Jake Lynch is the Director of Network Communications for the Vandaleer partner: West Virginia Hub.
Things are really beginning to cook in Lincoln County when it comes to growing and diversifying the local economy!
Always known as a center for agriculture in the southern part of West Virginia, the Lincoln County Local Agriculture Team working under the Innovation Acceleration Strategies (IAS) program has some big ideas to expand upon this asset of the county.
They are looking to ramp up promotion of their fantastic Farmer’s Market, including expanding their web presence.
They are also hoping to create an agricultural trail through Lincoln County, to show what they have to offer, as well as a mapping project that could also include arts and cultural events, recreation and tourism sites and more.
The possibility of a year round market is another great idea coming out of the Local Agriculture team in Lincoln County.
As part of this planning process, The Hub has been listening to the wants of the community and working to connect them with the resources to make things happen.
With the assistance of a Try This! Mini Grant, the Wild Ramp in Huntington is hosting, “DIY: Your Local Food Network,” a workshop to create a Community Food Market Action plan to build community health and wealth.
Using our contacts with the wonderful team running the Wild Ramp, the Lincoln County Local Agriculture team is now looking to send representatives to that workshop there on November 16.
This is a great example of how The Hub works! As we listen closely to the hopes and ambitions of local communities, we are often well-placed to connect them with other organizations that we work with that can provide technical assistance, advice and support, and sometimes even funding.
By connecting the folks in Lincoln County with the knowledge and expertise at the Wild Ramp, we hope to create some real impact on the local food movement, and the local economy, in southern West Virginia.