Forest Farming And Virtual Learning This Fall

On this West Virginia Morning, we visit a hollow in Keyser where one family is investing in the health of local forests and reaping some surprising benefits. We also explore what virtual school could look like this fall.

As West Virginia’s public schools prepare for a Sept. 8 reopening, many parents and guardians, because of coronavirus concerns, are considering virtual schooling for their children. In fact, according to the West Virginia Department of Education, about 50,000 children so far in West Virginia have already signed up for virtual school. So, how will this model look in West Virginia? And where does that leave kids who don’t have broadband access? Liz McCormick brings us the story.

On the latest Inside Appalachia, we learn that there can be big financial benefits from investing in the health of our forests. But we also find out how investing time in these plants can also benefit our mental health. In Keyser, West Virginia, Andrea Lay has intimate knowledge of the micro-climates and the plants found deep in the mountains. Lay lives with her husband and their two daughters on Hidden Hollow Farm. This story was produced by Leah Scarpelli and Michael Snyder as part of “The Mountain Traditions Project.”

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