Arc of Appalachia - Donor Gathering 2026
Simon Woods, Simon Sorghum Festival, & Tremper Mound
Saturday, September 26, 2026
9:45 am to 4 pm - Please arrive at 9:45 am
West Portsmouth, Ohio
This, the first of two Donor Gatherings offered this fall, will take place at two preserves in Scioto County that lie only a few miles apart, together totaling over 1,400 acres of protected natural areas.
1) Sit-down under-the-tent presentation by Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director
2) Lunch provided at the singular Simon Sorghum Festival, with time to explore the artisan crafts
THIS EVENT IS FREE TO ARC OF APPLACHIA DONORS & THEIR INVITED GUESTS. RETURN TO HOME
The Gathering Schedule
Only a few miles apart as the crow flies, Simon Woods and Tremper Mound Preserves are situated in the same steep, unbroken hills of Scioto County, and in the same Pond Creek watershed. Both protect incredibly rich cultural histories.
9.45 am Please arrive no later than 9:45 am to park and settle in so we can begin promptly at 10 am.
10:00 am “Woodland Sprawl - a Wildlands Success Story” - A Sit-down Presentation by Nancy Stranahan, Arc Director. We will gather under the tent on the Festival grounds of Simon Farm where Nancy will share stories of Simon Farm, and the astounding wildlands acquisitions that have taken place in the more recently. Her program will include a preview of some of the exciting acquisitions expected to occur in the coming months. These will be good-news stories for anyone with a heart-connection to the preservation of wilderness and our earth’s ancient natural communities. She will also share her perspectives on how and why the Arc has been experiencing such explosive growth in recent times, growing from 8100 acres in 2020 to what will likely be close to 20,000 acres by year-end!
12 -1:30 Lunch Will BE Provided Free-of-Charge at the Simon Sorghum Festival. The Simon Sorghum Festival celebrates our Appalachian cultural heritage, traditional mountain music, and time-honored agrarian skills and crafts. Held at the historic 1864 French homestead of 5th-generation John R. Simon, this unhurried event also demonstrates the entire sorghum-making process, beginning with harvesting the trimmed sorghum cane from the fields and ending with the golden drops of sorghum molasses lifted from the evaporator pan and poured into mason jars for our grateful visitors. This year’s sorghum crop will be making sweet steam, sweet syrup, and sweet memories for all who come.
1:30 - We are so sorry! We have had to cancel this hike due to the extremely and unusually high tick population this year. Please enjoy the festival instead! There is plenty to see to fruitfully occupy your afternoon!
A Guided Hike will take place on the Appalachian Ballad Trail, a brand new TRAIL at Simon Woods. Simon Woods boasts nearly 600 acres of fully mature white oak forests that blanket the rugged hills as far a one can see. The Appalachian Ballad Trail is a 1.6-mile loop trail that follows Little Cave Lick Creek, ascending roughly halfway up to the ridgeline and back. Considering the rugged terrain, its ascents are gradual, but it will nevertheless require good balance, moderate leg strength, and stamina. We will take the route slowly, stopping to interpret frequently along the way.
know before you come….
Timing. The Donor Gathering will begin promptly at 10 am and end at 4:00 p,m. Be sure to arrive no later than 9:45 am.
If you are registered, but can no longer attend, please cancel your reservation. Because seating is so limited for this event, if you need to cancel, it will open up your seats to other parties. You may register other family members or a few close friends if you wish to do so. You can cancel by texting or calling 937-365-1935, or by writing arcpreserveinfo@gmail.com.
If you are planning to attend with friends who are registering separately, be sure that all of you register close to the same time so that we can assign everyone to the same order of events. We encourage you to leave us a note to such desires in the registration form so that we don’t accidentally split you up.
Food: We will be providing hearty, traditional Appalachian fare for lunch, including hot dogs with our own special meat sauce, ham and bean soup, potato chips, and homemade cornbread. We will also have vegan and vegetarian soups and desserts available for our vegan and vegetarian friends.
Directions: We will provide you with detailed driving instructions no later than a week ahead of the event.
What to Bring: We will supply all the food, chairs, dining tables, silverware, and plates. Arrive with a filled water bottle, a daypack if you want to carry your water on the trail with you, a sturdy pair of hiking shoes, tick repellent (just to be safe), a hat if you want some shade from the fun, and your credit card and some cash, so that you can buy things at the Festival if you choose to do so. Desserts and soft drinks are for sale at the food booth but are not covered by your free meal ticket. You will likely want to take home some sorghum and apple butter, which will be available for sale at the Festival booth.