Programs

Program 1: Forest Ridge Demonstration Garden

Program Overview

The Forest Ridge Demonstration Garden is a small-scale educational garden designed to demonstrate accessible, ecologically grounded land stewardship practices in a ridge-top Appalachian forest environment. The program functions as a living demonstration site and applied learning space, emphasizing observation, documentation, and inclusive engagement with land rather than intensive food production.

The site represents a common but under-documented landscape type in the region: forested ridges with wind exposure, variable soils, partial canopy cover, and limited infrastructure. By centering these conditions, the program generates practical, transferable insights for land stewards, educators, and community members working in similar contexts.

Year 1 focuses on demonstration, observation, and documentation rather than production or expansion.

Program 2: Citizen Science Vegetable Trial & Accessibility Framework

Program Overview

The Citizen Science Vegetable Trial program partners with Virginia Cooperative Extension’s 2026 Home Vegetable Variety Trials, engaging community members to grow a defined set of vegetable, herb, and flower crops, collect standardized data on performance, and submit evaluations that inform statewide recommendations. (ext.vt.edu)

Common Ground Appalachia’s (CGA) role is to support local participation, accessibility, and documentation, making this credible, low-infrastructure programming that builds trust, partnerships, and learning across our region. 

CGA’s role is to lower participation barriers and translate institutional research into accessible, community-scale learning. See link for full program detail.  

Purpose and Goals

The primary goals of the Citizen Science Vegetable Trial program are to:

  • Test common vegetable growing methods for accessibility

  • Pilot raised bed system designed for wheelchair access

  • Assess if the vegetables in the trial are suited for accessible gardening

  • Contribute to Extension Master Gardner program’s data collection efforts

  • Engage the community and other households participating in this trial

Program Activites

Key activities during the pilot phase include:

  • Planting and maintaining vegetable garden 

  • Documenting progress and accessibility 

  • Building raised bed system 

  • Outreach to local gardeners participating in this trial for feedback on accessibility of their grow

Target Population and Community Benefit

The program is intended to benefit:

  • Home gardeners with disabilities and those seeking accessibility 

  • The Va Extension Cooperative 

Feasibility and Implementation

The Citizen Science Veggetable Trial is small and scalable by design. This opportunity came to me as an Extension Master Gardener and fit well within our accessibility framework. This trial be implemented on-site at Common Ground Appalachia Institute. 

Anticipated Outcomes

Expected outcomes of the pilot phase include:

  • Food

  • Repeatable growing process designed around key vegetable varieties and accessibility

  • Proto-type of accessible raised bed system

  • Engagement with ~10 community members in this trial to collect information about accessibility during the trial

Program 3: Accessible Worm Farming

Program Overview

The Accessible Worm Farming program is a small-scale, educational vermicomposting initiative designed to demonstrate accessible, low-barrier soil health practices suitable for homes, schools, and community-scale projects. The program emphasizes learning through observation and hands-on engagement rather than production volume, positioning vermicomposting as an approachable entry point into regenerative systems.

The project centers systems that can be managed with limited physical exertion, minimal space, and flexible schedules—reflecting the realities of disabled, chronically ill, and time-constrained participants. By embedding accessibility considerations from the outset, the program generates practical insight into how nutrient cycling and soil regeneration can be integrated into everyday contexts.

Purpose and Goals

The primary goals of the Accessible Worm Farming program are to:

  • Demonstrate closed-loop nutrient cycling through small-scale vermicomposting

  • Explore accessibility considerations in soil-building practices

  • Reduce organic waste while improving soil health

  • Produce clear, replicable documentation for education and adaptation

Program Activities

Key activities during the pilot phase include:

  • Design and setup of one or more accessible vermicomposting systems

  • Ongoing monitoring of system performance, labor requirements, and maintenance needs

  • Observation of compost output quality and system stability

  • Documentation of successes, challenges, and accessibility adaptations

Target Population and Community Benefit

The program is intended to benefit:

  • Individuals and households interested in composting but facing access barriers

  • Educators and community organizations seeking low-cost soil health demonstrations

  • Disabled and chronically ill participants interested in regenerative practices

Community benefit is delivered through shared documentation, practical guidance, and transferable models that support accessible ecological stewardship.

Feasibility and Implementation

The Accessible Worm Farming program is intentionally modest in scope, requiring limited infrastructure and low ongoing costs. The pilot phase prioritizes learning, accessibility evaluation, and documentation over output, reducing financial and operational risk while generating meaningful educational material.

Anticipated Outcomes

Expected outcomes of the pilot phase include:

  • A functioning, accessible vermicomposting demonstration system

  • Practical guidance for accessible soil-building practices

  • Public-facing documentation suitable for education and grant reporting

Program 4: Flora & Access - Field Notes from Appalachia  

Program Overview

Flora & Access is a documentation-first ecology education program focused on Appalachian plant life, landscapes, and access considerations. The series functions as the public-facing core of Common Ground Appalachia’s pilot phase, translating on-site ecological observation into accessible, plain-language field notes.

Rather than formal curriculum or instruction, Flora & Access emphasizes curiosity, observation, and lived experience. Content is grounded in real site conditions and shared through visual and written formats designed to be approachable, low-pressure, and inclusive of varied learning styles and capacities.

Purpose and Goals

The primary goals of the Flora & Access series are to:

  • Document Appalachian flora and ecological processes through an accessibility lens

  • Share place-based ecological learning in accessible formats

  • Build public understanding of how access shapes land engagement

  • Establish a consistent, credible public record of CGA’s work

Program Activities

Key activities during the pilot phase include:

  • Regular field observation and documentation

  • Photography and short-form written field notes

  • Optional guided walks or small gatherings

  • Integration of accessibility reflections into all published content

Target Population and Community Benefit

The program is intended to benefit:

  • Community members interested in Appalachian ecology and native plants

  • Disabled and chronically ill individuals seeking accessible land-based learning

  • Educators and practitioners looking for real-world, documented examples

Community benefit is delivered through open-access documentation, shared learning, and the development of replicable storytelling and education models.

Feasibility and Implementation

Flora & Access is designed to be highly feasible during the pilot phase, requiring minimal infrastructure and flexible time commitments. By prioritizing documentation over production, the program remains resilient to capacity fluctuations while generating consistent educational value.

Anticipated Outcomes

Expected outcomes of the pilot phase include:

  • A body of publicly accessible field notes and visual documentation

  • Demonstrated models for accessible ecological storytelling

  • Strengthened organizational credibility through consistent, place-based output

Program 5: Accessible Ecology Consulting

Program Overview 

Accessible Ecology Consulting is a mission-supporting program that translates Common Ground Appalachia Institute’s on-the-ground learning into advisory and technical assistance services for aligned organizations. The program is informed directly by CGAI’s demonstration guild, citizen science, vermicomposting, and documentation initiatives, ensuring that consulting guidance is grounded in lived practice rather than theory.

The purpose of this program is to support other organizations in integrating accessibility into ecological education, land stewardship, and community-based environmental work, while generating modest earned revenue to reinforce CGAI’s core programs.

Purpose and Role

This program exists to:

  • Share field-tested accessibility and ecological design insights

  • Support organizations seeking to improve access in land-based programming

  • Provide advisory capacity without duplicating or competing with existing services

  • Strengthen CGAI’s financial resilience in a mission-aligned way

Scope and Boundaries

Accessible Ecology Consulting is intentionally limited in scope:

  • Engagements are small, relationship-based, and advisory in nature

  • Services are offered after foundational programs are operational

  • Consulting supports—but does not replace—grant and philanthropic funding

  • The program does not drive organizational growth or staffing decisions

Alignment with Mission

By positioning consulting as a knowledge-sharing and capacity-building service, CGAI ensures that earned revenue reinforces, rather than distracts from, its educational and ecological mission.