The Appalachian Beginning Forest Farming Coalition and the Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN) have released a new educational video titled “Afrolachian Agroforestry with Ruby Daniels.” This video is a cornerstone piece of an ongoing initiative to highlight sustainable agroforestry practices in central Appalachia, focusing on the integration of medicinal, edible, decorative and handicraft crops under a forest canopy.

The 10-minute short film showcases the journey of Ruby Daniels, a Black agroforester and herbalist who is revitalizing traditional Afrolachian practices on ancestral land in Beckley, West Virginia. The video explores how Daniels combines her deep-rooted family heritage with sustainable farming techniques to cultivate non-timber forest products, creating a model for eco-friendly, sustainable and community-centered livelihoods.

On less than 1 acre of land, Daniels cultivates all of the natural ingredients needed to sustain Creasy Jane’s Herbal Remedies, a shop specializing in medicinal, edible, decorative and handicraft plant products.

Creasy Jane’s serves as an educational resource to other herbalists and forest farmers, regularly offering workshops and consultations.

According to a news release from LiKEN, this video release is part of a larger effort by the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farming Coalition to provide educational materials and support to farmers, potential farmers and professionals who assist new farmers in adopting agroforestry models.

LiKEN, Virginia Tech, West Virginia University and the Ohio State University Center for Folklore Studies collaborated on the initiative.

The video is available to view on the LiKEN Knowledge YouTube channel. 

For more information, please visit LiKENKnowledge.org.