Founding Mothers of BRWIA
Click for profiles. (More coming soon...)
More of Carol's story to come
THEN & NOW: Owner of Mollie’s Branch
When conversations arise about the beginnings of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, the name Diane Price is a constant. Owner of Mollie’s Branch in Todd, North Carolina, Diane played a significant role as one of the founders writing the first grant awarded by Z. Smith Reynolds. The grant allowed the organization to expand and with it began a strong foundation in which Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture continues still today. In 2005, Diane spoke of her role as one of the founders, “I guess I see my role as someone who wants to be involved in the process and I think there are so many good women involved in it now that is has taken a life of its own, and we can all learn from each other and support each other.”
When conversations arise about the beginnings of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, the name Diane Price is a constant. Owner of Mollie’s Branch in Todd, North Carolina, Diane played a significant role as one of the founders writing the first grant awarded by Z. Smith Reynolds. The grant allowed the organization to expand and with it began a strong foundation in which Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture continues still today. In 2005, Diane spoke of her role as one of the founders, “I guess I see my role as someone who wants to be involved in the process and I think there are so many good women involved in it now that is has taken a life of its own, and we can all learn from each other and support each other.”
More of Diane's story to come
THEN: Director, The Center for Appalachian Studies, Appalachian State University
NOW:
While serving as the Director of Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University in 2002, Dr. Pat Beaver was invited by Sue Counts, then the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Director to join Farm-City committee. The committee organized for the purpose of “celebrating the ties between local farmers and townspeople, culminating in an awards banquet,” Dr. Beaver explained. Dr. Beavers’ willingness to serve on this committee along with experiences in her Appalachian Culture and Social Organization class that same year led to her becoming an integral part of a small group of women who said, it’s time to do more for our women farmers and thus, began the humble beginnings of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture.
NOW:
While serving as the Director of Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University in 2002, Dr. Pat Beaver was invited by Sue Counts, then the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Director to join Farm-City committee. The committee organized for the purpose of “celebrating the ties between local farmers and townspeople, culminating in an awards banquet,” Dr. Beaver explained. Dr. Beavers’ willingness to serve on this committee along with experiences in her Appalachian Culture and Social Organization class that same year led to her becoming an integral part of a small group of women who said, it’s time to do more for our women farmers and thus, began the humble beginnings of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture.
More of Pat's story to come
THEN: Undergraduate writing student at Salem College, who wrote her senior thesis on the "Changing Roles of Women in Agriculture" and interviewed many of the Founding Mothers at their farms in the area
NOW: Writer, Journalist, Blogger, Grandmother, Gardener, Keeper of Stories
NOW: Writer, Journalist, Blogger, Grandmother, Gardener, Keeper of Stories
Hollis Wild
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Sara Runkel
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