Lavender Farm Restores Former Coal Land — And Creates New Jobs in Appalachia
A longtime academic and research-program manager, Jocelyn Sheppard never expected to become a farmer. But in 2016, she worked on a project demonstrating that lavender could thrive in the rocky soil atop West Virginia’s reclaimed coal mines. Recognizing the project’s environmental and economic potential, Sheppard in 2018 founded Appalachian Botanical Co. — a social enterprise dedicated to transforming former coal land into productive fields for raising lavender and bees, producing its own line of botanical-based products, and creating new jobs in Appalachia.
Today, the company offers an array of lavender- and honey-based aromatherapy, body care, culinary, and men’s grooming products. Jocelyn prioritizes hiring former coal workers and veterans, as well as providing second-chance employment for people rebuilding their lives after incarceration or substance abuse challenges.
Digital tools are essential to Appalachian Botanical Co.’s operations and growth, allowing the business to reach customers well beyond West Virginia. The company uses e-commerce platform Shopify to manage online sales, and AI-powered digital marketing tool Klaviyo to send customers high-relevance email and text messages. Google Ads also help Appalachian Botanical reach audiences in high-population states like Texas and California — helping stretch the company’s limited marketing budget as it grows, adds new products, and works to get its products into more stores.
Jocelyn wants policymakers to recognize how important digital tools are to rural businesses like hers. “Reliable digital tools make it possible for us to compete, reach customers, and stay in business,” she says. “For rural businesses, digital tools aren’t optional — they’re essential.”
