Hello, my name is Gail Mills. I’m Director of Project Worth Outreach and Project Coordinator of the Grow Appalachia Garden Program in Means, Kentucky. Today I realized that summer is going by fast and everyone is busy gathering their produce and trying to keep the bugs at bay. After watching community members picking vegetables from the many raised gardens that Project Worth Outreach has on the grounds, I started forming a plan for future gardens. The idea to go to the local school system and recruit children and their parents to have community gardens was an idea that Alex Sanders, Site Supervisor for Grow Appalachia Garden Program, had when working with the faculty and staff at Bott’s Elementary School in the spring. Mrs. Baker’s Kindergarten class raised a small garden with supplies by Grow Appalachia and with that being successful we thought that it would be good to offer the project to the entire school, grades K-5.
Bott’s Elementary Pre-school Garden photo
Bott’s Elementary Pre-school Garden photo
Bott’s Elementary Pre-school Garden photo
PWO Garden Photo
PWO Garden Photo
The Food Director with the Menifee County School System has expressed an interest in buying the produce that any Grow Appalachia gardener would like to sell for use in the cafeteria. What a great idea for families to grow the food their children eats while at school and the parents receiving some financial support also.
The plan would involve families, teachers and school administrators with organic gardening. The plus would be that everyone involved in the project would be eating healthier, be working as a family unit and some would be compensated with financial gain as well.
Alex plans to work with teachers when school starts back in August with the planting of Fall vegetables. The introduction to the idea of raising at least two gardens on the same patch of land each year will be a learning experience for most of the children and young adults.
You can never go wrong teaching children how to grow food the organic way. Hopefully this generation of youth will have success with this kind of gardening so it will continue for years to come.
Hope everyone has great success with your gardening efforts. Gail Mills 7/10/14
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