-each menu item is associated with its local producer providing its diners with a local alternative to conventional industrialized food production. Based on a series of interviews with the restaurant’s owners and staff, food producers, and patrons, this paper explores how SHIFT uses the local food movement as a nexus for creating community engagement in the mountain region.
