Stories of Relocalization and Representation on Stinking Creek
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Sociology Sociology 2018 GROWING ECONOMIC POSSIBILITY IN APPALACHIA: STORIES OF RELOCALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION ON STINKING CREEK Kathryn Engle University of Kentucky, [email protected] Author ORCID Identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9204-1878 Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2018.432 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Engle, Kathryn, "GROWING ECONOMIC POSSIBILITY IN APPALACHIA: STORIES OF RELOCALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION ON STINKING CREEK" (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Sociology. 39. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/sociology_etds/39 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Sociology at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Sociology by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Kathryn Engle, Student Dr. Shaunna Scott, Major Professor Dr. Janet Stamatel, Director of Graduate Studies GROWING ECONOMIC POSSIBILITY IN APPALACHIA: STORIES OF RELOCALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION ON STINKING CREEK ________________________________________ DISSERTATION ________________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky By Kathryn Engle Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Shaunna Scott, Professor of Sociology Lexington, Kentucky 2018 Copyright © Kathryn Engle 2018 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9204-1878 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION GROWING ECONOMIC POSSIBILITY IN APPALACHIA: STORIES OF RELOCALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION ON STINKING CREEK This project explores the agricultural heritage and current social landscape of the Stinking Creek community of Knox County, Kentucky, and the legacy of the local nonprofit organization the Lend-A-Hand Center. Through participatory research, this project presents a reflexive account of the Lend-A-Hand Center Grow Appalachia Gardening Program examining the diverse economy of the Stinking Creek watershed and possibilities for new economic imaginings and post-coal futures for central Appalachia. This dissertation includes an oral history project, a theoretical examination, and an ethnographic reflection, bridging several literatures in the fields of agricultural history, Appalachian Studies, Participatory Action Research, research within the diverse economy framework, and feminist political ecology. For three years I coordinated the Grow Appalachia program through the Lend-A-Hand Center, developing agricultural initiatives in Knox County, working to re-localize food systems through home gardens, community gardens, and the establishment of the Knox County Farmers’ Market, and gathering stories through oral histories on the Creek. Problematizing the 1967 book Stinking Creek, by John Fetterman, this account of the community seeks to call attention to the importance of critical analyses of representations of people, processes, and places. In the face of pressing social issues in central Appalachia and renewed interest in the discourses of development, local food, and post-coal transition, this work seeks to intervene in region-wide discussions and suggest avenues for change and possibility. The Lend-A-Hand Center Grow Appalachia Gardening Program illustrates the potentials for community-based agriculture projects in the region to promote a variety of economic processes, foster and preserve agricultural traditions, and impact the conversation about outlooks for the region. This research provides policy and programmatic suggestions regarding the importance of relocalization of food systems and different (re)presentations of community narratives as part of a multifaceted agenda toward a just, sustainable future for eastern Kentucky and the region. KEYWORDS: Appalachia, Local Foods Systems, Stinking Creek, Diverse Economy, Relocalization, Oral History Kathryn Engle 10/18/2018 GROWING ECONOMIC POSSIBILITY IN APPALACHIA: STORIES OF RELOCALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION ON STINKING CREEK By Kathryn Engle Shaunna Scott, PhD Director of Dissertation Janet Stamatel, PhD Director of Graduate Studies 10/20/2018 Date DEDICATION To William—may we all exude the joy, wonder, happiness, creativity, and love for life and the region as you have. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project would not have been at all possible if it weren’t for the many people supporting me and encouraging me along the way. First, this project and any success I have had over the years would have been impossible without my mom, Elizabeth Engle. She more than any other person has supported and believed in me going above and beyond to help me through each stage of the process. From helping with grant recordkeeping to helping me carry gardening equipment to helping me get out the door and to making sure I ate, my mom has been there for me every step of the way. Thanks to my sister Caroline who has become my closest confidante and friend. I am so proud of you and excited to see the work you will do in the region in the future. Also, thanks to my dad Allen Engle and brother Bud who have been supportive and put up with me through this process. I want to thank my granny Ella Sue Hoffman and pappy Clarence Hoffman and uncle Daniel Hoffman for giving me a place to stay, feeding me, and putting up with me taking over the kitchen table and leaving gardening equipment all over. This project would have been impossible without you. Also thanks to my uncle Bruce Engle for also allowing me a place to stay and my aunt and uncle David and Tabitha Hoffman who helped with the farmers’ market and different aspects of the project. Thanks to my cousins Sadie and Savannah Hoffman for helping me remember why I do the work I do and the importance and wonder of the little things. Thanks to my sister from another mother Meghann Hart for being there to talk things out and encourage me. I also want to acknowledge my late grandparents Mary and Fred Engle, for also providing a place for iii me to stay and whose influence on my education and interest in local history is undeniable. This project would also not have been possible without the amazing scholarly community that I have been surrounded with over the past several years. Thanks first to my dear friend William Lindley who continues to inspire me and keep me going. William, you meant more to me than you ever knew. I can only hope to be half as good a scholar, teacher, and friend as you. Jordan Laney, we have gone through this process and these trials and tribulations together. I am so lucky to count you as a friend and colleague. Thanks to the rest of our cohort at ASU, Cary, Marc, Shawn, and Josh, you guys are the best. Thanks to my friends Brittany, Rebecca, and Skye for cheering me on. The Appalachian Studies Family that has welcomed me with open arms has been one of the most rewarding, fun, exciting, and intellectually challenging parts of my life over the past several years. Thanks to everyone at the Appalachian Studies Association, my mentors, friends, and colleagues, that have made such an impact on my life and career. My scholarly community at the University of Kentucky has been incredible. First, thanks to my friends in the Department of Sociology, especially my cohort. Allison, I love you dawg, thanks for opening your home and your life and sharing so much with me. Jared, you are incredible and have helped keep everything in perspective and fun. Ting, you are so amazing and I am in awe of the work that you do. The amazing community and support system that I have found in the UK Graduate Appalachian Research Community (GARC) has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my time at UK. Thank you GARCsters for pushing me and believing in me. Thanks especially to my wolf pack, Zada Komara and Jasper Waugh-Quasebarth. Thank you for sharing your iv work, making my work better, and being there to go through this journey with me. Saakshi Joshi, I miss you and your little peach trees are doing great. Sarah and Abbey thank you for also welcoming me into your home and being such wonderful, caring friends. And little Sam, I can’t wait to watch you grow up to be as amazing as your moms. Thanks to the folks at Grow Appalachia who believed in me, especially David Cooke and Candace Mullins.