Saving Appalachian Gardens and Stories
Our signature project is Saving Appalachian Gardens and Stories (SAGAS) an annual demonstration garden for heirloom seeds and oral history collection. This joint effort of the biology department and the Center began in 2006 as we collected heirloom seeds from the mountain region. Two years later, biology professors, students and community volunteers started an annual demonstration garden at the historic Vickery House, the Center’s headquarters. Biology Professor Karrie Ann Fadroski maintains the center’s seed bank and oversees the garden.
Contact Us!
Interested in collaborating with SAGAS?
Email appalachia@ung.edu for more information.
The Garden
The organic garden maintained and promoted by Hometown Harvest is designed to minimize water loss, replenish our seed bank and share seeds and food with our community.
The Stories
SAGAS also preserves cultural history by interviewing seed donors about gardening traditions and foodways of Southern Appalachia. Such memories are as important as the genetic diversity of the seeds.
