ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997              TAG: 9704230016
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 

NEW GARDENING COLUMN STARTS TODAY

Today, the Current introduces a new gardening and outdoors column, "Field Work," written by Jim Minick.

Jim Minick teaches English at Radford University and directs the university's Appalachian Teachers Network, a group of teachers from kindergarten through college who include Appalachian studies in their courses.

He and his wife, Sarah, live in the Alum Ridge area of Floyd County where they are slowly reclaiming an abandoned 85-acre farm that is overgrown. Sarah Minick is the full-time farmer in the operation, though she helped on this week's column.

Gradually, they are clearing acreage for their blueberry and raspberry patches, for a vegetable garden, a grape arbor and a small orchard.

The couple moved to the area in 1989 and have had the farm since 1991.

Jim Minick, who grew up gardening in rural Pennsylvania, combines his love of gardening and his love of writing in the monthly column that begins today.

LENGTH: Short :   31 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  GENE DALTON/THE ROANOKE TIMES. Jim Minick and his wife, 
          Sarah, live in the Alum Ridge area of Floyd County where they are 
          slowly reclaiming an abandoned 85-acre farm that is overgrown. 
          color.