---

NOTES – 2016

“Notes from the Pine Mountain Settlement School”
2016 Summer

---

 GALLERY: NOTES 2016 Summer

…[W]ith our new mission to enrich lives and connect people through Appalachian place-based education for all ages, we recognized a need and opportunity to expand our summer offerings for local children from birth through age 18, as well as their families.

---

 TRANSCRIPTION: NOTES – 2016 Summer

P. 1

NOTES FROM
THE PINE MOUNTAIN
SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
PINE MOUNTAIN ~ HARLAN COUNTY ~ KENTUCKY
Summer       Dr. Geoff Marietta, Director          2016

 The golden days of summer have come to a close; the red and gold leaves serve as an emphatic punctuation to the change. On campus, we stay close to the rhythm of the seasons. There is the hum of the tractor as it works its way through our fields. Corn, beans, pumpkins, and sorghum have been picked and cut; potatoes dug and cold weather crops planted. Red and yellow tomatoes are carried from our high tunnels in 5-gallon buckets, ready to be sliced and served at Laurel House. Harvest is upon us.

Our harvest represents not only our farm, but also the hard summer work done by our entire organization. The result is a true cornucopia of place, people, and culture. We see a wagonload of 20 toddlers in Little School heading out on a hayride to pick pumpkins in the fields. We see neighbors showing up with pickup beds loaded with carrots and squash, ready to sell to our kitchen. We see groups of schoolchildren from all over the state getting hands-on with the natural environment. Every trip to and from campus takes us by the gardens of some of our Grow Appalachia participants. And, of course, we have the joy of events like the Sorghum Stir-Off Festival.

In this edition of the Notes, we bring to you another yield: our calendar of programming for 2017. You may remember that we last brought these to you in our Winter Notes, but we have decided that we are better served by bringing our events to your attention earlier to allow plenty of time for you to plan your visit to Pine Mountain Settlement School. We will also give you updates on two of our programs: specifically, our new Summer Feeding program (funded in part by a grant from the USDA), and our Sorghum Stir-Off Festival. Continued→

[Image: Colorful painting of mountain ranges.]

P. 2

(Continued from front) In the past several months we have been going through a strategic planning process, supported by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. Through this collaboration between local community members, staff, and board members, we have developed a new mission statement for our work here: We enrich lives and connect people through Appalachian place-based education for all ages.

Our new mission statement brings even more purpose to our almanac of events. We hope that you will join us in 2017 knowing that a visit to Pine Mountain Settlement School brings with it a specific intentionality to connect you to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky–both the place and its people. We will work hard to give you the full experience through live and local music, folkdances that feature local callers, and meals that pull from our own farm and local growers for ingredients. We provide you the opportunity to hike along ancient ridgelines, weave on a 100 year-old loom, and learn from leading experts in our region and country.

I hope we have inspired you to come to Pine Mountain this year. You set a pathway that brings folks near and far to appreciate the unique beauty and culture of the Kentucky Mountains.

Yours in the Spirit of Pine Mountain,
Geoff Marietta

---

Cooking Up Sorghum

At Pine Mountain Settlement School, we are always looking for ideas that combine our unique culture and landscape with the promise of new economic opportunity. A perfect example is high-value, shelf-stable foods like sorghum, honey, and forest medicinals. You will see all of these approaches highlighted in our calendar of sustainability events. The capstone of these efforts is our Sorghum Stir-Off Festival.

A lot goes into a quart jar of sorghum, and particularly here on campus. Not only do we grow our own sorghum cane using organic farming techniques, we also partner with folks in the area to make our Stir-Off event one that engages all generations in traditional foodways. This year, our neighbor Reggie Raleigh helped us to restore an antique sorghum press that we recently uncovered in the barn. It was expertly crafted by farm staff in the 1940’s, and built to last. Harlan County native Gary Branson, a sorghum expert, brought his mule so that we could mill the molasses using both new and old techniques. And, of course, we had plenty of local hands pitching in. We even set up a hayride so that participants could travel out to the field and help cut and load the cane.

It was a true joy to have every age range of participants among the over 115 people who came. Yes, we made a lot of sorghum molasses–10 gallons was cooked by the end of the week. Even better, we reconnected with a traditional practice that can point a way forward for Appalachia.

P. 3 [Cover page for this section]

PINE MOUNTAIN
SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
2017 EVENTS

[Six photographs: Silhouette of a fiddler, hoop houses in forest setting, dirt road through misty woods, a visitor on a hike, a ceramic bowl of string beans, a weaver working at a loom.]

Welcome to
PINE MOUNTAIN
SETTLEMENT SCHOOL

At Pine Mountain Settlement School, we are enriching lives and connecting people through Appalachian place-based education for all ages.

Our unique campus is nestled in the Cumberland Mountains of Harlan County, creating an oasis renowned for the beauty of the natural and built environment. These pages tell you about our arts and historical preservation workshops, our naturalist retreats, our sustainability and Environmental Education programs, as well as our annual events. We offer a selection of programs designed to help you slow down and reconnect with nature, beauty, simple foods, and our shared history and culture.

We hope you will join us in 2017. Not only will you enjoy the peacefulness of this special place, you will also be contributing to the future of the Kentucky Mountains. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, we use our program revenue to transform Appalachia through education, sustainability, and economic programs we provide to the local and regional community. Every dollar you contribute will help young children receive free, high-quality early learning expenses through Little School, connect children of all ages with summer activities and food, and provide free gardening tools and workshops to over 80 families in our Grow Appalachia program.

[Photograph: The road leading past Aunt Sal’s Cabin and garden to Laurel House with Pine Mountain in the background.]

P. 5

YOUR STAY AT
PINE MOUNTAIN

Our campus spans more than 800 acres, including pristine wildlands and more than 20 buildings designed by Mary Rockwell Hook, one of the first important women architects. While our setting is a beautiful mountain valley, we are also able to offer modern-day amenities, such as free high-speed wireless internet. We have some of the purest water in the state that comes straight from our own limestone spring, and our 5-acre organic farm is active year-round to provide food in our dining hall that seats 125. We offer dorms to larger groups as well as renting individual houses with 5 bedrooms, living rooms, and a full kitchen.

Come and discover what makes us both a National Historic Landmark and home to the James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve. Whether your passion is pristine forests, rare orchids, local food, or Appalachian culture, we offer the space and amenities for an unforgettable getaway or event.

[Three photographs: Two volunteers at computers in Hill House, fresh sliced tomatoes on a plate, a group at dinner in the Laurel House dining room.]

PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL
CAMPUS MAP

[Image of PMSS campus map with MAP KEY.]

P. 6

[Three photographs: Black Bear in autumn woods, Laurel House dining room, a jar of preserved produce with first prize ribbon.]

RETREATS & FESTIVALS

Winter Arts & Naturalist Retreat FEB 17 – 19
Join us for a weekend that will connect you to the natural wonders of winter. We will learn seasonal tree identification, go on a nighttime owl prowl, and hike through this unique and beautiful landscape. Or, choose to try out some traditional crafts, including weaving, stained glass, and cornshuck crafts. Meals served with local produce will be provided in the Laurel House, where we can cozy up by the fire and spend the evening enjoying a local bluegrass band.

Pine Mountain Wildflower Weekend APR 21 – 23
In mid-April, the campus of Pine Mountain Settlement School is in full bloom with over 100 species of wildflowers. The forest comes alive with trillium, showy orchids, dwarf crested iris, and more. During Pine Mountain Wildflower Weekend, folks of all ages will participate in guided hikes along our forested trails, eat farm-fresh meals, and enjoy the beauty and peace of our campus.

Spring Gala APR 29
Help us celebrate and grow Pine Mountain Settlement School at our second annual Spring Gala beginning at 6 pm on Saturday, April 29. This unforgettable evening will include farm-fresh food, live bluegrass, and folk dancing. We will be auctioning authentic Appalachian arts and crafts and unique Eastern Kentucky experiences. Quilts, hand-made furniture, art, and wood bowls are just some examples of what you can snap up while supporting our work in conservation, sustainability, education, and economic development.

Pine Mountain School for Practical Preservation APR 30 – MAY 5
Working side-by-side with legendary preservationist Bob Yapp, you will learn cost-effective high-priority restoration tasks that will prepare you to tackle just about any project. You will learn exterior wood repair, window restoration, roofing and flashing, and historical gutter drainage. At the end of the five days you will know from beginning to end how to carry out just about any restoration project, and receive a Certificate of Completion from the Belvedere School for Hands-On Preservation & Pine Mountain School for Practical Preservation.

Black Mountain Wildflower Weekend MAY 5-7
Join us May 5-7 as we celebrate the unique and important ecosystem of Black Mountain. As the highest point in Kentucky, this mountain is home to many rare species of wildflowers including painted trillium, rosy twisted stalk, purple fringed orchid, and Kentucky’s largest population of Turk’s cap Lilly. On Friday evening, we will hear a lecture from an expert ecologist after supper. On Saturday, we will explore the mountainside in search of rare flowers and learn what makes this habitat so important. That evening we will return to a hot meal and lively music.

Learn more at www.pinemountainsettlementschool.com or call (606) 558-3571

P. 7

[Three photographs: two fiddlers performing at Laurel House, group of workshop attendees posing together in an outdoor setting, closeup view of a wildflower.]

GATHERINGS & WORKSHOPS

Lucy Braun Naturalist Weekend JUN 9 – 11
This forest study workshop is named in honor of one of the first and foremost conservationists of the 20th century, E. Lucy Braun. Daily field trips will include four- to eight-mile hikes to various forest types and habitats including remnant old growth forest and high elevation mixed mesophytic forests. We will connect the work of Lucy Braun with the ecosystems you will experience on your hikes and how local plants can impact our lives if they are preserved.

Environmental Literacy Workshop JUL 20 – 22
Educators will have the chance for an interactive, hands-on workshop that teaches best practices in Environmental Education. Presenters will include our own programming staff and Dr. Melinda Wilder, a professor at Eastern Kentucky University. Participants will earn Professional Development hours and also receive support in implementing Next Generation Science Standards.

Fair Day & Sorghum Stir-Off SEP 9
Join the 100 year-old traditions of Pine Mountain Settlement School at Fair Day. New this year, we will be incorporating our Sorghum Stir-Off into the festivities. Visit exhibitions of local food and crafts, shop from local vendors, and listen to live bluegrass and gospel music. You can also take part in sorghum production, from harvest to stripping cane, to encouraging the mule to turn the press. Before your weekend is over, you will have eaten farm-fresh foods and tasted sorghum you helped make. What could be a better reason to spend your weekend in the mountains?

Fall Arts Weekend & Cecil Sharp 100th Celebration OCT 6 – 8
During Fall Arts Weekend, learn and work with experts in workshops in nature photography, dry stone masonry, painting, and traditional crafts. Award-winning dry stone mason Joe Dinwiddie will be returning to Pine Mountain to teach the School’s dry stone masonry workshop. Harlan County native and renowned photographer Malcolm J. Wilson will lead the digital nature photography workshop. Celebrated fine artist Jeff Chapman Crane will teach a painting course. In addition, we offer courses on weaving on a loom, woodcarving, and steps to making hickory bark chair bottoms. Special in 2017, we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Cecil Sharp visiting Pine Mountain and discovering the “Kentucky Running Set.” Bring your dancing shoes!

Fall Color Weekend OCT 20-22
Skip the Smoky Mountain crowds and experience the unadulterated Appalachian fall beauty at Fall Color Weekend. This family-friendly event has activities for all ages including hikes, expert presentations, live music, and nature programming for children. You and your family can enjoy these and other activities while experiencing some of Kentucky’s most beautiful natural areas and stunning autumn foliage.

Find us on Facebook | Instagram @pinemountainsettlementschool

P. 8

[Grow Appalachia logo]  SUSTAINABILITY

GROW APPALACHIA

Garden Planning and Planting
FEB 23 Learn about soil testing, seed and plant selection and planting dates for specific crops.

*Soil Science, Composting & Vermiculture
MAR 9 Soil health is important to productive gardening. We will discuss composting strategies and using worms.

Seed Swap
MAR 18 Discover Appalachian heirloom seeds from expert seed saver Bill Best and your neighbors. Even if you don’t have seeds to swap come join us.

*Chicken Tractor & Care
MAR 30 Learn different strategies to keep chickens happy, healthy, and safe in the mountains.

Beginner’s Beekeeping
APR 20 All you need to get started with swarms, nucs and packages (i.e., the advantages and disadvantages).

Organic Garden Maintenance
MAY 18 Join us to learn about organic options for dealing with weeds, pests and disease in your garden.

*Cultivating Wild Edibles
JUNE 1 Explore for wild edibles while learning safe harvesting and appropriate transplanting techniques for a home garden.

Food Preservation & Healthy Cooking
JUNE 22 Please join us as we discuss and demonstrate healthy food preservation and canning techniques.

Small Farm Marketing Principles
JUL 20 Come learn some very practical do’s and don’ts of trying to connect and sell to local grocery stores, hospitals, farmers’ markets, and other vendors.

Season Extension & Winter Gardening
AUG 24 Learn from expert winter gardener Cathy Rehmeyer how you can grow some of the best tasting and highest value vegetables earlier and later in the growing season.

Sorghum Stir-off
SEP 9 Sorghum production is an Appalachian tradition. Join the process during the excitement of Fair Day.

Woodland Medicinal Production
OCT 21 Come join us to discuss growing and marketing two of Appalachia’s most powerful and profitable plants, Ginseng and Goldenseal.

Beehive Construction
NOV 11 Learn from local experts how to construct your own beehive and prepare for beekeeping in the spring.

Mushroom Production
NOV 28 Learn how to grow gourmet mushrooms on your own property. We will teach and demonstrate how to start and care for mushroom logs.

*Market Garden Enterprise Planning
DEC 1 Learn about local options for marketing your produce and shelf-stable products.

* = New in 2017

[Three photographs: Teacher demonstrates while workshop attendees watch,  prizewinning pumpkins, distant view of PMSS garden,]

P. 9

ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION

We offer the perfect setting for students to disconnect from technology and reconnect with the wonders of the natural world and the critical issues facing planet Earth. Our Environmental Education program offers specialized instruction that immerses K-12 students in understanding how human behaviors impact our natural world and how these impacts have changed over time. Using an experiential approach, we put students in charge of their own learning. Students make their own observations and discoveries as they hike mountains, get down and dirty in streams, or take on ancient arts like spinning and weaving.

Every year over 3,000 students come to campus for overnight field trips, ranging from 2 to 5 day programs. Our team can work with your school or group to craft a personalized program aligned to state and national standards. Along with choosing courses, you can shape the experience from meals to evening activities. Does your group want to folk dance? Embark on an owl prowl? Or, perhaps they would like to make crafts like cornshuck dolls? All of this and more is possible.

In addition to programs, we offer team-building adventure activities for adults and teens. Using a research-proven approach, we put small groups in situations that require them to collaborate towards solutions. Participants get outside and onto our beautiful campus. We offer meals and lodging and can accommodate groups of over 100 people.

For more information, please visit www.pinemountainsettlementschool.com/lessons, call (606) 558-3571, or e-mail Susan Brown: sbrown@pinemountainsettlementschool.com

[Four photographs: Two children in costume, three young students and teacher examine items from nature, group of workshop attendees pose together in outdoor setting, young boy weaving on a loom.]

P. 10

2017 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

[Four photographs in column on left: Chapel with flowers and flowering trees, Laurel House in autumn, Old Log with snow-covered porch and trees]

February 7     Garden Planning and Planting
February 14     Valentine’s Day Dinner
February 17-19     Wilderness First Aid
February 17-19    Winter Naturalist & Winter Arts
February 23    Garden Planning & Planting
March 9     Soil Science, Composting & Vermiculture
March 18    Seed Swap with Potluck
March 30    Chicken Tractor & Care
April 20    Beginner’s Beekeeping
April 21-23    Pine Mountain Wildflower Weekend
April 29    Spring Gala
April 30 – May 5     Window Restoration & Weatherization
May 5-7     Black Mountain Wildflower Weekend
May 13     Mother’s Day Dinner
May 18     Organic Garden Maintenance
June 1    Cultivating Wild Edibles
June 9-11    Lucy Braun Naturalist Weekend
June 19-22     Community Day Camp
June 22    Food Preservation & Healthy Cooking
July 4     Independence Day Picnic & Celebration
July 9-15     Reading Camp
July 20    Small Farm Marketing Principles
July 20-22    Environmental Literacy Workshop
August 12    Pine Mountain School Reunion
August 13     Creech Reunion
August 24     Season Extension Workshop
September 9    Fair Day & Sorghum Stir Off
October 6-8    Fall Arts & Cecil Sharp 100th Celebration
October 20-22     Fall Color Retreat
October 21    Woodland Medicinal Production
November 11     Veteran’s Day Dinner
November 11     Beehive Construction
November 28    Mushroom Workshop
December 17    Nativity Play

---

To register for events, please visit
www.pinemountainsettlementschool.com
or call (606) 558-3571

Facebook: Pine Mountain Settlement School | Instagram: @pinemountainsettlementschool

---

P. 11

Nourishing Summer

Summer is a time for the golden hours of childhood. Here in the mountains, that means plenty of time spent outdoors swimming, fishing, hiking, and playing. Yet, we know that for many children with limited financial resources, summer can also be a time of uncertainty. For homes facing food insecurity, summer can bring the additional stress of providing meals that were once covered by schools; for children who need extra support in school, the long months away from academic activities can exacerbate difficulties.

We have long offered summer programs to local children, including a community daycamp and Reading Camp. In 2016 we began to offer programming for young children during the school year that also provides a hot lunch to children and families. However, with our new mission to enrich lives and connect people through Appalachian place-based education for all ages, we recognized a need and opportunity to expand our summer offerings for local children from birth through age 18, as well as their families.

To meet this call, Geoff Marietta partnered with the USDA to make our campus a “Summer Feeding Site.” The result was reimbursements for a full month of meals for any child under the age of 18. But we did not stop there. Instead, we created a full month of opportunities for area children that attended to the needs of both bodies and mind.

Our first step was to expand our reach. We added a Little School Daycamp option so that infants, toddlers, and preschoolers could also participate. During Reading Camp, we partnered with the Harlan County Public Libraries so that any child could use the week to meet the goals of the library summer reading program. Laurel House was full of children of all ages coming to hear or read books as well as eat a hot lunch. Then, we created additional programming for the two weeks beyond Day Camp and Reading Camp. Of particular success was our “Science Week,” which brought children and families together for fun and interactive science activities, from formulating their own bubble solution to inflating balloons using chemical reactions.

Finally, we made all of these events free to parents and families as well as children. Through these initiatives we served a hot meal to over 100 different children as well as their caregivers. We like to think that William Creech would be proud as we strive to enrich the lives of the children of the Kentucky Mountains.

[Image: Sketch of young boy seated at a table with a book.]

P. 12 [Mailing address page]

Pine Mountain Settlement School
36 State Highway 510 Bledsoe, KY 40810

---

See Also:
GOVERNANCE Mission Statements Guide
PHOTOGRAPHS May Celebration at PMSS 2017 in Photographs

Return To:
NOTES Index