Old Page- Blackberry Blossom Farm

04/20/2025

Hello friends! Please follow our primary page Blackberry Blossom Farm & Campground, where we will be posting all of our updates from now on!

04/19/2025

Everyone in this part of the world was greatly affected by Hurricane Helene in late September and some lost everything including loved ones, homes, vehicles , businesses, livestock, pets, memories and heirlooms from generations.
We were fortunate to have only trees down (none on major structures) and a lot of clean up in our campground, but we still have a campground! It’s taken months of processing, grieving, somewhat coming to terms with what our whole community and surrounding communities have gone through.
As spring is here and we’re opened for our 18th season in business at Blackberry Blossom Farm and Campground, we’re so grateful to have such kind souls step up to help us get through this tough stuff.
Megan and Mat Cash, the children of our heart, brother and sister team who’ve rolled their sleeves up and dug in to do anything we’re struggling with.
Whitney Parkinson, our friend and right-hand woman, shows up to tackle any project Ed theows at her.
Bethany Novotny and Angela Hagaman who came for a work day and helped clean out our greenhouse so we could get it recovered and functional again.
Josette Gust, Jorga Green and Phil Smith who cleared a big creek bed of invasive Oriental Bittersweet.
So many campers taking time out of their camping vacation, already clearing creeks around our campsites of sticks and downed branches, treating the sites like their own.
We appreciate each hand that gives back to help us. We’ll find a way soon to show our appreciation to all of you.❤️

01/06/2025

11/10/2024

Blackberry Blossom Farm and Campground is closed for the 2024 season. We have many trees to remove and a lot of Helene storm clean up to do over the winter but hope to be ready to welcome everyone back in April 2025 for a brighter and better camping experience. Bless you all for checking on us and for the support and love we’ve been gifted.❤️
~Ed & Janice

10/08/2024

10/08/2024

Swing by on Saturday, October 12th from 10am-5pm. We will be set up in front of Erwin Acupuncture & Healing Arts offering mutual aid, herbal and natural health options. will offer massage by donation from 1pm-5pm.

Spread the word and let those in need in the East TN area to come visit us on Saturday or reach out for assistance.

If you are a clinical herbalist or mental health professional, we welcome you to come offer advice to those that need it.

We will continue to take donations, package, organize, and deliver herbal support.

Updated information, details, and lists: HERBalachia.com/hurricanerelief

10/06/2024

We are going to continue posting an “Apple a Day” photo for a short while longer. Once we are able, we will post all the submissions and the photos Record staff took. We greatly enjoyed seeing all these photos. Today’s photo features HERBalachia's Herbalist Lifestyle Program graduates. These students graduated this past weekend and they wanted to submit a group photo for the “Apple a Day” campaign. The Lifestyle Program meets at Blackberry Blossom Campground in Limestone Cove one weekend a month for six months. Participants learn about herbal medicine and traditions. From top left, Nichole Kuhan, Thomas Redmon, Kitty Higgins, Carol Jernigan, Jessica Gonzales, Jennifer Buckley, Kat Hayes, Shannon Howard, Nataliya Leslie, Rachel Mendez-Barrios, Denee Mattioli, Sheila Nolder and Carol Rossa.

10/06/2024

10/05/2024

Our little community.

10/03/2024

While the Tremont campus was spared from the brunt of Hurricane Helene, it’s not business as usual here. We find ourselves distracted, concerned, and heartbroken for our friends, family, and neighbors in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina who have experienced utter devastation. Many are still struggling to find the basic necessities—food, water, and shelter. The recovery process has yet to begin. The rebuilding process will take years.

In response to this devastation, we’ve seen a number of programmatic cancellations—from adult naturalist classes, to school groups, to fall hiking trips—and we’re working on rescheduling where possible. We hope to welcome those folks back in the future.

Nature is powerful. While time in nature recharges us and promotes connection, we also recognize that nature can be destructive. Inevitably, catastrophes like this change us and our relationship with nature. There are lessons we will take away from all of this. When the time comes, we’ll work to help impacted people find respite and reprieve in nature—rediscovering their sense of well-being and connection in the natural world. But now the focus is on helping our neighbors recover from the storm with the basics they need to survive.

Below are a few trusted ways to give monetary support. Please consider helping in any way you can.

-Catey McClary, President & CEO

East Tennessee Foundation (https://easttennesseefoundation.org/grants/neighbor-to-neighbor-disaster-relief-fund/)
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (https://cfwnc.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list)
Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee (https://netfoodbank.networkforgood.com/projects/235468-hurricane-helene-relief)
United Way (https://www.unitedway.org/hurricane-helene)
World Central Kitchen (https://donate.wck.org/give/622465)
American Red Cross -also seeking blood donations (https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html)