Shop · Simple lifestyle · Since 1977
49 years of simple living. Still going. Moon phases, seasonal lore, and 365 reasons to live simply in Appalachia, designed for everyone who believes simplicity is a meaningful practice.
Story & heritage
The Appalachia Simple Lifestyle Calendar began in 1977 in Washington, D.C., where ASPI founder Father Al Fritsch tied its first edition to his book 99 Ways to a Simple Lifestyle (Indiana University Press). The calendar was and still remains a guide, a daily practice, and a way of putting values on the wall and living by them 365 days a year.
The 2027 edition marks the 50th consecutive year of publication, an extraordinary run for a small nonprofit based in a rural Appalachian community.
The Warren Brunner years
The first editions chose photographs from contests. When ASPI relocated to Kentucky, the calendar found its visual voice through photographer Warren Brunner of Berea. His rural Appalachian photographs brought a natural dignity to the page that matched ASPI’s philosophy. The partnership lasted more than 40 years. Brunner arrived in Kentucky from Wisconsin and eventually took over a photo studio on Berea’s triangle square. He was present during the 1964 War on Poverty and, unlike many photographers of that era, chose consistently to honor the wisdom and dignity of the people he documented rather than exploit hardship for outside consumption. His photographs are the visual record of the calendar’s soul.
Mark Spencer and the continuing tradition
For decades, ASPI’s longest-serving staff member, Mark Spencer, has been the creative and institutional heart of the calendar, curating the daily sayings, selecting photographs, writing the annual reflection in the brochure, and carrying production from concept to print. He has done so through personal losses, institutional upheaval, and the death of Father Al himself.
The 2026 edition is the 49th, and by early 2026, loyal subscribers had nearly sold it out before the new year was three weeks old. That is what 49 years of community support looks like.
What the calendar means
“A calendar is a simple chart of time, a remembrance of days—and for some, accumulated scratches on a prison wall to mark time’s passing. A marking of what we consider most important: our values, our families, our very outlook and expression of how we experience the world.”
— Mark Spencer, “Calendar scratchings,” January 2026
Subscribers have ordered continuously for 40-plus years. Children and grandchildren carry on the tradition of gifting the calendar at the New Year. Someone once found it hanging in a yurt in Nepal during Peace Corps service. Someone else reads the daily saying every morning. It’s always a connection for like-minded people.
What’s in the calendar
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Black & white wall calendar |
| Size | 11″ × 17″ |
| Paper | Recycled paper |
| Printed by | Berea College Printing Services |
| Contents | Special days, celebrations, moon phases, seasonal lore, daily quotes & quips, regional photography |
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition number | 49th |
| Photographers | 8 artists from across the Appalachian region |
| Curator/designer | Mark Spencer |
| Supporting lead | Timi Reedy |
The Daily Content
Each day carries a quote, quip, seasonal note, or small wisdom—curated by Mark Spencer from a lifetime of immersion in simple living literature and Appalachian culture. Moon phases and seasonal lore are woven throughout. The result is closer to a daily companion than a bare scheduling tool.
Purchasing & pricing
The calendar is available by mail order, or through ASPI’s online storefront. Bulk pricing is available for organizations, educators, gift shops, and anyone who wants to share simple living widely.
| Quantity | Price per copy | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 copies | $8.50 each | Individual / holiday gifting |
| 3–9 copies | $7.75 each | Small group or family order |
| 10–24 copies | $6.00 each | Organization / classroom bulk |
| 25–49 copies | $5.25 each | Wholesale / resale |
| 50–99 copies | $5.00 each | Wholesale / resale |
| 100–199 copies | $4.75 each | Wholesale / resale |
| 200+ copies | $4.50 each | Wholesale / resale |
Note cards
ASPI produces two note card sets that pair naturally with the calendar as gifts or add-on purchases. Both are printed by Berea College Printing Services.
| Item | Base price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wildflower Note Cards (set) | $9.00/set | Appalachian wildflower photography. Appalachian Wildflower Note Cards, set of 6 different wildflowers with envelopes. Brilliant color images by photographer Janet E. Kalisz. |
| Simple Lifestyle Note Cards (set) | $7.00/set | Back by popular demand, all new set of 6 different mountain scenes with envelopes. Favorites from photographer Warren Brunner. |
Support Appalachian science and education
Calendar sales and donations help sustain programs across the region.