Appalachian Homestead Farm & Preserve
| Contact: | Vera Guise, Founder and President |
| Mailing Address: | 4088 Tilley Creek Rd. Cullowhee, NC 28723 |
| Phone Number: | 828-293-1013 |
| Fax Number: | None. |
| Email Address: |
vguise@frontier.com |
| Website Address: |
www.appalachianhomesteadfarm.webs.com |
| Office Hours: | By appointment. |
| Location: | 4088 Tilley Creek Rd., Cullowhee, NC |
| Agency Description: | A nonprofit, tax-exempt organization founded to preserve the historic Bennett homestead,
forested areas and watershed, and to inspire by example the preservation of mountain
homesteads, landscapes, and lifeways. To that end, Appalachian Homestead Farm sponsors
summer youth camp programs focused on heritage arts and outdoor education, and an
annual Save the Farms Forum. |
| Training: | AHFP board and volunteers will provide necessary training and supervision pertinent
to specific projects. Neglected for more than 50 years, there is a multitude of projects
from which students can select. Examples: stream restoration, species identification,
trails and camp-site preparation. |
| Time Commitment: | Students can arrange to volunteer for a specific project and a set number of hours,
or they can sign on as continuing volunteers, assisting with a range of projects and
programs. |
| Skills, Experience, and Special Requirements: | The beauty of the Appalachian Homestead Farm and Preserve as a service-learning experience
for Western students is that it is only 4.5 miles from campus, and almost any academic
discipline can be applied to a Farm need. Examples: biology majors can assist with
plant identification, hospitality and tourism majors are needed to help develop a
marketing plan, parks and rec majors could develop the trail plan and signage, English
communications majors can develop brochures and marketing materials, construction
management majors are needed to draft plans for the main education lodge and small
cabins, and to restore the original homesite, and archeology majors could have a field
day conducting a "dig" at the old cabin and barn sites. |
| Volunteer Involvement: | Student groups and clubs from Western have already assisted the Farm with stream cleanup, clearing fields, painting exterior buildings, and assisting with the survey. Students in every major are needed to help with the many aspects of returning this historic farm to operation, preserving as "forever wild" the high elevations which include 3 sets of waterfalls, and helping to establish programs for every age range that instruct, inspire and motivate others to save and restore historic farmsteads in our region. |