Well everyone is pretty much settled in for the winter. There are still greens, broccoli and cabbage out there growing but we are getting comfortable around our stocked pantries and wood piles.

The St Vincent Mission Grow Appalachia program celebrated its year with a harvest dinner of all the good things that come from the garden and berry patch with a little help from our friends at Appalachian Meats, the local meat processing operation run by our friend Jon and his boys.

On the menu was a couple different kinds of greens, corn pudding, fried green tomatoes, raspberry pie, potato salad, half-runner beans, chili made from canned tomatoes, dried beans and local grown cow, cornbread and salad.

This year’s Gardener-of-the-year was Seward and Wanda Allen for having “about the prettiest garden” David Cooke had ever seen and for being our oldest gardeners. Seward is in his 80’s and Wanda isn’t telling. We also had a Youth Gardener-of-the-year, Chris Dingus. Chris was very involved in the Greenhouse Mentoring program at the David School and he also continued to work in gardens of elderly and handicapped people during the summer. Chris even “got the bed off his back” early enough to drive to London with us in July to meet John Paul.

Seward in his garden

 

Chris with his certificate and gift card