First Name:
Kathleen
Last Name:
Petermann
Major Department:
Sustainable Development/Agroecology and Sustainability
Thesis Director:
Christof den Biggelaar
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
The Appalachian region has a rich history of collaborative and community-based agricultural practices. This paper seeks to investigate the history of collaborative practices in agriculture in Southern Appalachia, in general, and more specifically in the High Country of North Carolina with an emphasis on Watauga County. I choose to focus on the High Country and Southern Appalachia, because of its agricultural economic history: coal mining and related heavy industries that continue to be important in Central Appalachia were never prominent in Southern Appalachia. This research will address and document the types of collaboration found in this region, from formal farmers' cooperatives to more informal arrangements. By documenting these arrangements and practices, this paper will discuss if and how cooperation may be a valuable tool in the sustainable agriculture movement and for building strong local and regional economies in the High Country.