After wrapping up another successful Fall Summit, we’ve decided that a RAMPS update is long overdue! The past few months have been incredibly busy and trying for us, with our people, resources and energy spread all across the region. Spending time on Kayford with old and new friends reminds us how important it is to be sharing some of the incredible work happening across Appalachia. So, as we (finally!) experience some autumn colors throughout the mountains, here’s a bit about what we’ve been up to recently.
Fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline
Since February of this year, we have been supporting Appalachians Against Pipelines in their fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). This hazardous fossil fuel project is a 42-inch diameter fracked gas pipeline that is currently under construction from northern WV to southern VA. The MVP threatens the land, water, and communities along its route. Throughout the summer and fall, we have supported a series of blockades and nonviolent direct actions to resist the MVP. Two tree sits preventing tree felling in the pipeline’s path near Elliston, Virginia recently celebrated their 60th day in the canopy! Resistance to this dangerous pipeline has directly contributed to delays in construction, including the revocation of MVP’s construction permits in national forest areas, a federally mandated month-long work stoppage this summer, and a court ordered construction stoppage along river crossings in West Virginia.
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Meanwhile in Whitesville… Our garden was blooming throughout spring, summer, and most of the fall! Neighbors enjoyed fresh tomatoes, peppers, chard, onions, and more throughout the season. We just picked our last bouquet of flowers after experiencing the first frost. We’re already planning for next spring and hope to build more raised beds and have a wider selection of vegetables! |
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We had SO much fun hosting Whitesville’s first ever Macaroni and Cheese Cook Off at the Fall Festival in September! Over fifty people from the community came out to our booth at the garden and voted for their favorite mac and cheese dish. (The obvious winner was deep-fried mac and cheese bites…) More recently, we helped host another free herbal health clinic with the West Virginia Herbal Medics. Volunteer herbalists offered free consults and herbal medicine in Whitesville’s community center. The herbal clinic then joined us on Kayford for a day at Fall Summit.
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