News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center in Berea, Kentucky is moving its operations to the Tennessee Tech Oakley Farm in Livingston.
Dr. Michael Best is the Director Sustainable Mountain Ag Center and a Professor of Agricultural Economics at TTU. He said the move coincides with the organization’s seed swap on Saturday.
“We’ve actually been producing seed this year from [The Oakley Farm] seed bank for this purpose,” Best said. “In the next month, all the seeds that are in storage in Kentucky are going to be moved to the Oakley Farm in a walk-in freezer located in the building where we’re having the seed swap. All the operations that used to occur in Kentucky are being moved to the Oakley Farm and TTU.”
Best said he and his father started the organization nearly 20 years ago in Berea where they lived at the time.
“Since that time, my dad’s 82 years old, my mom’s 76, and they’re kind of wanting to turn the responsibility of it to TTU,” Best said. “A couple years ago, Terry Saltsman and Dr. Soni went and visited them about giving the seed bank to Tennessee Tech University and they were very receptive to letting Tennessee Tech take over the seed bank and the responsibilities that are associated with it.”
Saturday’s Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Seed Swap will be the first time in the event’s 10-year history in which it takes place outside of Berea. The event begins at 9 a.m. and will take place at the Oakley Farm, located at 295 Deck Cove Lane in Livingston.
