Inspired by the Australian LandCare model developed to “restore, enhance and protect the natural environment in…local community through sustainable land management and conservation activities,” Grayson LandCare (GLC) wants to foster community and economic growth by embracing Virginia’s agricultural heritage, while keeping a keen eye for the future.
“We are community driven. When a member comes to us with an idea, we can work with the individual to invest in a solution that benefits the region,” GLC’s director, Michell Pridgen, said.
Located in Grayson County, Virginia, one of the earliest projects for the organization was the Independence Farmers Market, providing an outlet for local foods and crafts. “It’s also free for students to have a booth at the market and our local high school’s agriculture program interfaces with the farmers market,” Pridgen said.
Youth outreach is important in the LandCare movement and this intersection between the high school and farmers market is only one example of GLC’s youth effort. They’ve also joined 4th & 5th graders to establish and maintain a raised-bed vegetable garden at a local elementary school. And with support from a local farm – River Ridge Farm – GLC introduced the LandFair Competition where local high schoolers can win up to $1,000 to launch projects aligned with agriculture, environment, and small business innovation.
Another Grayson LandCare project is a permaculture demonstration garden. It’s a partnership with a local church who donated the land for the garden. Permaculture is a term for “permanent agriculture”; it’s an example of GLC’s mission to establish environmentally sustainable practices in agriculture. Permaculture means that gardeners work with existing ecological conditions in a specific place. Instead of applying industrial chemicals to amend soils or introducing irrigation to regulate crop growth, permaculture gardening is an adaptive, self-regenerative, and diversity-driven approach in food production and pollinator habitat cultivation. Pridgen says that this garden is a “food forest” where the harvest is donated to serve the community.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, as neighbors found themselves without a paycheck, members of GLC looked for ways to meet this growing issue with hunger and food scarcity. In 2020, volunteers organized “Food Independence” – a food pantry for Grayson County residents. This is a multi-organizational effort between GLC, corporate regional partners, churches, food-aid groups and private donations. GLC volunteers pack food boxes containing a range of shelf-stable foods, frozen meat, produce, and bakery goods. Today, Food Independence supplies a box of food to approximately 350-400 households every month.
Grayson Landcare also acts as an incubator for rural innovation. Agricultural heritage informs GLC’s mission and members often look to the region’s history for inspiration. In this framework, an entrepreneurial farmer was able to partner with members who produce artisan textiles. A mini-grant from GLC helped the farmer add a new ram to his herd to improve bloodlines. A fleece from a single sheep of this improved bloodline brought in more money than wool from the entire previous flock. “Grayson County used to have a big fiber industry. In Mouth of Wilson, there was a fiber mill. There was a lot of sheep farming in this community and the wool would come there for processing,” Pridgen said. “Over time, several of our members who are in textiles have tried to reintroduce something that would gain economic traction for the region.”
Inspired by the region’s tradition with apple orchards, another farmer worked with GLC to establish a new apple orchard with a long-term goal for a cidery. “There used to be a big cidery in a neighboring county that helped illustrate what can be done in our area,” said Pridgen. “Just seeing that a lot of the beverage industry is aligned with growth in farming with beer and wine – we’re not suited to growing hops or grains, but we can grow apples (in our climate) and cider-making is a possibility for economic development. So Grayson LandCare was happy to help this member estalish an orchard.”
After 16 years of outreach, education, and community partnerships, Grayson Landcare is a proven force of nature. More efforts, like The Free Market – a store where neighbors exchange household-items – and a Seeds Exchange Library, complete an impressive portfolio of community-lead projects. In the years ahead, Pridgen expects more investment in small farms, new businesses, and advocacy for sustainable land-use projects. This organization has built a vital and new tradition in Grayson County; and it’s here to stay.
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