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Women in Agriculture to Release The Blue Ridge Farm Book at BRAHM on May 17

Join Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture from 4-6 p.m. on May 17 in celebrating the release of The Blue Ridge Farm Book, a printed guide to farming and agriculture in the region. The book will be released at a free event at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, a regional museum that promotes the art and culture of the mountains located at 159 Chestnut St. in Blowing Rock.BRWIA2

The Blue Ridge Farm Book contains profiles of thirteen exemplary farmers in the High Country whose one-on-one interviews will tell of their struggles and triumphs along their roads to success, as well as personal advice on what they consider to have been vital to their accomplishments. Complementing these profiles is documentary-style photography by Lou Murrey, a photographer native to the High Country.

Each food producer we met shared very different of reasons for and approaches to their farming operation,” explains BRWIA Program Coordinator Suzanne Fleishman. “We’re excited to have the book as a platform to bring these stories and lessons-learned to the broader community.”

During the special book release event, participants are invited to be the first to read the book, talk with the farmers involved, participate in a silent auction, and view the farm book photos by Lou Murrey Photography. Complimentary refreshments and wine along with old-time music will be provided and the museum’s galleries will be open for viewing.

The Blue Ridge Farm Book project also includes an online portion filled with web and literary resources as well as helpful organizations and workshops related to challenges faced by farmers in the region, such as financing, season extension, land access, and variety selection. The displayed resources were chosen under the guidance of successful farmers in our region.

The printed book will be available free of charge to all BRWIA members and for a small fee for non-members. The public is invited to browse the webpage available now. Contact Fleishman by email at Suzanne@brwia.org for more information.

The event is being sponsored by the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, Reid’s Catering and Carolina Country Wines. The resource website and book project was made possible with support from the Resourceful Communities Program of the Conservation Fund.