Date of Graduation
2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MA
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Geology and Geography
Committee Chair
Bradley Wilson
Committee Co-Chair
Cheryl Brown
Committee Member
Jonathan Hall
Abstract
Community gardening is being used to address food inequality as an alternative food network. Most literature looks at community gardening in urban contexts. Less is known about community gardening in rural areas. My research was able to address how community gardening contributes to food sovereignty in WV and how garden leaders help contribute to this access to food sovereignty. Through a survey of 19 community gardens across West Virginia I show the organization and use of these gardens. Through interviews with 11 of those gardens, I was able to learn about how garden leaders' frame their gardens' goals and importance to the community. In return these frames show how WV gardens view their movement in an apolitical way vs. the more political goals of the food sovereignty movement. On the other hand, the gardens are able to use food sovereignty to help the food security, food access, and health of their communities.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Mary, "Growing Community Gardens in the Mountain State" (2017). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 6547.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/6547