Tilling the Soul. Vegetable Gardening as Tradition
- Creator
- Owens, Nicole
- Owens, Louit "Buz"
- Owens, Mary Kay
- Belcher, Gene
Tilling the Soul. Vegetable Gardening as Tradition
In this project, Nicole Owens explored the question of why so many Appalachian still maintain vegetable gardens since grocery stores are so prevalent and food is so inexpensive. To answer this question, and to learn more about her connection to it, she interviewed members of her own family, who still do and have always maintained a garden. Through these interviews, Ms. Owens determined that gardening involves elements of tradition, pride, and spirituality that are just as important as the actual food that the garden produces. This is among projects created by students enrolled in English 446 (initially English 452), “Appalachian Folklore,” 1981-2019, and in graduate level counterparts English 548 and 648 “Appalachian Folk Culture(s)” offered 17 fall semesters between 1987 and 2009. Minimally contain collector’s introduction and analysis, transcribed informant interviews, and excerpted and labeled examples of oral, customary, and/or material folklore/folklife collected primarily within the Appalachian region. Most include also tables of contents, informant information, indexes (outlines) of interviews, photographs, miscellaneous paper items, and indexes of informants, genres, and geographic locations. Accompanying audio recordings (several minutes to 2+ hours). Transferred to McConnell Library Archives & Special Collections from Appalachian Regional and Rural Studies Center, Fall 2013.
- Creator
- Owens, Nicole
- Owens, Louit "Buz"
- Owens, Mary Kay
- Belcher, Gene