APPALACHIAN STREET MUSICIAN

Xyara playing one of her flutes

Street musicians are a rare commodity in the small town of Berea, Kentucky. Xyara, a flutist, is one of those rarities that fills Berea's main street with lilting rhythms for a short period of time each year. A former native of Appalachia she now lives in southern Oregon. Her family still resides in Appalachia where she visits once a year while also bringing her music to her native streets. 

Xyara's headdress

Her clothes and headdress exude a mother earth quality. When I asked her how she feels about Appalachia now that she lives in Oregon she said that the natural beauty of the land such as the sassafras and tupelo trees speak to her when she visits. She feels that she will always have part of her being  in the natural richness of the stories and traditions of Kentucky. 

Her lovely lilting notes attract the smiles of passing folks. She is animated as she plays in her bare feet -- moving in rhythm to her music. 

Xyara  travels with a collection of flutes that she plays at different times. There is a softness to listening to flute music that soothes one's soul.

A WORKING GREENHOUSE

STUDENT WORKER'S GLOVES HANGING AROUND 

What does a college do that has a large beautiful old glass and steel greenhouse and lots of young energetic students in the Agriculture and Natural Resource Department? Well in 1871 the college decided to grow vegetables and flowers and make them available for a reasonable cost to the area residents. It was successful and grew to become the farm sales program which exists to this day. The money raised helps fund the department's program. 

FRESH GREENS FOR YOUR GARDEN

Students work in the greenhouse as well as in other parts of the farm program which has grown to include hoop house gardening,  hog farming, bee keeping, growing Shitake mushrooms, outdoor gardening as well as a few other projects.  

SALE IS POPULAR WITH TOWN RESIDENTS

Every spring the students hold a large plant sale in the old greenhouse. The plants are considered first harvest as they are seeded and grown on the grounds of the college. Community support is high for the event and the plants are quickly sold. It's a win-win situation -- the residents get freshly grown plants, mostly organic, and the students raise money to help with the continuation of the program.

PART OF GREENHOUSE WORK AREA

For more info on Berea College's Plant Sale click here

VITALITY FOUND IN SMALL TOWN --Sunday Simplicities

FIDDLER AT THE CELTIC
FESTIVAL

I have written about the struggles that small towns have faced  trying to realize a viable commercial/retail main street. They face tough odds as box stores proliferate at the edges of their old commercial centers or perhaps businesses just up and leave altogether requiring a drive of several miles to buy even a common light bulb or similar small items. 

However, some small towns have found the magic key to staying alive and viable. One such town is Berea, Kentucky -- it has been able to maintain an energetic economy while retaining its old commercial centers. My photos in this post show some examples of attributes.

LANDSCAPE PODS ALONG MAIN STREET

After I took early retirement, I worked at different short term positions. One was helping small towns revitalize. I offered grant and historic preservation consulting. Working with these towns made me aware of the problems they were trying to head off. It seemed a no-win situation at times. I learned as much from the people of these towns as they learned from me. 

WELL MAINTAINED BUILDINGS
 ALONG WITH VIBRANT
 PLANT CONTAINERS ALONG
 MAIN STREET

What does Berea do that keeps the energy flowing, I'll mention what I have observed as a visitor to the town. They do have a few things in place that certainly helps the town stem the tide of gloom and doom of other small towns. One, they have Berea College, a nationally known liberal small college.Two, they established the area as a recognized arts community. Three, they maintain their physical assets such as commercial buildings, parking and streets. And four, they bring to the town on a very regular basis, lecturers, music, festivals, and other events that encourage citizen participation as well as tourists.

FULL TIME STAFFING
 TO MAINTAIN
 STREET PLANTINGS

Granted, not all small towns have the money or organization to bring their towns back from obscurity but perhaps taking it step by step in the right direction  can result in  being a viable town for the community. 

INVITING BACK SIDES OF
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS

Small town revitalization is a large issue that cannot be addressed in this small post but I believe it can be done over time with active town citizens