Appalachian Cellar helps West Virginia makers grow.
photos courtesy of APPALACHIAN CELLAR
You’ve probably heard the expression “teamwork makes the dream work.” But what do you do when you have a group of West Virginia farmers who need help selling the fruits of their labor, but don’t know where to find that help? If you’re Audra O’Dell, you dig in to plant the seeds of collaboration and then create a platform to help its members grow.
“A group of 12 farmers got together back in 2019 and started discussing the benefits of working together to address barriers we were all facing,” says O’Dell, who now serves as project coordinator for the West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition. Those talks led the group to start organically working together to apply for grants, find training, and, well, just gain traction as a group. It was that momentum that led to the formation of an official cooperative in 2023, Appalachian Cellar, which has since grown to encompass more than just farmers.
“We are now 30 members strong, ranging from farmers to artisans,” O’Dell says. “And we just kicked off our new online marketplace to help expand sales in West Virginia and beyond.”
Appalachian Cellar gives Mountain State makers an easy place to market their products to consumers who may not have discovered them otherwise. Featuring locally sourced foods and products crafted by—in some cases—generations of Appalachian traditions, the site offers a variety of high-quality farm goods and products, everything from shelf-stable foods like jams and syrups to hops, textiles, skin care products, and more. The initiative’s name is rooted in the traditional method of storing foods and goods in cellars throughout Appalachia.
When the group reached out to “Vagabond Chef” Matt Welsch to see if he would help promote their efforts to support West Virginia products and farmers, he didn’t have to think twice. “Heck yeah,” he says. “That’s what I do. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to put myself in a position where I have the opportunity to champion West Virginia and be a spokesperson and cheerleader for all of the great things happening in our state, especially when it comes to restaurants, food, and farmers.”
And that’s what Appalachian Cellar is, he says: a group that came together to raise their collective voices. “We have so many people who are making great things and doing what they love in the place where they want to be, right here in West Virginia. I love to help share their stories.” appalachiancellar.com, @appalachiancellar on FB
READ MORE ARTICLES FROM WV LIVING’S WINTER 2025 ISSUE
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