Well, Lotts Creek is back for another year in Grow Appalachia!

Last year was such a learning experience for everyone involved, and honestly we did some really good work.

One thing that I beat to death last year was the work we did with our food pantry. In the lean months when commodities and other food from our food bank was scarce our garden really pulled through for us. This year we arent going to try such a wide variety of vegetables and focus on the staples with high yields that we can use to feed even more people.

Last year we also wanted a VISTA worker badly, but the paperwork and process was a headache and it never happened. This year we are super far along in the process and it looks like we are going to have a worker this year! No promises but it looks all but done.

Also last year we constantly whined about the amount of rain, and this year we plan to plant peas so you may hear me constantly whine about cold weather or snow.

We have 3 people lined up for the lil green things to be planted next week- as long as weather holds. We were able to get 2 heirloom varieties of peas from a seed company I like, including a “bush pea” that we wanted to try an area with nothing for the peas to run on. The bush pea was suggested by a local master gardener who said that Eddie- my partner in crime last year- would be able to handle better than the normal variety.

Eddie is a great guy, but when he gets overwhelmed by gardening it is a site to see- so I was more than happy to spend money on some bush peas.

As we talk to more and more people as we recruit I hope we get more people on board to off season garden, but as always we will see.

If anyone new has any questions- I dont know if I would be the best person to ask… I really some days have no idea what i am doing, but I am always more than happy to share my experiences good and bad.