Family dairy farms were once plentiful in Athens County but are now facing extinction due to commercial farming. At nearly 80 years old, Bernard and Loretta Allen are one of the few remaining dairy businesses in the county.

Unlike friends at the Hocking Hills Mennonite Church, the Springers were not born into their faith. Coming from an outside world, their transition was marked by questions of how they would raise their children and the kind of community in which they live.

Green thumbs and green horns share gardening secrets and advice at the Athens Community Food Initiatives garden. They represent the generosity of the Athens culture providing food not only for themselves, but also for community members in need.

The Athens area is full of forward-thinking people: folks who break the mold or do things one wouldn’t expect. These progressive individuals, presented through portraits, challenge popular notions of Appalachia.