Dorothy Feltner reporting in this week.
I have been focusing on connecting with other organizations and individuals lately. I am working on building up an action committee for local food issues. I think that such a committee could really help keep everyone on the same page and working together towards the goal of better food access for all. I have started a volunteer night on Tuesdays from 6pm-8pm in our school garden to act as other gathering place for people interested in local food and gardening. This will also get a few weeds pulled in preparation for a fall crop of mustard greens. We will provide snacks for our volunteers.
I have started to work with Cordia School, who will be allowing us to have some service learners in the school garden. Plans for expansion of the school garden are really starting to work out. Eddie Flores (medicine program coordinator and baseball coach) and I went out and took some measurements of the expandable area, so we have an accurate estimate of square feet and diagrams of the space. I’m very excited to see it all come together in next few months.
Alice Whitaker (director of Lotts Creek Community School) and I attended a SOAR listening session for business incubation to learn about what’s going on in the community and how our organization can help people start businesses. I felt it was applicable since we are encouraging growers to sell and it provides for good networking. We met an owner of Old Homeplace Farm who is willing to help us out by providing teaching and allowing us to visit the farm. I’m very excited to learn more about them.
You will love Maggie and Will from Old Homeplace. Maggie ran the Pine Mountain Grow Appalachia program for four years before becoming a wife and farmher in her own right. Also, there is a lot of action in Perry County and Hazard on developing a local food economy in the region. Check with the Perry County/Hazard Tourism folks about a gathering they are planning on Aug. 14th. EKY is growing in lots of wonderful ways.
We are working with them!
Your action committee sounds like a great idea! Post picture if and when you get it started!
The idea has not exactly been well received since there is already so much going on. I think there is a need to bring people to an organized meeting for the immediate area. There is especially a need to understand and address the food access and hunger issues for children and rural communities.