In the hills of Appalachian Ohio is Green Edge Gardens, a 120-acre organic farm near the small town of Amesville (pop. 184). This thriving business is the focus of the first in a video series produced by the Central Appalachian Network, called "From the Ground Up," profiling successes in the Appalachian local food economy. Green Edge Gardens is owned by the Rondys, an older couple who initially rented out some bottomland to a farmer while they ran another business. When that farmer planned to move away, the Rondys examined his sales numbers and realized the potential for the farm to really grow.
Now the farm employs 6 people year-round and has grown 10-fold in the last eight years. They sell about equally to the Athens Farmers Market, to their community-supported agriculture customers, and to restaurants in nearby Athens and Columbus (about an hour and a half away). They also have an internship program for young people interested in the business of organic farming.
From the Ground Up: Green Edge Gardens from Central Appalachian Network on Vimeo.
