Nearly one million people visit the geologic wonders of the Red River Gorge in Eastern Kentucky every year. Its cliffs, arches and rock shelters were shaped over millions of years by the elements of nature. These features are truly awe inspiring. Naturally, the area is home to many artists inspired by the landscape.
Potter Casey Papendieck, originally from Oregon, has called the area home for more than 15 years, drawn to it of all the places he and his wife saw in years of drifting all around the US. In 2015, from their Wolfe County homestead, Casey and his wife, Laura Gregory, founded Turtle Farm Pottery where they create unique ceramic pieces that reflect the landscape, cryptids and critters of the Gorge.
From Big Foot to whimsical frogs and mischievous possums, there’s always something fresh coming out of their studio in the woods, especially given their collaborations with other local potters.
“The Gorge is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. We settled here because we want to live a simple life, growing big gardens and living with nature” Casey said. “Now, we get to share this gift of this place through our pottery. People tell us how they love starting their day with their Turtle Farm mug. It makes us happy to be invited into people’s homes in this way – all around the country.”
A graduate of Berea College’s ceramics program, Casey started seriously into the pottery business about 6-7 years ago, just as more and more people began to discover the Red River Gorge. Working alongside Laura and other local potters over the years, Turtle Farm Pottery has grown from selling in a few local shops to having their own gallery space in Pine Ridge with another studio location on the way in Campton, both unique small towns within the Gorge. Though they ship nationally, Casey says their pottery is so popular locally that it disappears from their gallery shelves as fast as they can make it.
To support this rapid growth, Casey recognized that they needed a more robust website, social media, and to find other operation efficiencies.
“I had zero experience with growth – I’ve always been a hustler, but then to grow a business into multiple locations and multiple employees, I knew I needed some support,” he said. “And after doing this for several years, I’m starting to trust myself as the driver behind this business’ success and its contributions to the local community, and I’m now wanting to invest in myself more.”
So, in 2023, he applied to Mountain Association’s Business Support program to work one-on-one with Andy Salmons of Field Guide Digital, a fellow entrepreneur from Corbin, Kentucky. Together, they built an enhanced website to sell Turtle Farm’s more than 50 varieties of ceramics from honey pots to bowls. They also developed a social media and email marketing strategy that works for Casey and the crew.
“It seems like an online presence would be really easy to build, but it’s actually this big complex package that requires a bunch of skills and knowledge to translate into sales. Andy not only helped us set it all up, but he taught us a lot and helped us strategize.”
This coming year, Casey said they are focused on opening up their Campton studio space in a historic building downtown. They plan to eventually offer small workshops and events. Follow along the journey here: https://www.turtlefarmpottery.com/
