February was a busy month here at Lotts Creek!

We finished out our staffing y hiring Eduaro Flores- a transplant to Lotts Creek via marriage to a Cordia alumnus. Eddie is a Sargent in the National Guard, and a graduate of Western Kentucky University. Eddie has a non-stop motor and has stayed busy every day! We have collected the soil samples from the 20 community garden spots, as well as the school gardens. As soon as the last couple dry out we are sending them to UK via our extension agent.

We are partnering in our gardens with: The Homeless Shelter, Pathfinders of Hazard, and Treasured Friends Llc, a Supported Community Living (SCL) facility that works with MR clients. Each of these community groups have ties to Lotts Creek/ Cordia, and we are excited to get them rolling.

Our greenhouse was also completed with some matching funds from the Soil Conservation office in Knott County and the WebMD Health Foundation. I have been using the greenhouse for the last 3 years- but it never had doors, electric, or really anything that made it a greenhouse besides its shape! But now it is fully operation and we are going to start next week using it.

We also received our “chicken poo,” as I lovingly have referred to it while talking to folks, Friday. 7Springs were easy to work with, and it came right to the school. Luckily a heavy equipment operator nearby had his forklift handy, and he drove it out to the greenhouse for us. There is NO chance the truck could make it on the little road by the ball field.

The biggest issue we have found is so many folks think we are trying to “lease” or “take” their land. Despite the encouragement from myself and other long standing community members some folks just won’t budge- and unfortunately some of them are the people who need it the most. They are just so afraid we are taking their land from them!

Our strategy is to use honey- we are going to help their neighbors, and if they won’t come around this year, well we always next to expand our program next year! We honestly feel this is one of the best things we have ever done here, and that is saying something. So, until next update…