Refresh Appalachia, a social enterprise of Coalfield Development, is an economic and workforce development initiative in southern West Virginia. We exist to provide hope for agripreneurs to creatively and collaboratively compete in the modern marketplace. Our mission is to grow the growers by training, supporting, and empowering current and aspirational farmers to reach their highest potential.
We have exciting news and changes to communicate with you, a valued partner of this organization. Effective March 1, 2021 Refresh Appalachia will no longer be a stand-alone company. Refresh staff will be integrated into our Development Team where they will lead ag-based training and ag-sector systems change efforts (see more below). Coalfield Development will continue supporting the sustainable agriculture sector in the following ways:
We are incredibly proud of Refresh Appalachia and the progress it has made these past six years.
Lives have literally been transformed.
Ultimately, the full measure of Refresh’s success can not be measured by a list of accomplishments alone, but by the collective impact of each and every success that has happened throughout its journey. The body of work that Refresh Appalachia has accomplished in such a short time is truly remarkable and inspiring. The seeds have been planted and knowledge has been gained, now is the time to grow into our next endeavor so that we can continue to Grow the Growers and cultivate communities across Central Appalachia.
Now it’s time for the next chapter, and we’re thrilled this work can live on through the partnerships and activities listed above.
Yours in partnership,
Brandon and Adam
Since 2015, Refresh Appalachia has sought to grow an intensive agriculture industry and skilled workforce, poised to create and retain community wealth through local and regional food system jobs and markets. In collaboration with multiple partners working collectively, with collaborative food hub Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective, our cooperative with our partners strives to supply and strengthen the local food system, increase access to healthy food, and aggregate and distribute agricultural products to meet regional and national markets.
We aim to aid more than 100 local farmers in southern WV by providing support and development of resources and measure our success by the “triple bottom line”: people, planet, and profit. All our earnings cycle back into supporting our crew members and serving our communities. Our crews, our farms, and our partnership with Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective all play an integral role in advancing our “triple bottom line” objectives.
Refresh Appalachia is proud to be a leading partner in Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective. Turnrow is a collaborative of farmers, businesses, organizations, and nonprofits across West Virginia that want to fundamentally change our food system. This work takes a strong community-based approach; we have formed the largest food collective in West Virginia by combining several food hubs and co-ops under one roof. We’re already growing to serve the greater region by working in surrounding states like Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia. We are working with approximately 75 farmers throughout the region to ensure that fresh, quality food is distributed quickly and efficiently to buyers that value the grit, dedication and craft that working in these mountains and valleys have required of our farmers for generations.
Sprouting Farms and Refresh Appalachia started and ran their own food hubs in 2017, jointly grossing over $200,000. To reach financial sustainability and improve efficiency, the organizations decided to combine operations starting in 2018. Since 2018, the partnership has continued to collectively grow and support existing aggregation and distribution activities. Relying on key partnerships with existing distributors in the region, farmers, and organizations with similar missions this work continues to grow and increase to date. Together, we aim to open new market options and enrich relationships between producers, buyers, consumers, and our regional communities.
Local by Local Food and Farm Expo organizers hosts free virtual workshop series Local by Local Turning Seeds into Sales Webinar Workshop Series August 18-20th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m-5:00 p.m.
Local by Local Food and Farm Exo is organized by Unlimited Future, Inc, RCBI, Refresh Appalachia, The Wild Ramp, West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and Turnrow Appalachian Collective. They have partnered together to provide a workshop series focused on increasing and growing local food and farm entrepreneurs businesses by our knowledgeable hosts that answer questions as they teach you how to increase marketability and better manage your business all while growing your network of resources.
The first producer workshop will be hosted by Turnrow Collective that will provide insightful information and need to know for becoming a producer with them and their online market platform on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The second producer workshop will be hosted by The Wild Ramp that provides information on becoming a producer with the marketplace and what opportunities to grow your business on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The third workshop will be hosted by RCBI that gives food and farm entrepreneurs insight to following and implementing LEAN methodology into their operations and productions.
The Local by Local organizers will be ramping up for the October Food and Farm Expo that will take place virtually this year on Saturday, October 24, 2020. Find more information regarding this on the Local by Local Facebook event page. This event will feature a variety of speakers and panels providing entrepreneurs with more information and resources that will help start and grow their business.
To register to the Turning Seeds into Sales Webinar Workshop Series:
Tuesday, August 18th at 4:00 p.m. | REGISTER ONLINE
Wednesday, August 19th at 4:00 p.m. | REGISTER ONLINE
Thursday, August 20th at 4:00 p.m. | REGISTER ONLINE
For more information contact Sarah Bostic from Unlimited Future, Inc at sarah@unlimitedfuture.org
Join us October 24, 2020, in Milton for the 2nd Local By Local: A Food & Farm Conference & Expo. The free event will feature local producers and industry experts. More details are coming soon! For complete details, check out our post!
Refresh Appalachia’s Meat Sale: Place your order here for local, humanely raised pastured meats! We’ve teamed up with some of the best of West Virginia’s farmers (Black Oak Holler Farm, Swift Level Fine Meats, Noni’s Farm, and of course our own farms at Refresh Appalachia) to bring you this amazing all-natural pork, chicken, beef, lamb and local trout. Proceeds help support our beginning farmer training programs at Refresh Appalachia.
Food Service Distribution: Our truck delivers weekly to Huntington, Charleston, Williamson, and areas in between. Restaurants, grocery stores and food service customers can order a range of items our our seasonal price list. Most produce is harvested only 24-48 hours before delivery!
Farm Share Subscription Program benefits:
Mini Markets: We partner with retailers, corner stores and restaurants to offer produce in places where fresh food is hard to come by. We help business owners to set up a produce area in their store, and then supply the food.
Refresh Appalachia is currently Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certified on one of its farms, and working towards certifying all of our farms. We ask all our partner farms to be trained in GAP and to use our Food Safety Checklist to improve their on-farm food safety practices. We prioritize sourcing from farms that use sustainable farming practices, including organic or biological pest control, natural fertilizers and cover crops.
We currently purchase from small and mid-sized producers in the Charleston, Huntington, Hamlin and Williamson areas and the communities in between. We buy produce, meats, poultry, dairy and eggs. We are also interested in value added items (breads, cheeses, canned goods, snacks, etc.) that are labelled for resale.
We place orders with producers once a week and generally pick up 24-48 hours later at various locations along our driving route. We pay within 14 days. Selling to Refresh Appalachia might be right for you if…
Contact us today for more info about selling with us.
Sprouting Farms | Appalachian Sustainable Development | Williamson Health and Wellness Center | KISRA | Unlimited Future Inc. | ACEnet | RCBI | Lincoln County EDA | The Wild Ramp | Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective | Wayne County EDA | CFA | KCARD | High Rocks | New Roots Community Farm
Refresh Appalachia has a great team, does interesting projects, provides lots of training and is always trying new things. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services!
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Rebuilding the Appalachian economy from the ground up. We believe in developing the potential of Appalachia through the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.
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